I was working in my home office when my 13-year-old daughter arrived home from school. Usually, she’d come in quietly and go to her room to read.
Today was different. She ran into the family room, threw herself on the couch, and started sobbing. Big, loud, heart-wrenching sobs.
I immediately jumped up and ran to her. “What happened?” I asked.
When she finally calmed down enough to answer, she blurted out, “The principal said our school wasn’t going to have the Odyssey of the Mind (OM) program this year because of the budget cuts.”
In between her sobs, she continued, “If I can’t be in OM, I’ll die.” Then she wailed even louder.
As I tried to comfort her, she added, “The principal said that if a parent would be a volunteer coach, the school could pay the registration fee.”
Whoa. That stopped me short. My daughter’s life was at stake. I gulped and said, “Okay! I’ll do it.”
The tears stopped. She gave me a big hug, then went up to her room to read.
I was in shock. I’d just signed up to coach a creative problem-solving team. And I wasn’t one bit creative. I sucked at art. I’d never been in a play. I couldn’t dance. My musical abilities were slim.
I took a big gulp, then threw myself into learning mode. Under OM rules, I couldn’t offer ideas or help the kids with anything.
Instead, my job was to create the right environment for problem-solving and creativity, team spirit, and project management. This was not my skill set.
A few weeks later, a team of seven girls gathered in my basement. After reviewing the five team challenges, they picked the one that sounded most fun.
We met weekly till February, when they presented their solution at the regional tournament. They did well. I was proud of them—and glad the season was over. It was a lot of work and time.
The following September, the team reunited and started working on their next challenge. That year, they took first place in the region and advanced to the State Tournament, which they won!
They also received the coveted DaVinci Award, given to the team that showed the most creativity. That was a big deal! (Note: As a coach, I’d learned a lot.)
But the journey didn’t stop there. We went to the World Finals, competing against state and national champions from around the globe. It was quite the experience.
The kids placed 11th in the world. WOW! Impressive.
What surprised me most was how much this volunteer coaching job had changed me.
I’d learned so much. I read numerous books on creativity. I took an improv class because I had to teach that to the kids. I learned to lead creative problem-solving sessions and handle teenage angst.
Best of all, I discovered and unleashed my own creative spirit. I saw myself differently. My work changed. My relationship with my daughter deepened.
Ultimately, I stayed involved with OM and Destination Imagination (a spin-off) for almost a decade. I coached more teams, started and grew the local high school program.
I trained other coaches, helped with fundraising, judged at regional tournaments, and served on the state’s advisory board.
This “volunteer” position changed my life. I learned so much. I expanded my capabilities.
Calling it a pivotal moment is an understatement. And to think it all started because of a sobbing 13-year-old daughter.
Have you ever had any experiences like this?
RESOURCES
To learn more about these programs, here are some links to check out.
Odyssey of the Mind (OM):
https://odysseyofthemind.com
Destination Imagination (DI):
https://www.destinationimagination.org
Creative Process Guide for Parents
https://info.destinationimagination.org/creative-process-guide-parents
Note: Both OM & DI offer multiple challenges each year, focusing on areas such as fine arts, engineering, the classics, scientific research, service learning, and technical. Additionally, kids compete against others in their age group.
