Small schools and the HSNCT

[Ben Dillon]

Perhaps it's heresy to suggest this, but I count 25 Small Schools. Maybe there should be a separate HSNCT for them on the following weekend? (If they wanted to play up, they could, but they could only register for one of the two, with question duplication.)

This would allow for expansion to 256. I do agree that 256 seems to be an upper limit without making the tournament last longer, i.e. more byes.

[Cody]

Perhaps it's heresy to suggest this, but I count 25 Small Schools. Maybe there should be a separate HSNCT for them on the following weekend? (If they wanted to play up, they could, but they could only register for one of the two, with question duplication.)

This would allow for expansion to 256. I do agree that 256 seems to be an upper limit without making the tournament last longer, i.e. more byes.

You don't understand how the small school 'division' or national tournaments work. For one thing, few--if any--of the small schools are going to pay to attend a 25 team tournament. For two, much like the undergraduate 'division' in college, there's no functional difference in the schools except they have a smaller attendance (no graduate students). Small schools have finished quite highly at HSNCT (I believe Christiansburg George Mason placed T-27 or T-21 recently), and there's no reason to separate them from the other competition.

[Important Bird Area]

I believe Christiansburg placed T-27 or T-21 recently

For the record, Christiansburg isn't a small school by NAQT's definition.

[Cody]

Sorry--I meant George Mason, who finished T-21 at the 2011 HSNCT.

[fett0001]

I believe Christiansburg placed T-27 or T-21 recently

For the record, Christiansburg isn't a small school by NAQT's definition.

What's that definition, Jeff?

[Whiter Hydra]

From NAQT's website:

For the purposes of its Top Small School award at the High School National Championship Tournament, NAQT defines a small school to be a public high school with an average daily membership (ADM) of 500 or fewer students in grades 10-12 and a non-selective admission policy.

[quizbowllee]

Is NAQT still considering having a separate Small School HSNCT in the future?

[Adventure Temple Trail]

Is NAQT still considering having a separate Small School HSNCT in the future?

Was it ever considering having one in the first place? Did anyone bring this (bad) idea up before Mr. Dillon two days ago?

[quizbowllee]

Is NAQT still considering having a separate Small School HSNCT in the future?

Was it ever considering having one in the first place? Did anyone bring this (bad) idea up before Mr. Dillon two days ago?

Yes. A couple of years ago, I and (I assume) several other Small School Coaches were asked our opinion on this possibility. I was adamantly against it.

[Ben Dillon]

You don't understand how the small school 'division' or national tournaments work.

I'm aware of how the small school division works. Teams that are 4-6 or better (no fewer than three) qualify for playoffs, and it gets more complicated if some of them are involved in the general playoffs.

And why would you say that I don't understand how national tournaments work?

I assume you meant to say I don't understand the value of attending HSNCT for small schools. I agree that few would attend a low-attendance separate HSNCT, but it's also possible more might be encouraged to attend if they didn't have to "play up" all the time at HSNCT. I would rather see one and only one national tournament, any cap to the attendance forces organizers to make choices as to deadlines for signup and percentages who qualify, so I put the separate tournament idea on the table. I don't necessarily support it, especially since I don't have a horse in the race.

No hard feelings, though :)

[Important Bird Area]

Is NAQT still considering having a separate Small School HSNCT in the future?

NAQT has an overarching goal of promoting quiz bowl at all schools across the country; separate tournaments or divisions for different classes of schools has certainly been something that has been considered. That said, if and when we decide to launch any major initiatives in that direction, it'll be announced on our website.