Get Involved - Coaches

Read the "Introduction," "Building a MATHCOUNTS® Program," and "MATHCOUNTS Competitions" sections of the MATHCOUNTS School Handbook to familiarize yourself with the program.

If you are a non-teacher coach and are interested in registering your school for the MATHCOUNTS Competition, contact the school by phone and ask to make an appointment to speak with the appropriate administrator.  Upon arrival, offer printed credentials verifying your organization affiliation or mathematical training to validate your request.

If the school is new to the idea of a MATHCOUNTS team, you may have to introduce the program as well as volunteer to be the coach.  If the administrator knows about MATHCOUNTS, but has been unable to find a coach, ask for the name of a faculty member who may be willing to be the team sponsor.  Point out that, with the school's approval, you would be doing the coaching.

If the school already has a MATHCOUNTS program, you can approach the coach and offer to be the assistant for this season so you can learn the ropes and coach your own team at another school next year.  Or, you can ask the veteran coach to act as your mentor for this season while you coach a team at a nearby school.

This year MATHCOUNTS will again be offering the MATHCOUNTS Club Program in addition to our Competition Program.  This program may be used by schools as a stand-alone program or incorporated into the student preparation for the MATHCOUNTS Competition.

The MATHCOUNTS Club Program provides schools with the structure and activities to hold regular meetings of a math club.  Depending on the level of student and teacher involvement, a school may receive a recognition plaque or banner and be entered into a drawing for prizes.

For further details on the Club Program, please see page 19 of the 2008-2009 MATHCOUNTS School Handbook, Volume I or visit the Club section.

Remember:  it is not required that you personally know how to solve every one of the problems in the MATHCOUNTS School Handbook yourself.  You can invite a guest coach from the local high school to come in for a lesson or two.  You can have the kids take a problem home to puzzle over during the week. You can discover the solution together.  Learning that takes place as you work out solutions with your students is often some of the most productive.

Coaching a MATHCOUNTS team or participating in the MATHCOUNTS Club Program is an exciting adventure and your commitment to volunteer is noteworthy.  Thanks for your support!  Good luck and have fun with the students!