Coaches are required to have officially registered and paid their fees, and must be at least 21 years of age. Coaches act as the primary chaperones for their students and must be on-site and present with their team throughout the weekend. They are responsible for transporting students to and from Athens each day, and are the first point of contact in the case of a student emergency. Don’t forget: MIST is merely a facilitator of this tournament, not the parent or the chaperone, and thus we rely on Coaches to enforce etiquette, hotel curfew, and security protocol within their teams.
The best coaches are the ones that not only do the logistical due diligence of getting their students to MIST, but the ones who also inspire their team to be better human beings as well. You’re their fearless leader: set a good example :)
Coaches play a HUGE role in influencing the students’ experience and emotions during the weekend. Don’t be that Debbie-downer coach that rags on other teams or focuses on the losses. Encourage your students’ efforts, and GET HYPE. Your excitement as a Coach is incredibly contagious and fuels your students’ confidence.
MIST sits at the junction of all spectrums of faith-levels, ethnicities, socioeconomic statuses, and ages. Due to the vibrancy of these differences, at MIST, we believe in the importance of compassion and respect woven into every interaction. Coaches should have a candid discussion with their teams before coming to MIST concerning appropriate etiquette when interacting with the opposite gender, with volunteers and judges, with competing teams, etc.
As in any professional conference, come dressed in a way that respects the environment. Official MIST policy regarding attire for the weekend: - Students cannot wear clothes that contain language or symbols that demean an identifiable person or group or otherwise infringe on the rights of others. - Students should wear business casual attire for all their interviews with the judges. Jeans are not allowed. - Students should not wear short sleeve shirts, shorts, and/or skirts above the ankle. - Students should not wear clothes that are see through, tight, or suggestive in any way. Shirts should be long enough to cover the stomach and back side. Students should not wear low rise pants that show any skin.
Regarding basketball: Attendees cannot wear heels on the courts. Students competing in basketball should wear jerseys of the same color, and male basketball competitors should not wear shorts above their knees. Get creative! Bowties, color-coordinated hijabs, matching shirts, superhero capes- it’s all possible! The cooler your ensemble, the more you’ll stand out :)
We’re thrilled to be launching the first-ever MIST mobile app on March 11 for both iOS and Android users. We highly encourage everyone to download the app for easy access to the program, campus map, and to receive real-time notifications. You will be able to view who is on your team, your competitions, and emergency contacts.
Throughout the weekend, we will be keeping our social media pages and website updated with all announcements including changes to the program, advancements of competitions, and rooms for interviews. Urgent notifications will go through our app, but it doesn’t hurt to check us out online as well. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat @mistatlanta and use our hashtags #MISTATL and #MIST2017
Each team will have a coaches’ liaison assigned to them for the weekend. This volunteer will be your go-to for any questions or concerns. Although all volunteers are available and willing to assist you, we encourage you to keep in touch with your liaison.
There are two main decks we have available for parking for the weekend. The first is East Campus Parking Deck for Friday only. Passes are $5 for this deck so long as you mention MIST to the attendant at the deck. The second deck available for Saturday and Sunday is North Deck, free all weekend. Majority of parking lots surrounding this deck are also free as their gates will be up. We highly encourage you to walk to the award ceremony venue, only two blocks from campus, but limited street parking is also free and available on Sunday only.
Bringing your team on a bus? Let us know! UGA requires advance notice for any buses on campus, so letting us know in advance will help your commute run much more smoothly.
With nearly 500 Competitors, more than 100 Coaches, another 200 Volunteers and Judges, and additional parents and guests, we’re expecting a full house. Because the safety of our attendees is our highest priority, we ask you all to please adhere to the below safety precautions.
We have Security volunteers, and UGA PD available to us during the weekend, but Coaches are primarily responsible for securing the safety of their students.
We strongly advise you to establish safety protocol with your students before you arrive in Athens. Ideal Coach-Student ratio is 1 to 7. Students should by no means be wandering around Downtown Athens or anywhere on campus outside of our premise during the tournament. We also suggest always traveling in groups and not walking alone-especially at night.
The best way to keep track of the whereabouts of your students is to create a texting group and designate times in the schedule where you’re going to regroup as a team.
For teams staying in hotels: an enforced curfew is golden. Establish what time everyone should be in bed/out of bed, because it’ll lessen the chance of competitors missing their competitions in the morning. Note: MIST Security will not be patrolling hotels. We expect Coaches to ensure responsibility for any damage, loud noises, or inappropriate behavior in hotels.
MIST will have an on-call registered nurse on site throughout the weekend in the case of a medical emergency or injury. It is the Coach’s responsibility to send students Medical forms before March 10th if they have any dietary restrictions or medical conditions that MIST needs to be aware of. Our Food team will do its best to accommodate to dietary needs, and our Registration team will note any medical needs behind student badges.
All teams will report to Ramsey Student Center Gym Central for registration at 1pm sharp (come promptly!). Here’s what you’ll need: Coach: Photo ID Students competing in basketball: School ID and their Student Signature Sheet (found on mistatlanta.com → forms). If students do not have a school ID, a government issued photo ID will suffice along with proof of school attendance (like a report card). Without these, students will not be able to compete. Also, bring your best game face Students not competing in basketball: Photo ID and some solid team spirit
Keep in mind that MIST will not be providing any meals on Friday, so come packed with lunch and dinner! Also Girls' basketball is a women-only event. We have blocked off Gym West so that the competitors can play as comfortably as possible. Are Your Students Missing School? No worries! We have a permission form on mistatlanta.com that they can print out and give to their school before that Friday. Also, guest passes will be sold at the door for $10. A weekend pass is $25.
Being on time and prepared is crucial to ensure a smooth registration process to kick-off a great weekend. We’ll only start registering your team once your entire team is present. - Competitors: school ID and their Student Signature Sheet (found on mistatlanta.com → forms). If students do not have a school ID, a government issued photo ID will suffice along with proof of school attendance (like a report card). Without these, students will not be able to compete. - Coaches: a photo ID - Guests: photo ID
Bring all submissions to registration on Saturday, along with three hard copies of written statements.
We score everything by the rulebook. Ballots are essentially a cheat sheet to success. Points are deducted for things such as not being on time, not dressing appropriately, not following directions labeled in the rulebook, and may risk disqualification if names are written on work- or if competitors are a no-show. A judges’ orientation was hosted to explain how MIST works and to emphasize professionalism and unbiased judging. We’ve limited the number of college students judging for this reason
We have a number of talented, inspiring speakers coming to speak this year on various topics relating to our communities. If competitors are not competing or spectating, we ask that your teams be in a workshop or MISTalk. Not only will competitors, guests, and coaches benefit from these, it’ll also show respect to our speakers :)
The Award Ceremony will be held at the Classic Center, only two blocks off campus after all competitions are over. It is in walking distance of North Deck, but hourly parking is provided at the venue if you prefer. We will have sponsorship booths and artwork displayed for viewing and to be picked up after the ceremony is over. Free t-shirts (woohoo!) can also be picked up after the ceremony when you present your registration badge. Note: We intend to finish at 8 pm at the latest.
Each year, MIST awards Spirit Awards to teams that are the Most MISTified, Best Dressed, have the Best Cheer, the Best Character, that Go The Extra Mile to help, and the best Rookie of the Year. Goodies are handed out to these teams at the award ceremony.
One of our spirit awards is dedicated solely to the individuals who help make MIST a memorable experience for all: YOU! Our Coach of the Year award recognizes an individual who goes out of his or her way to encourage their competitors, keep in contact with volunteers when needed, and build relationships with other teams. Give yourself a pat on the back. We know all the hard work you put into these students.
Bring your mascot, banners, flags, and the coolest chants that we’ll remember for years to come. The more hype you are as a team, the more likely you are to get spirit points.
Always be positive. Always. Positivity. Regardless of how awful or terrible your students perform. You are their biggest cheerleader. Bring lots of snacks (and extra cash just in case). Map out where and when your students are going to be competing before you come so you’re not scrambling during the weekend. The most important thing is knowing where your students are at what time. Attend workshops! Workshops are awesome! Don’t be a watcher. Invest in the experience! You have to be active and be their strongest supporter. Start chant wars, be silly, and let them know this is really about the experience. Bring posters, banners, flags, and anything that screams ‘Team Spirit’. The students love that. Split up your team and assign a coach to a designated group of students to stay better organized. Bring phone chargers with you to the campus! They’re a lifesaver.
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