OMER’S Top Ten Reasons Why You Should Become a Coach

#10 THERE ARE MINIMAL QUALIFICATIONS.
Can you spell OotM?

#9 OotM GIVES YOU THE ULTIMATE ANSWER TO THAT UBIQUITOUS COCKTAIL PARTY QUESTION, “WHAT’S NEW WITH YOU?”
You’ll never be at a loss for words since once you start explaining “What’s Odyssey of the Mind?” and an hour later you’re just getting around to the finer points of the latest clarifications to your team’s problem.

#8 OotM COACHES WITNESS THE “DISCOVERY CHANNEL” WITHOUT EVER HAVING TIME TO TURN ON THE TELEVISION.”
Watching seven kid’s metamorph from the slack jawed “DUHH” stage to the effervescent, polished performers with dazzling stage presence is a rich and rare experience that evolves ever so slowly over a period of several months’ gestation.

#7 COACHING OotM CAN REVERSE THE NATURAL AGING PROCESS OF THE BRAIN.
Brainstorming with your OotM team fires up your neurons, too! Just being a judge in spontaneous practice sessions with your team challenges your brain cells to keep up with theirs.

#6 “ODYSSEY OF THE MIND COACH” LOOKS GOOD ON YOUR RESUME.
You are now officially one of former President Bush’s “1,000 Points of Light.” Being an OotM Coach can also preempt you from having to do most other volunteer jobs at school.

#5 OotM COACHING EXPANDS YOUR SHOPPING HORIZONS.
You’ll never shop in a hardware store in the same way again. Strange and heretofore unnoticed objects will challenge your mind as to what wonderful and creative inventions they could be.

#5a COACHING ALSO EXPANDS YOUR STOCKPILE OF USEFUL JUNK.
You’ll never throw anything away again.

#4 OotM ADVANCES A CURE FOR THE MID-WINTER BLUES.
January and February used to be dull months. No longer! Time flies when there’s a regional deadline.

#3 OotM ALLOWS A BREAKTHROUGH IN WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM.
The tossing and turning in the middle of the night burns extra calories.

#2 OotM OFFERS THE CHANCE TO TRAVEL WITH CHILDREN TO EXOTIC LOCATIONS SUCH AS:
• Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa;
• University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland; and
• Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan
• There’s a 1 in 400 chance in Texas. 1 in 10 in Louisiana.

#1 THE COACHES’ RECOVERY PARTY AT WORLD FINALS!
The party of all parties. Be sure to arrange a coaches’ recovery party at your school or district to help coaches “decompress.”