Now that application deadlines have been met, Matt Dillon, Academic Superbowl head coach, and assistant coach James Ziegler are engaged in the process of assigning groups to participants and selecting subject squad captains for the 2013-2014 team. According to Dillon, he and Ziegler will interview candidates in the upcoming weeks and hope to finalize captain selections by mid-October.

“I have not assembled my respective teams, but we have about eighteen participants, which is pretty normal. Mr. Ziegler and I are also looking at setting up our interviews (for the position of captain) and at whom we want to interview. We hope to have them picked out in the next few weeks,” Dillon said.

The role of captain is one of the most prestigious honors on the Academic Superbowl team, for they are responsible for the proper dividing up material, delegating authority, and organizing bi-weekly meetings for their respective subject squads. According to Dillon, such informational meetings are a crucial component of preparing for the exam, as all the students are made aware of their responsibilities and what portion of the information they must shoulder in order to achieve success at the competition. Team meetings are most often held in Dillon’s classroom, E225, or at the Carmel Clay Public Library (CCPL). Additionally, these students will be held accountable for their team’s success at the competitions, which will begin in February.

“What the captains do is the planning and organizing of how the teams prepare for the actual competition,” Dillion said. “We try to give them as much help as (Mr. Ziegler and I) can. But in the end, they’re the ones that come up and go through the practice questions; they’re the ones that master the information and they’re the ones who, when push comes to shove, make the final decisions.”

According to Dillon, there are several veteran captains on this year’s roster, but in a change from last year’s procedures, former captains will need to reapply to maintain their position.

“Just because you were captain last year, does not mean you will be captain this year. However, we will take into account prior leadership experience in the club, especially for seniors,” Dillon said.

With the graduation of several senior captains from the 2013-2014 Academic Superbowl team, there are also a few positions that have been left open for new candidates, according to Dillon. Among others, Dillon is currently seeking a candidate to replace 2013 graduate Rushvi Desai as captain of the science squad, which earned the club its first-ever victory at State.

“(Desai) left some rather large shoes to fill. That position is brand new, and we’ll have to interview several candidates. Typically, we’re looking at one to two candidates to fulfill the position, but it’s all respective to the number of participants in that group,” Dillon said.

While the captain is officially recognized as the most imperative member of a subject squad, all participants must equally partake in the competition and learning the materials. For students who are not interested in becoming a captain this year, Dillon recommended that students become acquainted with their fellow participants and begin preparation for the the early 2014 competitions by obtaining the competition outlines from the Indiana Association of School Principals website. According to Dillon, this comprehensive outline provides an opportunity for students to learn the material in a more concise way. Katie Doman, former participant and junior, agrees.

“The outlines have always been extremely helpful. They’re very thorough and help you understand what is needed of you for the competition. Plus, they allow you to see where you’re at and take more effective notes,” Doman said

Outlines for the competition can be found here:

http://www.iasp.org/iace/2014SuperOutlines.html