Remember the previous article when I suggested that you talk to your team parents about the possibility of going to the State Tournament? Good—because you are going to have the same talk again but this one is on steroids. For those going to the State Tournament, you are faced with the very real possibility of being invited to Globals. Don’t think it won’t happen to you. My team stabbed me in the back, aced their IC and got invited despite having a weak technical element for their team challenge (their performance and TCEs were quite good though). I was faced with sorting the whole thing out with the parents and team the next morning at some pancake house in Clovis! Avoid this possibility by talking about it ahead of time. Visit www.globalfinals.org to get a sense of the whole thing. Be sure to download and study the Team Manager Guide for more information. Here are some talking points from someone who’s been there a couple of times:

1. Time—Globals takes place from Tuesday to Sunday in the week *ending* Memorial Day. Most CA teams fly out on Tuesday and return Sunday so the kids and chaperones will miss almost a whole week of school/work. You want to be there Tuesday night for the Team Manager Meeting. Opening ceremonies are Wed. night and you don’t want to miss them either.
2. Cost—I won’t kid you, it is expensive. It’s $5500 per team plus you’ve got the housing and meal plan for the time your there, plus airfare, ground transportation and props shipping. You can offset at least some of the cost by aggressive fundraising with ideas like holding a multi-family garage sale, selling candy and the like.
3. How Many Need to Go?—Not every team member needs to go of course although it’s best if they all do. The number of chaperones is unique to each team.  Some teams go with battalions of supporters while others have only a few chaperones. Every situation is unique.
4. Safety—If parents can’t go for whatever reason, they may not want their child to go either. After all, it’s kind of scary to send your precious bundle over the hills and far away. However, everyone who belongs at the tournament wears a credential around their neck the entire time out in public (except swimming and during performances).
5. How to Get There—Do make travel plans early as flights will fill up fast. There are multiple direct flights into Kansas City. But, all flights will book up fast, so make this a first priority.
6. It’s Fun—This truly is a once in a life time experience. You will meet people from all over the globe, watch amazing solutions, hear great music, trade pins and state t-shirts with other kids from around the world. If you are really lucky, you might make a few new friends. There will be activities planned every night and you will go to bed exhausted!

So have the TALK and at least give everyone a sense of what all’s involved with going to Globals. You don’t want to raise hopes too high of course. If some team parents seem reluctant, remember that attitudes can change dramatically if the team gets invited. The State folks provide lots of help with fundraising ideas, travel ideas and general info on traveling with a bunch of kids.  Your Regional Board will be happy to answer questions and maybe even stop by for a visit if your team is having trouble figuring out what to do. Think of this as another IC!