Caesar Rodney HS wrote:Already getting backlash from the team for even hinting that i'm going to make them write questions over the summer. I doubt that half of them will do it... and of those that do, half of those won't do it all that well.
I guess you gotta start somewhere.
I've been following this thread awhile, and figured it was time to join in.
In all seriousness, I think you should re-evaluate the purpose of your involvement with the team. I'm sure we don't play Charter as much as you, but trust me, we've been clobbered by top teams quite a bit. My team has set their goals, and we work toward those, with my guidance. Part of working toward those goals is playing in tournaments of varying formats. I drag them out to play against Richard Montgomery, Whitman, TJ, Maggie Walker, Charter, and other top teams. The students don't particularly enjoy getting clobbered, but they are well aware that if they don't follow my advice, it'll likely hinder their progression toward their goals.
Gather the students together and find out what their goals are. First, they'll need to be quite aware that they'll be playing Charter frequently, and that Charter is several of the top teams in the nation. Are they okay with getting clobbered by Charter, or do they want to improve? Drop the whole ball of wax in their court. They're old enough and likely mature enough to be able to learn about working toward goals they set. Ultimately, the best you'll ever be able to do is to assist them in reaching their goals. If they have no desire to improve, you'll never be able to change that.
And, by all means,
do not be afraid to recruit new members. This should be a continual process regardless of how well the team is doing. As the membership changes, it's possible that the team's goals will also change.