Hosting the District Academic Meet

Below are a few highlights and requirements in order to host a district meet. This list is not all-encompasing, but a starting point. All meet directors should aquire the most recent version of the District Academic Meet Director's Manual, which is a step-by-step guide for hosting a meet. Additionally, meet directors should contact the UIL academic staff for question or assistance. 

Before the Meet

• Be creative. If hosting, have an in-service day and use A+ Program faculty to assist. Send students on field trip.
• Use community buildings and church facilities if necessary.
• Tap local businesses for help: free drink cups, cookies, chips.
• Get athletic coaches involved as timers, gym supervisors, etc. Help them at their district meet in return.
• Get a list of equipment needs from each contest director. See the District Academic Meet Director's Manual. Make sure everyone knows who provides what.
• Make sure UIL academic dates are posted on the school's web site and local calendar.
• Invite schools in your district to visit the host school, inspect facilities, check out equipment, etc.
• Provide full information on location, parking and food options.
• Become familiar with the UIL Spring Meet Online Entry System.
• Get as much publicity for UIL academics as possible. Be on a first-name basis with local education reporter.

Hiring Judges

• Hire qualified judges. Get recommendations from other coordinators and coaches in the district. Contact them in September. Pay them the prevailing wage.
• Meet with judges prior to the meet if possible. Agree on standard signals and procedures.
• Never hire a judge who has a potential conflict of interest.
• For journalism and ready writing, avoid college students as judges.
• Have extra speech judges available just in case.

The Day of the Meet

• Be open to suggestions and enthusiastic to show off the work you have completed.
• Post lots of signs. Use ROTC, student council or other school group to serve as monitors, guides and hosts.
• Have a janitor on call at all times.
• Have a holding area for students. A gym or cafeteria works best. Have handouts of mind games available such as mazes, puzzles, riddles so students can have fun during down time.
• Use hall monitors to keep halls quiet.
• Use a quiet place such as the library for extemp prep room.
• Have separate hospitality rooms for coaches and judges. Include the bus drivers.
• Have plenty of substitute certification forms available.
• Have a quiet tab room that is open to coordinators from all schools.
• Enter substitutions and results into the Online Entry System as they become available.
• Contest rooms should be quiet and isolated.
• Have coaches proof the test and answer key while students are taking the tests.
• Double check results. Then check them again.
• Hold verification of all events.
• Do not allow judges or timers to leave until after verification.
• Post results in high-traffic area.

After the Meet

• Triple check to see that all the events, including team events, have been certified in the Online Entry System and that results are posted and available for review.
• Report results to the media and insist on coverage.
• Take photographs and distribute them to the media.
• Make certain winners are recognized immediately following the district meet on public address system, social media and elsewhere. Encourage student newspaper to write stories about UIL competitors and for the yearbook to include UIL academics in its academic and/or club coverage.
• Send thank you notes to everyone who helped run the meet, especially to parents, local businesses and other teachers, coaches and administrators.