- lucascny2
- 5 days ago
- 4 min read
With information on Regional Tournaments, Clarifications, Odyssey Alumni, Odyssey Angels, NYSOMA's recognition as an Ethical Non-profit organization, and a new regular feature - Coaching Corner.
Regional Tournaments
Our first regional tournament is usually Region 13 but this year it’s Region 15 leading the way on February 7th at MT Morris CSD.
Check out the dates for all the other NY regional tournaments: https://www.nyodyssey.org/regional-tournaments.
If you can volunteer to help, please contact the Regional Director.
Details of all regional contacts can be found at https://www.nyodyssey.org/regional-info
Check out the Role of a Judge together with some scholarship video submissions from OMers that talk about why you should become an Odyssey Judge.
Clarifications
Odyssey HQ has already posted General Clarifications to Problems 2 and 4, which can be found here.
General clarifications can be posted all the way up to World Finals so keep checking back.
If the team has a question that cannot be answered by reading the problem, checking the Program Guide or the general clarifications then they may submit that question under the coach’s account.
Help on submitting a “Team Specific Clarification” can be found at
Scroll down to middle of page > Tutorials > How to submit a Team-specific Clarification
Please take note:
The deadline to submit team-specific clarifications is February 15, 2026.
The clarification system is not intended to replace reading the problem and program guide. Teams should read the problem and its limitations, all general clarifications, and the general rules listed in the Program Guide BEFORE requesting a clarification.
Please do not submit a clarification that asks:
If an idea is creative or if one idea would receive more score than another. (No comment regarding subjective scoring will be provided.)
Where the judges or audience will be positioned during the performance. (That is a question for your tournament director.)
To confirm the wording of the problem.
If something may be different from an aspect that is specifically required. (For example, if the problem requires 1/8″ wood for a part you may not use 1/16″ wood for that required part.)
You can only submit a Teaam Specific Clarification if the Head Coach has registered the problem and division of the team.
Who are our Odyssey Alumni?
Well, most people think that the only way is to have been on a team, and yes, we do encourage all graduating seniors to register in the Alumni database. So wherever their next step takes them, there is most likely an OM Association nearby that needs volunteers or a fellow OMer looking to connect.
What is less well known is that people who have coached or acted as a Judge at a NY tournament can also register – enabling them to stay in touch with Odyssey after moving accross the country or taking a break locally.
So, what are you waiting for? Join now!
Odyssey Angels
Be a hero in your community!
The worldwide community often proves its ability to work together to help those suffering from a major disaster. While this generosity is important, too often those suffering in our neighborhoods get overlooked. Whether it’s an elderly woman needing help carrying her groceries, or a family struggling to pay their bills, someone often needs help right in our backyards.
The Odyssey Angels program challenges you and your team to use your unique creative problem-solving abilities to help some aspect of your community that would otherwise be overlooked. In return, one team will be selected to attend World Finals to present how it helped its community.
We already know of one team in NY who are doing an Odyssey Angels public service project this year, why don't you too?
To apply to become an Odyssey Angel, click here.
Candid Seal of Approval
NYSOMA has just been recognized as a top non-profit organization.
We have received the coveted Gold Seal of approval from the Candid Organization that links non-profit organizations with potential donors and funding agencies.
Also...it will soon be Giving Tuesday.
Consider providing needed financial support to New York
Odyssey, funding scholarships for HS seniors and helping new organizations/schools establish an Odyssey Program in their community.
Ready to support NY Odyssey?
Coaching Corner
A new regular feature of our blog is going to be tips and tricks from experienced coaches to pass on what has worked for them.
Part 1: Brainstorming
If team brainstorming leads to one person dominating, lack of participation, arguments, or other issues, here’s 3 tips you can try:
-Have all team members lay on the floor (looking up) while saying their ideas
-Have each team member (silently) write 3 ideas on a piece of paper, which Coach collects and passes on to another team member, who adds more ideas to the first 3
-Give each team member a small piece of Play-Doh or clay to manipulate into an idea or as a fidget.
Additional information can be found at https://www.nyodyssey.org/idea-generation
Bonus...Spontaneous Mini Challenges
Here are a set of quick spontaneous challenges as well as a set of repeated exercises your team can do to get skilled at using common Odyssey materials . You can substitute with other materials and alter the instructions for each one, as appropriate
