Longtime event volunteer, Donna Paul, giving a shout out to one of her favorite teams.

John Chew, NSA/NSSC webmaster, and Gregg Foster, NSSC annotator, test out the annotation software.

Some of the NSA worker bees: Patricia Hocker, Theresa Bubb, Jon Gould (sitting), Andrew Mestler, John D. Williams, Jr., and Monica Sledjeski. Missing: Jane R. Williams and Hannah Lyons.

Round tables surrounding the registration area had tiles for word play and flyers with School SCRABBLE^® fundraising information.

The calm before the storm: Registration tables A-L and M-Z. Note the goodie bags!

Student goodie bags contained event information, a flashing Merriam-Webster yo-yo, a School SCRABBLE^® medallion, an ESPN/SCRABBLE^® event T-shirt, and SCRABBLE^® Scramble.

Coach goodies bags contained event information, a travel SCRABBLE^® set, a pen, a pin, and a new book chock full of puzzles created by our very own NSA!

A laptop equipped with Zyzzyva, the event look-up software with the official word list in electronic form. Challenge slips, a challenge slip box, and a SamTimer digital timer set to 22 minutes per side. Two tables were equipped with these items so that students could peruse the event technology that they will be using during the NSSC.

John Chew and Patty Hocker create a last minute namebadge.

Students get the lowdown on Zyzzyva as only Joel Sherman can give it!

Donna Paul in a blur as she directs students through the check-in stations.

R.L. Stone Middle (AL) posing with their coach.

Strobridge Team 1 (CA) and Strobridge Team 2 (CA) pose with their coach.

The NSA's Jon Gould demonstrating his readiness to do the heavy lifting.

Former World SCRABBLE^® Champion and Committee Official, Joel Sherman, and the NSA Research and Communications Coordinator, Monica Sledjeski.

Former World SCRABBLE^® Champion and Committee Official, Joel Sherman, and committee member, Annette Bailey.

Coach Katya Lezin poses with her team (which also happens to be her children!): Randolph Middle (NC).

Evangelical Christian Team 3 (TN), not only siblings, but twins (labeled Twin #1 and Twin #2 so we could tell them apart)!

Ryan Porter and his teams: Evangelical Christian Team 1 (TN), Evangelical Christian Team 2 (TN), and Evangelical Christian Team 3 (TN). Someone forgot to pack his matching T-shirt...

Anna Tansey (2nd grade) and Maggie Porter (kindergarten) in training for NSSC 2112! Coach/dad, Ryan Porter, offers encouraging tips.

One of the many wonderful and creative homemade event T-shirts, this one a rear view of a North Clay Jr. High Team Black (IL) student.

Checking out the new cool words!

St. John Lutheran (IN) and St. John Lutheran Eagle SCRABBLE^® Club (IN).

Joel Sherman quizzing an Our Lady of Victory Ruby (MD) player on the anagram on his sweatshirt.

Beautiful hand painted shirts on all six of the Our Lady of Victory teams from Maryland. These two modeled from the back by Our Lady of Victory Diamond (MD).

Joel Sherman (otherwise known as GI Joel), signs the chapter about him in Word Freak by Stefan Fatsis, for Samantha of team Home School SCRABBLE^® Club (TX).

NSA member, event volunteer, and coach, Annette Bailey, poses with St. Gabriel School (CT).

Jackson Avenue Elementary Team 2 (NY) flanking their coach.

Walter C. Young Middle Team 1 (FL), Walter C. Young Middle Team 2 (FL), Walter C. Young Middle Team 3 (FL), Walter C. Young Middle Team 4 (FL), and Walter C. Young Middle Team 5 (FL) pose with their coaches and parents.

Westridge - C.P.R.D. (OR) shows off the backs of their handmade sweatshirts.

Donna Paul poses with Westridge - C.P.R.D. (OR), a team she knows from her home state of Oregon.

Our very first Girl Scout team: Girl Scouts Arizona SCRABBLE^® Team (AZ) posing with their Girl Scout troop leader and coaches.

Northern Lincoln Elementary Team 1 (RI), Northern Lincoln Elementary Team 2 (RI), Northern Lincoln Elementary Team 3 (RI), and the event alternate, Northern Lincoln Elementary ALT, pose with their coach. Since all 100 registered teams showed up, the alternates did not play the NSSC, but we are very thankful to them for coming and offering to even us out!

William Ezekowitz, one half of Bridgewater SCRABBLE^® Club Team (NJ), with his mother Deborah, and John D. Williams, Jr., of the NSA.

Magnolia 6th Grade Campus (TX), Magnolia Jr. High (TX), and Nichols Sawmill Elementary (TX) pose with their coaches.

Hopkinton Middle Team 1 (MA), Hopkinton Middle Team 2 (MA), and Hopkinton Middle Team 3 (MA) pose with NSA member and coach, Seth Lipkin, an all-around great guy!

Brandon of Lakeland Copper Beach Middle (NY) demonstrates how to walk the dog.

Lexington MA SCRABBLE^® Club 108 (MA) discuss all things SCRABBLE^® with their moms during registration.

NSA member and coach of champions, Mark Fidler (right) poses with Buckingham Browne & Nichols Team 1 (MA) and Buckingham Browne & Nichols Team 2 (MA). Ross is the second Fidler son to play competitively. His brother Leland is also an NSA rated player.

Committee member, Matt Hopkins, and NSSC Director, Ben Greenwood.

Registration winding down.

Seneca Middle Team 1 (SC) and Seneca Middle Team 2 (SC) check out Zyzzyva with their coach.

Bridgewater SCRABBLE^® Club Team (NJ) vs. Ridgefield Library Team 1 (CT) on a coach's Travel SCRABBLE^® set.

Seneca Middle Team 1 (SC) and Seneca Middle Team 2 (SC) flank their very tall coach!

Western Hills Middle (RI) and their coach enjoy going through their goodie bags.

A down time for Jason Katz-Brown and Joel Sherman, event workers.

NSA player, coach, and School SCRABBLE^® tournament organizer, Cornelia Guest, with Ridgefield Library Team 1 (CT) and Ridgefield Library Team 2 (CT).

Quincy from Winterhaven (OR) and his mom, dad, and sister in anagram shirts supporting their favorite player!

Emerson Team 1 (CA) and Emerson Team 2 (CA) show off their silliness with noses that match their shoes! Note the coach in the same red high tops!

Hopkinton Middle Team 1 (MA), Hopkinton Middle Team 2 (MA), and Hopkinton Middle Team 3 (MA) playing on the floor in the atrium.

Aaron Jacob and his mother, Michelle Jacob, enjoy the tiles. Their brother/son, Nathaniel, is one half of Fowler School (MA).

Longtime coach and friend to the NSA, Kathy Hummel, poses with Hampton Bays Jr. High Team 1 (NY), Hampton Bays Jr. High Team 1 (NY), and Hampton Bays Jr. High Team 2 (NY).

Ben Greenwood, NSSC director, goes over event details with Gregg Foster, Joel Sherman, Andrew Mestler, Christine Economos, Scott Smith, Matt Hopkins, Jason Katz-Born, Hannah Lyons, Monica Sledjeski, Donna Paul, Jon Gould, and Annette Bailey.

SCRABBLE^® Scramble on the carpet!

SCRABBLE^® minus the board? Notice the T-shirts worn by these teams from Indiana, thanking their sponsors by name. These students worked, with their coach, to raise more than $11,000 to pay their way to this year's NSSC!

Zyzzyva testing.

Mohini of Lexington MA SCRABBLE^® Club 108 (MA), sporting her famous braid, and her father, speak with NSA member and coach (to another team), Kevin McCarthy.

Fun with Travel SCRABBLE^® in the atrium.

Playing cards at a SCRABBLE^® tournament?

A constellation of spring green T-shirts sported by players and coaches alike on North Clay Jr. High Team Black (IL), North Clay Jr. High Team Red (IL), and their coaches.

The throng of players, coaches, and family members grows as we get closer to door opening time!

Checking out round 1 pairings, if you can get close enough.

Trying to get closer to the pairing postings.

"And we are playing. . . ."

The event doors are finally open!

The mad dash to find round 1 table assignments.

The throng of players, coaches, and parents as they enter the playing room from the sun-drenched atrium.

Players and coaches pass the Media Table on their way into the playing room.

Seawell Elementary (NC) and South Side Middle Team 1 (NY) wait patiently to tear the cellophane off their brand new board at table 42.

Hopkinton Middle Team 1 (MA) and Runkle Team 2 (MA) place Protiles onto their board in four corner grids of 25 tiles each. Easier to determine if the whole 100 is there this way.

A sparkling prize table full of games, Protiles, timers, tile bags, and trophies.

A first place trophy is the middle (there is one for each player and the coach), flanked by two smaller star trophies (to be presented to teams from 2nd to 10th place, one per student and one for each coach).

The big board.

NSSC Director, Ben Greenwood, and NSSC Webmaster, John Chew, discuss the Team Scorecards.

NSA Executive Director, John D. Williams, Jr., makes brief and humorous opening comments.

NSSC Director, Ben Greenwood, describing the event paperwork, holds up an Official Result Slip.