New Coaches

As soon as possible, meet with your principal / activities director / school board (whoever is most appropriate) to discuss and present the following information.

Consider Costs

1. Fee to join MLFA = $60 ($90 if paid late)

2. Cost of tournaments: average $6 per contestant for each tournament

3. Cost of State tournament: average $10 per contestant, optional additional fees for meals

4. Cost of materials: scripts, index cards, paper, posters (varies - some schools fund these and some expect parents/students to fund these)

Consider People

1. Need at least one dedicated head coach

2. Need to bring one judge per 5 entries to every tournament (may be volunteers or paid, up to your school). All judges will be trained by the league, prior experience not necessary!

3. Need some team members; most teams start small their first year with 3-8 kiddos!

Consider practice and tournament schedules

1. Tentative tournament schedule will be shared at Fall Coaches Meeting; final tournament schedule published by end of November. Pick 4 or 5 tournaments to attend from the list. Tournaments begin the last weekend of January and continue through mid-March. Tournaments are most often held on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

2. Create a practice schedule. This can vary depending on your availability and needs. You will need space in the school building to work with your team at least once a week. Some coaches have group practices, others have practices by appointment. Regular practices start first week on January for most schools, but categories are selected/assigned in December.

Consider Coach Timeline

1. In August/September, register school for the MLFA & pay fee.

2. In October, attend Fall Coaches meeting and host an information session at your school.

3. In November collect registration materials from your team and judges.

4. In December, finalize tournament schedules with every member of the team and select categories. Share judge training dates and tournament schedule with judges.

5. In January, register for tournaments, begin practices, and attend judges training with judges.

6. In late January, begin tournaments!

7. In mid-March, attend State tournament.

8. In April, attend Spring Coaches meeting.