RESPONSIBILITIES of a TEAM MANAGER

As a Team Manager you should plan on:

• Attending Team Manager training (these will be listed on our calendar when scheduled).

• Studying the DI Program materials.  While it is not up to you to solve the challenges, it is up to you to make sure the team understands the rules of the program and of the challenge they have chosen to solve.

• Spending a lot of time with your team.

• Giving up at least part a part of your garage for storage of props the team is working on. 

• Completing the online registration for your team HERE and submitting a completed registration form to your district or school coordinator by the registration for Regional competition deadline. 

• Collecting T-Shirt and Pin orders from your team and submitting them to your district or school coordinator by the registration deadline.

• Keep up with team challenge clarifications that may be published from time to time by Destination Imagination Inc.

 

 

TIME NEEDED as a TEAM MANAGER

The time it takes to be a team manager varies depending on the type of challenge that your team chooses and the grade level of your team.  Our suggestion is that you reach out to an experienced team manager to discuss team manager responsibilities and the time that it takes to work with DI.  For more information and to find team managers who can help you, or contact an East Region Director via email on the home page.

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How much should I expect to spend on Destination ImagiNation?

The cost to participate in DI varies from level-to-level and year-to-year,

but you can estimate a DI budget for each stage of creation and competition.

 

1.  International registration:

A one-time fee is required each year to register your team and receive your team number and materials. Currently it is $95 per team per year.  You will have to see within your organization who is responsible for paying this.

 

2.  Challenge solution

Most of the challenges have a maximum budget for the year.  That budget cannot be exceeded in the FINAL SOLUTION created by the students.  For a liberal estimate, double the maximum budget in your planning to account for trial and error in the team solution before they arrive at their final solution.  A full explanation of challenge budgets is available in the “Rules of the Road” section of the program materials you will receive with your team number.  Keep in mind that discarded items and second-hand items are a team’s best friends!

 

3.  Regional registration and t-shirts

A nominal fee is required for teams to register for the East Region Tournament.  Additionally, t-shirts (that are necessary if the team moves onto State competition) can be purchased.  During the regular registration period the fee for Regional competition is $50 and it goes up to $100 during Late Registration.  Check the calendar for dates.

 

4. State registration, travel, and t-shirts

State registration is similar to regional registration.  However, the fee is higher, and travel should be included in your budget estimate depending on the location of the state tournament that year.  T-shirts are available and MUST be purchased by teams that continue onto Global Finals.

 

5.  Global Finals registration, travel, and merchandise

Global Finals is by far the most costly aspect of participation in DI competition.  It is a good idea to look at DestinationImagiNation.org and understand the cost of Globals BEFORE your team earns the right to compete at this level.  Parents should discuss how this will be paid for and handled ahead of time, and have a fundraising plan in place in case the team needs it. (Please check with your district to see how they want this to be handled and if fundraising is allowed. It is not allowed in all districts including MISD.)

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To begin, make sure you have completed the following steps:

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• read our GET INVOLVED section with all Team Manager expectations and requirements

• PURCHASED your Team Number

• REGISTERED as a Team Manager on TXDI.org before continuing.

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Once you have completed that:

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• Stay up-to date on our calendar located on our main page.

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• GET TO KNOW YOUR TEXASDI.ORG TEAM MANAGER ACCOUNT

  • You must have a Team Manager Account at Texas DI in order to register your team for the regional Tournament.

  • A Team Manager account also gives you access to additional training materials that are being created at the Texas DI training website. (http://university.texasdi.org/)
     

• GET TO KNOW WWW.DESTINATIONIMAGINATION.ORG

  • Once you have registered and purchased your Team Number, you can access DI University (online training) and  download program materials and access the DI clarification system.
     

• PLAN TO ATTEND OUR TEAM MANAGER TRAININGS IN YOUR REGION.

  • While there is nothing inherently difficult or complicated about managing a Destination Imagination team, there is a lot of information.  The experienced instructors in your region can save you and your team many possible missteps by attending a New TM training. This will set you and your team up for success in ways going to alone could not.

  • The online training that is available provides only basic information.

  • We will also offer some targeted training sessions on specific topics and team workshops for your team.
    There is no charge for most of our Team Manager trainings.

  • There is a fee for our Team Manager University to help defray the cost of the facility and materials.

  • MOST TEAM WORKSHOPS DO HAVE A FEE.  ALL FEES AND SIGN UP INFO WILL BE LISTED IN THE DETAILS OF THE CALENDAR.
     

• COMPETE THE LEARNING MODULE:  BEING A DI TEAM MANAGER »HERE«

  • Please do this BEFORE you attend New Team Manager training. In order to maximize the training time available, the instructors for New Team Manager Training will not be covering basic information.  T

  • They will assume that you understand basic concepts and know the terms being used in training, so for everyone to get the most out of the time everyone should be knowledgeable on those basics.