ARML 2022 information

Dear ARML Team,

Welcome to ARML 2022!  This email is going out to everyone who participated in the SFBA/NorCal ARML Team last year, as well as anyone else we think might be interested in joining the team for 2022.  It contains a LOT of information about the logistics, timing, and details of this year's ARML competition, as well as several action items for you.

ARML is Back On-Site!

After reviewing the survey responses, we've decided to participate in ARML on-site at UNLV in Las Vegas on June 3-4. While some team members expressed a preference for off-site participation, we believe that the in-person experience is a core part of ARML, and most of our coaches, student leaders, and long-time team members were in support of traveling to participate on-site this year.

We understand that some team members will be unable to participate in ARML as a result of this decision. If this applies to you, we are sorry. We still encourage you to participate in ARML Local with us online on April 23, which does not require registration, payment, or travel. If possible, we'll try to plan alumni events in the future, and you would of course be invited to those activities. 

How to Sign Up

If you're planning on going to ARML this year, you'll need to complete three steps (one more than last year).  Those steps are laid out on our website at https://mathleague.org/armljoin.php, but to summarize: First, fill out the information sheet–you can do this even if you're not sure you want to go to UNLV; it just gets you on our email list so you can stay informed.  Second, once you're sure you're going, pay the fee.  And finally, fill out the permission slip, have it notarized, and get it mailed in so it's received by May 23rd. All the details you need about ARML this year can be found at https://mathleague.org/armlsfba.php.

Practice Schedule

We have redesigned the practice and tryout schedule this year.  This new schedule will allow us to have more focused practice time with our teams in May, while simultaneously making practices more social, more interactive, and more fun.

Over the next two weeks, we plan to hold two info sessions for those new to ARML, as well as two elite team tryouts (all online). While attending these activities is optional, we highly encourage attending at least one tryout for anyone interested in being selected for an elite team. 

In addition, we will hold ARML Local, likely online in the evening of April 23, and we will also consider ARML Local to be a tryout opportunity. More details about ARML Local will be announced soon.

We will begin practices in early May, and hold 3 long practices over 3 weekends. Each practice will include time to work in teams, as well as some fun math activities for everyone to get to know each other.

Coaching Changes

A message from Tim: After 15 years as the head coach of both the SFBA/NorCal and Wild Wild West ARML teams, the time has come for me to start stepping back from my duties as head coach of this team so I can focus more on building up the Wild Wild West team. In my three decades of involvement with ARML I have always measured my success by how well I can prepare my successors to take over and make the team even better, and I am happy to report that the SFBA/NorCal team will be in excellent hands with the admin team we have in place moving forward. I will remain in the position of nominal head coach through this ARML season, but Moor, Silas, and Simon will be taking over most of the responsibilities of leading the team this year while I help with some background details and assist with the leadership transition.

I appreciate everyone who has worked so hard to make our team such a success over the years - coaches, parents, and students. Our A1 team has won several national championships and has never placed lower than 6th on my watch. Our A2 team has placed in the top 15 several times and has established itself as a perennial peer to some of the best A1 teams in the country. And last year we placed three teams in the top 15 for the first time ever. But even more importantly, we have built a mathematical community that sets an example for every other team in the country. Over the last 15 years we have probably sent more students to ARML than any other organization in the country, and when ARML was canceled in 2020 we mobilized to keep the flame alive and welcomed hundreds of students from all over the country to our online practices and live FARML event. I have every confidence that the team will achieve even greater success in the coming years as I work to develop something similar with the Wild Wild West team. You all will still see me around at ARML, and I look forward to welcoming as many of you as possible to Las Vegas this year!

Communications

We have a new email address this year that you'll use to contact the coaching staff: please send all questions to arml-info@lists.berkeley.edu, and that will make sure whoever knows the answer will see it.

Also, if you'd like to continue receiving emails and information about ARML 2022, make sure you fill out the information sheet to get added to this year's email list.  All further communications after this one will go to this year's list.

T-Shirt Design Information

In a venerable ARML tradition, we'll be designing a distinctive team t-shirt.  You are invited to submit design ideas, and we will put them to a vote in about two weeks.  Here are the rules:

• T-shirt designs must be submitted by April 27th.

• All designs MUST be submitted in a vector-graphics format such as .svg or .ai.  (Inkscape is free software that can create such files and is decently easy to use.)

• Designs consist of a front and a back (make a separate file for each).

• To keep printing costs low, you may use at most four colors of ink TOTAL between the front and the back: either 4 colors on one side and the other side blank, 3 colors on one side and 1 on the other, or 2 colors on each side.  You are not required to use four colors; some past designs have just been simple white line art on each side.

• The design will most likely be printed on shirts of several different fabric colors.  It is best if you design something that works against a variety of background colors.

• Do not use anything offensive or anyone else's copyrighted material.

Send your designs to arml-info@lists.berkeley.edu by April 27th.  If you would like help with your design, send it in at least a week early, and Silas will do his best to help improve it.

Action Items

To summarize, here's what you should do right now if you're going to ARML this year:

• Sign up for ARML!  Fill out the information sheet and pay the fee by April 27th, and your spot on the team will be guaranteed.

• Get your permission slip turned in.

• Make plans to attend practices.

• Make sure you are using the correct email address (arml-info@lists.berkeley.edu) to communicate with us.

• If you want to submit a t-shirt design, start working on it and submit that by April 27th too.

We're looking forward to seeing you all for another fantastic year of ARML!

–Moor, Silas, Simon, Tim, and the rest of the SFBA/NorCal coaching staff