Coaching Policy

*Each team must have a single designated coach. The coach must be a teacher or official from the team’s school, school designee, an employee or official with an education program that is sponsoring a team. The coach serves as the primary and official contact for the team in all communications with the Regional Bowl Coordinator and the National Ocean Sciences Bowl headquarters. Coach responsibilities include:

• Preparation and supervision of team members.
• Timely completion of applications and forms.
• Maintenance of high ethical and sportsmanship standards, both in preparation and in competition.
• Compliance with policies of the Regional Bowl/National Ocean Sciences Bowl, and the sponsoring school system or education program.

*Changes in designated coach can be made only with the prior approval of the Regional Bowl Coordinator. Any substitute coaches will be expected to meet the same eligibility criteria and carry out the same responsibilities as the original coach. Teams arriving on the day of competition without their designated coach will not be allowed to compete.

*Faculty, staff, and students from the institutions sponsoring a Regional Bowl or Finals Competition are not eligible to serve as coaches, but may serve as scientific advisors to teams under the following circumstances:

• Scientific advisors who work with individual teams can have no contact whatsoever with question development and review, with game preparation, or practice sessions for competition officials.
• Scientific advisors are expected to demonstrate the highest ethical standards. Should they inadvertently be exposed to “insider” information of any kind (e.g. overheard discussion of questions, conversations about rules, or comments from competition officials about their perspective on policies and rulings), they are expected to withdraw as team scientific advisors.
• Scientific advisors may not represent the team in communications with competition officials.
• Scientific advisors are not eligible for any awards.

*Any exceptions to these policies must be approved in advance by the Regional Bowl Coordinator or the NOSB national office. Failure to adhere to policy may result in immediate disqualification of the team from competition.