Houston Region specific Information

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Time to build your teams

〰️ Time to build your teams

Updated 10/15/26

Welcome to the Houston Area Region Odyssey (“HARO”) page. You will find here additional details that are specific to Houston, in addition to all the general program information that is explained on this website.

Announcement: DUE TO RESTRICTIONS BY OUR TEXAS HOSTING SITES, TEAMS CANNOT USE GLITTER IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM IN THEIR SOLUTIONS.

Sign-up for the Coach Newsletters

Announcement: Instructions on our website for team, judge and volunteer process SUPERCEDE any instructions from the OdysseyHQ portal. We have a modified process for Texas competitions.

Quick links to Odyssey HQ

Bookmark the Members-Area for long-term problems, forms and all materials:

Member Area at HQ

Bookmark the Portal for team and competition related database:

Team and Competition Portal at HQ

Quick links to general information on our website:

Coordinator Resources

General Coach Resources

Instructions for Team/ Competition Registration

HARO Team Qualifications

Team Forms

Competition Fees

Tournament Staff for HARO

Tournament Staff Options

Quick links for team volunteers

Team Judge starts here

Untrained Volunteer starts here (starting late January)

Membership Tournament Staff (where applicable)

HARO News

8/12/26 Promotional materials are updated on our Building Teams/Membership Resources webpage. OM Coordinators can use them for back-to-school events or to publish/distribute within their school.

Fall events are scheduled: Orientation for new parents or teachers who have never been exposed to OM before. Also Coach Training for new and returning coaches. Check our calendar for sign-ups.

8/24/26 Reminder that if your previous year teams changed schools, remind the parents that we encourage and work with teams to stay together, even after the team members moved into different schools or the coach is unavailable. Coordinators newsletter provides tips to form teams and instructions to renew their annual membership. Also reminder for coaches to not start discussing the long-term problem for several weeks so that students can form a committed team first.
09/02/26 The full 2026-27 Problems are now available! Active members have access to download the full problems from the Member Area with details of requirements, scoring, style elements and much more.
09/03/26 The 2026-27 have been updated since 09/02. Make sure you download the latest version.
09/08/26 The HARO preliminary calendar is published below.
09/09/26 The 2026-27 have been updated since 09/08. Make sure you download the latest version.
09/12/26 The program guide is updated for 2026-27. Download here.
09/13/26 Reminder, we still have 10 open seats for the interactive Coach Training session on Sep 19th. Sign-up here.
09/14/26 Second Coach Training is now confirmed at Spring ISD Transportation Center, 341 E Richey Rd, Houston, TX 77073 (west of IAH). The date is still September 26th from 8:30 am to 1:30 pm.
09/16/26 Coach Training on Sep 19th is filling up but we accept waiting list spots.
09/20/26 Spontaneous Workshop on Nov 14th. Track B for teams sign-up is now open. Please read team qualifications carefully.
09/20/26 The first Coach Newsletter has been sent. If you have not received it, you are not on our mailing list. Sign-up here. You will also be added after you are a registered Head Coach or Co-Coach of a team in the portal.
09/21/26 OdysseyHQ advise that while co-coaches can be added to the team roster in the portal, they will not have access to team information in the portal this year (Teams tab), only to the Members Area (supporting documents and forms).
09/26/26 All teams must be registered with their roster, when they start discussing the long-term problem. A good target is by Oct 15th. Late-starters are OK as well.
10/06/26 Don’t forget to check General Clarifications periodically at OdysseyHQ in the Fall and weekly in the spring. As of today, there are already clarifications published regarding problems 1, 3 & 4.
10/08/26 Status of Spontaneous workshop on Nov 14th: Track A needs more judges to support the team practices. We encourage new coaches to take this training opportunity. Registered teams should consider sending at least one judge volunteer. Track B is full. Existing teams on the waiting list will receive status on Oct 29th, depending on participation in Track A.
10/11/26 Reminder that the long-term problems were modified in early September after there were originally published. Coaches or Coordinators who downloaded them early must make sure to obtain the newer versions.
10/22/26 Two NEW sessions for Coach Training/Problem walk-through for PRIMARY teams. Oct 28th and Nov 1st. Sign-up here.

What’s Happening in October

By now most teams are already formed and start meeting. You can start meeting even if you have not attended Coach Training yet.

All memberships should be renewed, coordinators grant Portal access to their coaches, so that they can download the full long-term problems.

Coaches must create their team in the OdysseyHQ Portal when the coordinator confirms assignment of problem. They should register their team roster as soon as they start discussing the long-term problem. Competition Registration will open late October, followed by Judge registration soon after.

The HARO official Spontaneous Workshop takes place on Nov 14th, 2026. We recommend Track A to all new coaches. Returning coaches are very welcome as well to bring experience on the field. Track B is for all competitive teams who wish to practice different spontaneous problems in a competition-like set-up (prerequisites apply).

Key dates for Houston & South TX season

The list below includes all dates mentioned in newsletters :

Month	Date	Time	Type	Details
August/ September 2026	Ongoing		Key Date	Annual membership renewal to access the current year full problems and program guide. Login to Purchase/renew your annual membership here.
September to February	Ongoing		Key Date	Teams start meeting regularly, irrespective of Coach Training Date. They learn about spontaneous and coaches organize team building activities and skills workshops.
September	Wed 9^th	7:30 pm - 8:30 pm	Event	Odyssey of the Mind Orientation for New Parents and Teachers. Live webinar. Sign-up HERE.
September	Sat 19^th	8:30 am 1:30 pm	Event	Interactive Coach Training session on-site. Presbyterian School, Museum District. Sign-up HERE.
September	Tue 22^nd	7:30 pm - 8:30 pm	Event	Odyssey of the Mind Orientation for New Parents and Teachers. Live webinar. Sign-up HERE.
September	Sat 26^th	8:30 am 1:30 pm	Event	Interactive Coach Training session on-site in Spring, exact location to be confirmed. Sign-up HERE.
September/ October	Ongoing		Key Date	Coaches register their team as soon as they start discussing their long-term problem. Start here.
October	Fri 30^th	10:00 pm	Deadline	Coaches report any multi-school teams by email to Regional Directors with name, grade and school for each member..
November	Sun 1st	10:00 pm	Deadline	Last date for Annual Membership Renewal/ Purchase HERE.
November	Mon 2nd	10:00 pm	Deadline	All teams must be registered in the portal. Click on Teams, Create Team. Add all Team Members and any co-Coach.
November	Thu 5^th	10:00 pm	Deadline	Last date for Coaches to register for Spontaneous Workshop (Track A).
November	Sat 14^th	8:30 am 1:30 pm	Event	Spontaneous Workshop: Track A for Coaches to get additional training and judge the teams (all morning). Sign-up HERE.
November	Sat 14^th	10 am OR 12 pm	Event	Spontaneous Workshop: Track B for Teams to practice and learn competition procedure (up to 90 minutes). Pre-requisites apply. Sign-up HERE.
November	Sat 14^th		Key Date	Competitive teams will receive an invitation to participate in our Regional Competition (HARO). Response/registration due by Dec 15^th.
November	Mid		Key Date	Judge Registration is open for our Regional Competition (HARO) and judges from South TX. Registration due by Dec 15^th.
November	Mon 30^th		Key Date	Primary teams with second graders must send email with their roster with individual team grades to request an invitation to participate in our Regional Competition (HARO). Response/registration due by Dec 15^th.
December	Sun 6^th	3 pm or 4 pm	Event	For Problem 4 teams: Balsa Crush testing practice at our storage unit. Sign-up here.
December 2026	Mon 15^th	10:00 pm	Deadline	Deadline for HARO Competition Registration and Judge Registration.
February 2027	Sat 20^th	8:00 am - 5:00 pm	Competition	HARO Regional Competition, at Springwoods Village Middle School, followed by the Awards ceremony on-site.
April	Sat 3rd	8:00 am - 5:00 pm	Competition	TX State Competition, in Dallas Metro area, followed by the Awards ceremony on-site. (For advancing teams from Regionals)
May	Wed 26^th evening to Sat 29th	three full days	Competition	World Finals, Michigan State University, in Lansing, MI. (For advancing teams from State)