Author: Mike Steigerwald

Encourage your players to be proficient at all of the variations in Equations and On-Sets. Most of the time, players have favorite variations or ones with which they have prepared … Continue →

Players must review all the games they will play at Nationals before competition. As many pre-Nationals practices should be scheduled as time and students’ schedules permit. Each practice should be … Continue →

In any activity, competitors with a winning attitude plan how they will succeed. Losers prepare their excuses for when they lose. When competition begins, winners bear down hard when adversity … Continue →

Some students are afraid to compete because they fear defeat. Perhaps they have had a bad experience earlier in their lives in Academic Games or in another situation. Some students … Continue →

When preparing for Presidents competition, divide the presidents in the range for the tournament among your players. Have each player gather information about the president(s) assigned to him or her. … Continue →

Many teams set goals for what they want to do at the national tournament. It’s not too early to start now in getting your players focused on what their goals … Continue →

With the opening of school, it is time to take steps to invite back returning players and recruit newcomers. Here are some ways this can be done. Shortly before school … Continue →

Now that Nationals is over, it’s a good time to have students reflect on what they’ve learned and how far they’ve come in their learning this year. Sometimes, students are … Continue →

In Equations, have players practice trying to win shakes and make good Solutions when one opponent sets the Goal in every shake (maybe three consecutive Goals). This helps players get … Continue →