Georgia Academic Decathlon

The Coaches Manual is being revised for the 2023-24 school year. 

The pages included in each section are listed below the section heading.

Click to download the coaches manual.

Table of Contents

Cover and Notebook Tabs

Cover Page

Spine

Labels for Tabs (2 versions)

p. i Table of Contents

p. iii How to Use This Manual

Contact Information/Names and Dates

p. 1 Advisory Board

p. 2 Competition Coordinators

p. 3 USAD/State Officials

p. 4 Competition Dates

p. 5 Calendar

Background Information

p. 6 GAD History

p. 8 How the Decathlon Works

p. 9 To the AD Coach

Registration/Team Eligibility/Study Strategies

p. 10 District Registration

p. 11 Team Selection

p. 13 Team Eligibility

p. 18 Examples of Accepted/Unaccepted Courses

GPA Calculation Information (links to GPA section on USAD website)

p. 20 Request for Student Replacement

p. 21 Academic Elective Course

p. 23 Study Strategies

p. 25 Additional Study Strategies

District Competition

p. 27 Conducting a District-level AD Program

Testing

p. 29 What Tests to Take?Test Dates Notification Form (online)

p. 30 Guidelines for District-level Testing

p. 31 USAD Calculator Policy

p. 32 Testing Answer Form

Essay

p. 31 Essay

p. 35 Judging Essay and Rubric Explanation

p. 36 Essay Practice Prompts

Interview

p. 37 Interview

p. 38 How Interview is Judged

p. 40 Interview – Sample Topics

p. 41 Tips for Constructing a Resume

p. 42 Interview – Sample Resumes

p. 44 Interview -Sample Schedule

Interview Scantron

Speech

p. 45 Speech

p. 46 Prepared Speech

p. 48 Speech – Coaching Tips

p. 50 Speech Descriptors

p. 51 Impromptu Preparation

p. 54 Speech “Toastmasters” Tips

p. 55 Speech Evaluation Form

p. 56 Timing Cards

p. 59 Sample Speech Schedule

Showcase Speeches

Super Quiz

p. 60 Super Quiz – Relay

p. 61 Super Quiz – Scoring

Scoring

p. 62 Explanation of Scoring

p. 63 Scoring Tips

p. 64 Division Groupings

p. 65 Wild Card Invitational

p. 66 Wild Card-Directions for Calculating Scores

Wild Card Self-calculating Excel Spreadsheet (This .xls file includes instructions and a sample spreadsheet)

State Competition

p. 71 Teams Advancing to State Competition

p. 73 Code of Student Conduct

p. 74 Dress Code

p. 75 General Rules

p. 76 State Competition – Identification Numbers

Volunteer Form (online form)

Sample Documents

Pages in this section are samples only. Please use the updated pages found in the Forms and State Competition Registration Packet sections of the website (will be updated every January). If a link to an online form isn’t active the form is probably not updated yet. 

p. 77 Competition Schedule

p. 78 Directions

p. 79 Parkview Campus Map

Intent to Participate (online form)

Preliminary Team Roster (online form)

p. 80 Return Cover Sheet

p. 81 Coach’s Agreement

p. 82 Team Registration

p. 84 Request for Special Needs/Consideration

p. 85 Student Registration

p. 86 GPA Worksheet Instructions

GPA Excel Worksheet (links to USAD website)

p. 88 Awards Banquet Reservations

p. 89 Hotel Room Registration Information

p. 90 Hotel Rooming List

Media Information (online form)

T-Shirt Order (online form)

p. 18 Request for Student Replacement

p. 35 Essay Practice Prompts

p. 41-42 Sample Resumes

p. 43 Sample Interview Schedule

p. 59 Sample Speech Schedule

Appendix

GAD Honor Cord Order Form – links to online store

USAD Content Standards

USAD Online Testing & Training Center