ALUMNI COACHING
Pay it forward by inspiring younger students!
MATHCOUNTS alumni make some of the best coaches because they've been Mathletes themselves.
If you’re in high school or college and need volunteer hours, MATHCOUNTS coaching is a great way to fulfill this requirement! The faculty partner at the school where you coach should be able to sign off on your volunteer hours, but be sure to check with your high school or college/university about what documentation you need to provide.
If you’re a professional whose employer matches volunteer hours, please consider getting your volunteer hours matched to direct a donation either to the school you’re coaching or to the MATHCOUNTS Foundation (EIN 54-1295407)! Be sure to check with employer about what documentation you need to provide.
Coach at Your Old Middle School
Email [email protected] to see if the school participated during the 2022-2023 school year.
If the school didn't participate, reach out to the principal or a math teacher to offer to continue or revive the program. If it did, reach out to the current coach to offer to co-coach.
If you're coaching at a school where the majority of students are Black/African American, Hispanic/Latinx or Native American/Indigenous, the team might be able to participate for free! Email [email protected] to learn more about the grants we have available for these schools.
Coach at a Nearby Title I School
Underresourced schools face extra challenges, which can make providing extracurriculars more difficult. To find Title I schools in your area:
- Visit the National Center for Education Statistics search page.
- Check “public schools” from the institutions list (private schools rarely receive Title I funding).
- Enter your ZIP Code.
- Adjust the distance from ZIP Code as needed to view more schools.
- Look for schools that serve students in grades 6, 7 and/or 8.
- When you click on a school name in the search results, click on “More information” at the top of the school data page. The school’s Title I status is listed in the “School Details” section of the page. For a school to be eligible for the Community Coaching Scholarship, “Title I School-Wide Program” should be “Yes.”
- Send your school or list of schools to [email protected] so we can let you know if they are currently participating in MATHCOUNTS.
Depending on your state, your school may have access to free registration thanks to targeted support from some of our sponsors.
If you're starting a program at a Title I school that has never participated in MATHCOUNTS (or hasn't in 3 years), we encourage you to apply for our Community Coaching Scholarship!
If you're starting a program at a school where the majority of students are Black/African American, Hispanic/Latinx or Native American/Indigenous, the team might be able to participate for free! Email [email protected] to learn more about the grants we have available for these schools.
1. Find a School
Most schools are open to participating in MATHCOUNTS, but some simply don't have a teacher available to coach. You can help! Refer to the "Where Alumni Can Help Coach" section above for instructions on how to find a school.
2. Reach Out
Many schools aren't familiar with MATHCOUNTS and just need someone like you to tell them about it!
- Find the email or phone number of a principal, math teacher or math department head at the school. Most schools have faculty contact information on their website.
- Talk about your own positive experiences in the Competition Series and explain how the program works. Download our email template and program one-pager to help you get started.
3. Partner With a Faculty Member
Whether you’re a head coach or just helping out, you'll probably need the logistical support of a teacher at the school. You should mention this when you first reach out to the school.
Your role might be:
- Planning and running meetings
- Training Mathletes
- Encouraging students before their competition
Your faculty partner's role might be:
- Helping to recruit students for the team
- Working with the main office to submit the school’s registration and payment
- Chaperoning and providing space for team meetings or competitions, if needed
4. Register
Work with the school administration or your faculty partner to register the school when registration opens in August. Schools can register up to 12 students to compete in the Chapter Competition, but any number of students can participate in team practices. When registering, be sure both you and your faculty partner are listed as coaches (head or co-coach) so you both are in the loop about program updates.
Depending on your location, your school may have access to funding and resources thanks to targeted support from some of our sponsors. Please contact the national office!
5. Prepare
We encourage you to host meetings regularly. Once your school is registered, you'll get access to all the materials you need to prepare the team for their competition. These resources include:
- A School Handbook with program information and 250 practice problems with step-by-step solutions
- Interactive online platforms and trainer apps so students can practice at home
- Practice Plans and MATHCOUNTS Minis so you can easily plan team meetings
6. Compete
MATHCOUNTS is preparing for in-person competitions at all levels this year. Here are this year’s important competition dates:
- Fall: School Competition available online
- Feb: Chapter Competitions
- Mar: State Competitions
- May: RTX MATHCOUNTS National Competition