5 Things to Incorporate Into Your DECA ICDC Practice Routine
Let's face it....ICDC is our DECA version of the Super Bowl!!
While DECA doesn’t give blinged out championship rings to competitors, we’re all working hard to earn that coveted DECA glass. Lucky for you, I do know a thing or two about helping students earn trophies and medals at competition.
Here are a few of my DECA game time stats:
I've had a student on the DECA ICDC awards stage every single year I was an advisor.
Every single written event my students entered into competition over my 10 years as an advisor qualified for ICDC (83% of those made it to Finals at ICDC, and I’ve had a top 10 finish each year I was an advisor!)
My role play strategy has helped thousands of students across the globe increase their confidence, performance skills, and better organize their role play content.
So how did I do it? I'm about to break down some of my quirkiest, maybe nontraditional competition prep tips you need to incorporate into your practice routines.
(Don't worry, even if you don't do DECA, these can still apply to FBLA and BPA.)
Here are 5 competition prep tips I swear by...
Let's Get Loud!--It's not just a popular Jennifer Lopez song, it's the way to run practices! In a real competition, students are in close quarters and they can hear other people/groups present. If your students are practicing in a completely quiet space, that's a disservice to them because the noise level at competition is guaranteed to be a distraction to them on Game Day.
When I run practices, I crank up the volume in the room. How? Everyone who is role playing starts at the EXACT same time to simulate the competition environment. With written events, I would line them all up in a straight line or put them in one room and have them start presentations at the exact same time. Create noise, make it loud, have them practice in that environment, that's how you create winners who are going to rise above distractions!
Play on Words- This one is specifically for my role players. Inevitably your role players will come across a performance indicator they have no clue about. (It happens to the best of us.) In this situation, they need to figure out a strategic way to work the words/vocabulary listed in the performance indicator back into their role play performance. A judge sees 10-20 competitors a day. They aren't going to remember every single word a competitor says, but they will remember if they mentioned those key words on the rubric. Having some points for a performance indicator is better than having zero points!
For your role players, test prep is KEY! The need to be exposed to practice test questions every single day. If they aren’t scoring in at least the mid 80s, the chances of making it on stage at ICDC are minimal.
Watch Film- Every great player watches game time film! Prepping for competition should be no different. Have your competitors film their role play practice or presentations then watch, review, and critique their own performance. What do they want to keep the same? What do they want to do differently? Is their opening attention getting? Does their closure really drive home the message and make their group memorable? You can coach until you're blue in the face, but sometimes the players need to see themselves before the feedback sinks in!
Choose Your Uniform- When you look good, you play well. When your students are picking their competition outfits, have them choose a color they feel confident in (be sure it will work a navy DECA blazer). For your teams, have them coordinate colors or outfits. Outfit and color coordination gives an overall more uniform, cohesive appearance. If you don't believe me, look at the winning teams on the ICDC stage; they are normally dressed the same. Be sure your students practice in their competition outfits as well so they get comfortable in the garments!
Take a Break- There's a reason athletes don't do full practices on game day. You don't want to peak before performance time. You want your best performance to be in front of that judge. There is nothing wrong with taking a step back and relaxing. If your students find themselves hitting a wall and not improving, have them take a break from practicing for a day or two. They'll be refreshed, in a better frame of mind, and come back ready to win that DECA glass!
The thing about ICDC is that everyone at this level of competition is good, but your students don’t have to be the best in the room to win. Hear me out…
Your students just have to be the top in their heat to move on to finals. Change your competitors’ mindsets from competing against 200+ students in their event category to the mindset that they’re competing to beat out 20-25 students/teams in their event heat to make finals and get on the stage. Sounds a lot more attainable huh?
If you're ready to give your role play competitors a game day winning strategy, check out my DECA Role Play Bootcamp Competition Prep Activity. It's an engaging, informative activity to incorporate into your class or DECA study session to help your students understand how to break down the role play steps and structure their role play into a simple step-by-step process.
Before you head off to DECA Competition, download these FREEBIES to make coordinating your trips a bit easier:
DECA Travel Code of Conduct (a MUST have for any DECA, FBLA, or BPA, and its completely editable!)
DECA and FBLA Student and Advisor Packing Checklists
DECA and FBLA Sponsor a Day Calendar Fundraiser
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Now good luck at ICDC! Bring home that glass!