So You Want To be A Destination Imagination® (DI) Team Manager!?
DI is 100% student-driven. The team members are responsible for anything involving the Challenge solution. This means hands-off to anyone not officially on the team.
So what exactly is a Team Manager (TM) and what does one do?
Every DI team has at least one adult Team Manager (TM) 18 years or older with a completed background check. TMs can be parents, teachers, community members, DI alum...anyone interested in watching teams of students come together to create a unique solution that they can be proud of.
While TMs cannot contribute directly to the team's Challenge solution, they are an integral part of the entire DI Challenge program.
So what exactly does a TM do?
As a DI TM, you will have many jobs to perform and all will play a vital role in the success of your team. Contrary to what you may have heard, a TM is NOT a coach.
While a TM can teach general skills when asked to do so by the team, unlike a coach a TM cannot direct a team towards a particular end with its Challenge solution.
Here is a list of some of the general TM duties during the season. This list is not all inclusive, but provides the basic responsibilities during a DI season.
Teams numbers for the 2024 - 25 season will go on sale on July 15, 2024, Challenge materials became available to TMs with a completed background check on August 1, 2024. Team number volume discounts are available if you purchase all your team numbers at the same time. 2024 - 25 team number cost = $165. Wisconsin Affiliate fee at the time of team number purchase = $100 for a total at the time of purchase = $265. This is non-refundable. The cost of a background check through DIHQ has been lowered to $25.
- Purchase a Team Number and a Background Check If you do not have a school coordinator or someone else who takes care of purchasing a Team Number, you will have to make the purchase and complete a background check so you can get access to the Challenge materials.
- Know the Challenge: After your team selects a Challenge, you should learn it inside and out. This can help ensure that your team stays on track.
- Know the Rules of the Road In addition to knowing the Challenge, you and the team need to know the Rules of The Road. DI has rules that each team must follow, regardless of the selected Challenge.
- Understand Interference: You Can Look, But Do Not Touch. YOU CANNOT SOLVE ANY PART OF THE CHALLENGE FOR THEM! This includes telling a team what to build, what a story should be about, where to stand, or even how loud to speak. Refer to the specific pages in the Rules of the Road to review the meaning of Interference. It is a good idea to share this with the team members and parents. All of the brainstorming, problem-solving, and Challenge development must come solely from the students.
- Teach A Skill If the team comes to you and asks to be taught a general skill needed to solve their Challenge, you can teach the skill or find someone to do so.
- Find a Place To Practice: Secure a place for your team meetings/practices. Many schools provide teams with practice and storage space. Some TMs or parents will volunteer spaces in their homes. Regardless, allowing for the creation, building, and storage of the team's items should be taken into consideration as well as enough space to practice their Challenge solution presentation.
- Keep an Eye on Safety: A TM should be sure that all facets of team meetings are safe. This includes the safe operation and use of tools and supplies as well as prevention and mediation of problems that arise, and abiding by the Youth Protection Policies and Procedures.
- Tournament Registration: Find out when and how to register for any tournaments. Your Regional Director will be able to guide you through the tournament registration process.
- Tournament Prep: Make sure all of the competition forms are completed, book hotel rooms, transport sets, kids, props, costumes, and emergency kit, get team t-shirts and/or team trading pins, make sure you are following school district rules for field trips, and keep parents in the loop about dos and don’ts at a competition. Start planning this a few months out from your first tournament.
- Practice Instant Challenges (ICs): As 25 percent of your team’s overall score, practicing ICs is crucial Run as many ICs as you can. After each one, sit down with them and reflect with them on what they did great and what they could improve. It is here where you CAN advise on how to improve. There are many IC resources free online or you can purchase through DI.
- Run Errands: While you are not permitted to design or build any part of their solution, there is no rule prohibiting you from going to the hardware store or the thrift store to purchase the materials they tell you to purchase. The keywords of that last sentence are “they tell you to purchase.” To keep your team busy designing and building their awesome solution, it is wise to get the requested material in a quick and timely fashion.
- Provide Inspiration: Just because you cannot solve the solution for them does not mean you cannot motivate them to be the best DI kids they can be! Cheer the journey, not just the results.
How To Start A DI Team
CREATE A DI ACCOUNT
If you are new to Destination Imagination, you will need to create an account with DI. Creating an account does not obligate you to purchase a team number or participate in the program. An account is needed to be a team number purchaser, Team Manager, Appraiser, or even a Support Volunteer at any tournament throughout the season.
PURCHASE A TEAM NUMBER
WHAT IS A TEAM NUMBER?
- A Team Number is a unique membership number permitting a team to present its Challenge solution at a local DI event/tournament and be eligible to qualify for Global Finals. A team uses the same team number throughout a season (July - May). A new team number is needed for each season. Every participating team needs its own team number.
- A Team Number can be used for a team of 2-7 participants for competitive Team Challenges. Teams solving the Early Learning (non-competitive Challenge) may have 2 or more participants.
Each Team Number includes access to:
- Quick Start Guide that gives an overview of the season and the Creative Process. Here is the 2023-24 Quick Start Guide.
- All seven (7) brand new Team Challenges. This includes the rules, criteria, and scoring breakdown for each Challenge.
- Roadmap: Guide for Team Managers. This valuable resource guides teams through the season from the Creative Process, choosing a Challenge, understanding the Challenge Experience, meeting agendas, practice Instant Challenges, preparing for tournaments, and more.
- Rules of the Road. This document contains all of the rules and procedures required to participate in a tournament. Regardless of the selected Team Challenge, teams need to review Rules of the Road to learn the details of the Challenge Experience, to prepare for tournaments, and to make sure Team Challenge and Instant Challenge solutions fit within the rules.
- Instant Challenge Practice Sets are provided for both the Early Learning and competitive levels
- Access to exclusive online training modules for all assigned Team Managers (TMs). This online learning system allows TMs to get the needed training at their convenience.
- Team Challenge Clarification system allows teams to ask the International Challenge Masters (ICMs) questions regarding their chosen Challenge when the rules seem unclear.
Starting July 15, 2024, you can go to shop.destinationImagination.org to purchase a Team Number and purchase or submit a Team Manager Background Check. All Challenge Materials will be available starting August 1, 2024, to all teams with an assigned Team Manager with an approved background check on file with DIHQ .
Team Number Pricing
DIHQ collects $165 per team number and volume discounts are offered. In Wisconsin, along with the team number, you will submit an Affiliate fee of $100. These fees are non-refundable.
Each team is then eligible to present a team solution at a local tournament and may qualify to advance to Global Finals. Local, state, and Global Finals tournament entry fees are separate and are paid upon registration for each tournament. Any costs incurred by a team while developing their Challenge solution (ie for purchasing materials) are the responsibility of the team and are not covered in the team number or tournament registration fees.
ASSIGN A TEAM MANAGER TO THE TEAM NUMBER AND GET A BACKGROUND CHECK
Once a team number is purchased, a Team Manager must be assigned to that number. This person will need a DI account and a Background Check. Team Manager(s) can purchase or submit their own Background Checks separately.
You do not need to purchase Background Checks if a school or organization is using the Background Check Group Waiver Request available at destinationimagination.org/background-check.
DOWNLOAD THE CHALLENGE MATERIALS AND START MEETING!
As of August 1, 2024, once a team number has been purchased and a Team Manager has an approved background check on file with DIHQ, the Challenge Materials and all supporting documentation (see above) will be available in the DI Resources Area: https://resources.destinationimagination.org/resources.php.
To access the Resources Area, you will log in with the same email and password used to purchase the team number. If someone else such as a program coordinator purchased the team number on your behalf, you will need to create an account with DI. Pass along the email used to create your account to the team number purchaser so they can add you as the Team Manager for that team number.
DETERMINE AT WHICH LEVEL YOUR TEAM WILL PARTICIPATE
AGE AND GRADE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE CHALLENGE EXPERIENCE
Students from pre-K through university level participate in the Destination Imagination Challenge Program. The following are the age/grade requirements to participate in the 2024-25 Destination Imagination Challenge Experience:
- EARLY LEARNING/RISING STARS® This non-competitive level is designed for preschool through 2nd grade and is the perfect place to get started. All teams at this level complete the same Challenge. Teams present Challenge solutions at a tournament for positive feedback and great fun! Rising Stars teams are allowed to have more than 7 team members
- ELEMENTARY LEVEL Kindergarten-5th Grade or no student born before June 15, 2013. 2 - 7 team members
- MIDDLE LEVEL 6th-8th Grade or no student born before June 15, 2010. 2 - 7 team members
- SECONDARY LEVEL 9th-12th Grade or no student born before June 15, 2006. 2 - 7 team members
- UNIVERSITY LEVEL Full-time, post-secondary students enrolled in college, university, trade, or technical school or in the military. College-bound high school seniors who are taking accredited courses offered by a college or university that will qualify for course credit when entering higher education. 2 - 7 team members
Teams can include team members from differing ages/grade levels, but the team's Level at competition is determined by the age/grade of the eldest member. For example, if a team is composed of 6 fifth graders and 1 sixth grader, they would compete at the Middle Level.
Teams compete against other teams in the same Challenge and same level. For example, all Middle Level Scientific teams compete against all other Middle Level Scientific teams.
REGISTER FOR YOUR FIRST TOURNAMENT!
Mid-to-late fall, Wisconsin teams will be able to register for their Regional tournaments. Team Managers and program coordinators will receive information from WIDI regarding when and where tournaments will take place and how and when to register.
Regional tournaments take place beginning in late February through mid-March with a registration deadline in January. Regional tournaments are run by volunteer Regional Directors who oversee geographical areas of the state and the location of your tournament depends on what region you are in. You can check to see what region you are in here. There is a $50 regional tournament fee plus each team is to provide a volunteer Appraiser (training is provided) and a Support Volunteer. If you need help with asking people to volunteer, let us know! It is a good idea to start asking NOW!
The Wisconsin Affiliate tournament (aka State) is run by WIDI volunteers and is usually held in early April for teams that qualify from the Regional tournaments (the top three places in each level and Challenge). There is an Affiliate tournament fee plus each team is to provide a volunteer Appraiser and a Support Volunteer. The location of the 2024-25 tournament is to be determined.
Global Finals is the international tournament run by DIHQ that takes place in late May for teams that qualify from the Affiliate tournament (the top three place in each level and Challenge).
Teams are not obligated to move on to the next tournament level.