New Coach Welcome Guide
A pressure-free guide for new and returning Texas academic coachesWhether you've just been handed UIL academic coaching duties for the first time or your school is joining Virtual Challenge Meets for a new season, welcome.
We know that coaching academic events on top of a full teaching schedule can feel overwhelming. That’s why Chuck Thompson founded VCM in 2011: to eliminate the logistical headaches—no 4:00 AM yellow bus drives across Texas, no hotel bookings, no meal per diems, and no substitute teacher paperwork.
Here is how simple and flexible it is to run practice meets right from your own classroom.
The 3-Step Walkthrough
Step 1: Pick Your Events & Submit Your Entry
One flat season pass • Unlimited entries for your entire campus
You do not need to count heads or restrict student entries. A single campus Season Ticket covers all 6 High School meets (or all 3 Middle School meets) across all scheduled events, with unlimited student entries.
Common Questions from New Sponsors
That's completely fine! You can join at any point in the season. Each meet serves as an independent practice benchmark, and you can still utilize previous meet tests as practice material for your students.
Yes, absolutely. Many schools have their math teacher test Number Sense & Calculator, their science teacher test Science, and their history teacher proctor Social Studies. You can easily forward the PDF materials to each respective sponsor.
All vendor verification materials—including our Sole Source Certification, Federal W-9, and sample invoices—are freely downloadable on our Vendor & Purchasing Info page.
Need personal guidance getting started?
"I spent decades coaching UIL and know how much work goes into it. Send me an email anytime—I personally read and reply to every coach's questions." — Chuck Thompson