New Team in Iowa City Area

New high school teams looking for advice should post here.
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Pedi
Kimahri
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New Team in Iowa City Area

Post by Pedi »

Hi, I'm in the process of starting up a team at Iowa City West High School and was wondering:

How active are Iowa teams in terms of attending competitions?

Where should I look for tournaments?

How long should we wait/practice before signing up for our first tournament?

Any general advice?

Thanks
Peter Dimitrov
Iowa City West High School '16
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Irreligion in Bangladesh
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Re: New Team in Iowa City Area

Post by Irreligion in Bangladesh »

I'll let others post to assist with the other questions, but as far as tourney sites in Illinois, you're 2.5 hours from DeKalb, where Northern Illinois University hosts a number of things, and 3 hours from Bloomington, another prominent site. Unfortunately, Illinois west of I-39 and south of Rockford doesn't host much, a problem that we are struggling to work on.
Brad Fischer
Head Editor, IHSA State Series
IHSSBCA Chair

Winnebago HS ('06)
Northern Illinois University ('10)
Assistant Coach, IMSA (2010-12)
Coach, Keith Country Day School (2012-16)
alexdz
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Re: New Team in Iowa City Area

Post by alexdz »

You're also just shy of three hours away from Kirksville, MO, where Truman State University hosts events that would be good for you to attend!
Alex Dzurick
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dtaylor4
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Re: New Team in Iowa City Area

Post by dtaylor4 »

From my experience in Iowa (I lived for just over a year about 20 minutes E of Ames), ISU and Drake put on 2-3 tournaments total a year. There have been occasional NAQT tournaments much further west, and Bettendorf has hosted things.

If you want some more information, drop me a line and I can help where I can.
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Stained Diviner
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Re: New Team in Iowa City Area

Post by Stained Diviner »

I don't know if it is too late, but Drake University is hosting a tournament this Saturday that you should go to if you can. Contact info can be found here.
David Reinstein
Head Writer and Editor for Scobol Solo, Masonics, and IESA; TD for Scobol Solo and Reinstein Varsity; IHSSBCA Board Member; IHSSBCA Chair (2004-2014); PACE President (2016-2018)
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1992 in spaceflight
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Re: New Team in Iowa City Area

Post by 1992 in spaceflight »

alexdz wrote:You're also just shy of three hours away from Kirksville, MO, where Truman State University hosts events that would be good for you to attend!
Hi Peter,

I'm about to graduate from Truman State, but if you want to email or Private Message me, I'll make sure that the team has your contact information for next year's tournament. (Also, if other Iowa teams want to do this, let me know.)

As for the improving aspect of quizbowl, I would start by reading this thread. There are links to a bunch of other threads discussing ways to improve at the game.
Jacob O'Rourke
Washington (MO) HS Assistant Coach (2014-Present); MOQBA Secretary (2015-Present)
Formerly: AQBL Administrator (2020-2023); HSAPQ Host Contact; NASAT Outreach Coordinator (2016 and 2017); Kirksville HS Assistant Coach (2012-2014); Truman State '14; and Pacific High (MO) '10


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Great Bustard
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Re: New Team in Iowa City Area

Post by Great Bustard »

The National History Bee and Bowl had 3 tournaments in Iowa this year, and a number of Iowa schools have attended our National Championships. We'll look to have tournaments next year again in the Des Moines, Quad Cities, and SE Iowa areas on all three of our question sets again. Hope you can join us! See historybowl.com for more.
David Madden
Ridgewood (NJ) '99, Princeton '03
Founder and Director: International History Bee and Bowl, National History Bee and Bowl (High School Division), International History Olympiad, United States Geography Olympiad, US History Bee, US Academic Bee and Bowl, National Humanities Bee, National Science Bee, International Academic Bowl.
Adviser and former head coach for Team USA at the International Geography Olympiad
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CometsCoach
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Re: New Team in Iowa City Area

Post by CometsCoach »

I will be joining the faculty of Waukee High School (west suburban Des Moines) this coming year and hope to establish a program. We should talk.
Jay Winter
Iowa Quiz Bowl League Founder & CEO
VP for Outreach, PACE
Mathematics Teacher & Quiz Bowl Head Coach, Waukee Northwest High School (IA)
Co-Owner of Quiz Bowl Systems/Slammer Systems
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