Michigan 2017-2018 Schedule and Discussion

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Sarod Nori
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Re: Michigan 2017-2018 Schedule and Discussion

Post by Sarod Nori »

CPiGuy wrote:I like that website. I'm terrible at backend web design, but I'd be willing to contribute content (e.g. writeups that the webmaster could copy and paste) that didn't require me to learn programming languages. I also don't know whether Squarespace is like Google Sites in that it's easy to design, in which case I could do more, probably.
Squarespace doesn't need knowledge of programming languages (although you can insert HTML code if you want to); it uses "blocks" such as spacer blocks, text blocks, and search blocks. Basically, you edit the webpage by inserting these blocks where you want them to show up on the site.
CPiGuy wrote:I also think a good thing to have would be a type of "best quizbowl practices" page, with advice for tournament hosts, but more importantly advice for coaches: things like "make sure that your teams know what room they're playing in" and "don't field eight players on one team, please".
I don't want to add too many subpages, since that tends to make it difficult to find things quickly. Instead, the "why play quiz bowl" page can probably be placed under the "what is quiz bowl" section on the home page, and the "best quizbowl practices" page can either go on the home page along with "what is quiz bowl" and "why play quiz bowl" or go on the old "why play quiz bowl" page. The benefit of the former option is that all the information relevant to starting a quizbowl club is in one place, but the benefit of the latter is that the home page isn't too long.
Sarod Nori
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Re: Michigan 2017-2018 Schedule and Discussion

Post by Sarod Nori »

CPiGuy wrote:I'm considering for Michigan's tournaments just outright banning teams of more than six, and teams of more than five when a school brings 2 or more teams, but that's not something I expect every tournament host to do.
It's your call, but in my opinion, this isn't a good idea. I think the reason most schools bring more than six people is because of the extra cost/hassle associated with having two teams at a tournament. Most teams that bring two teams are relatively new to quizbowl, and banning them from having more than six people on a team would just lead to them bringing a team of six instead of a team of twelve or two teams of six each. While this might be easier for the stats (I sympathize with your plight), limiting team size would lead to people who are interested enough in quizbowl to wake up on a Saturday morning to go to a tournament to be turned away.

Perhaps you can provide incentives to teams that reduce their size by, for example, giving discounts to new teams that bring teams of reasonable sizes. As teams get used to six-person teams, they might, after a while, start bringing six-person teams even without having to be incentivized. There's a reason why Okemos A generally has 5 people on it, and there's a reason why certain people sub in and out when they do. The people on Okemos A have known each other for a while, and it would seem odd if, say, we suddenly brought 8 people to one tournament while only having one team registered. Simply put, we've gotten used to our team size, and I presume any other team that has the ability to find its optimal team size will do so once it has a decent enough understanding of quizbowl strategy and team chemistry. Until then, in order to prevent them from bringing large teams, I think incentivizing new schools with decent-sized teams would be good. I agree that large team sizes are cumbersome and annoying, but I don't think an outright ban on them will be beneficial in the long term.
Sarod Nori
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Re: Michigan 2017-2018 Schedule and Discussion

Post by Sarod Nori »

I've updated the mockup to add a "good quizbowl practices" section (which has been changed from the "how do I start a club" section) and have added an FAQ page (the "contact us" page is now the FAQ page and the contact form is below the FAQ section on the new FAQ page).
Sarod Nori
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tksaleija
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Re: Michigan 2017-2018 Schedule and Discussion

Post by tksaleija »

To prevent this discussion from becoming stagnant and ultimately fruitless, I think we should create a set of goals or plans to complete through the summer of 2018; otherwise, we run the risk of this conversation being a pipe dream.

Also, good job at IPNCT this past weekend, Sarod.
Aleija Rodriguez
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Re: Michigan 2017-2018 Schedule and Discussion

Post by tksaleija »

Also, it might take some coordinating with district bureaucracy, but I'm going to try to run a tournament in Monroe next school year to introduce some more southeastern Michigan teams to modern quiz bowl. It would theoretically be in the fall, but it's really in the hypothetical phases right now.
Aleija Rodriguez
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Re: Michigan 2017-2018 Schedule and Discussion

Post by Sarod Nori »

Thanks for the congratulations, Aleija.

I agree that we should set goals for the summer; it's finals/ICT/ACF Nats/States season right now, so I don't think much progress will be made until those are over, but summer goals should definitely be set soon. I'm going to work on the mockup that I designed so that I can replace the lorem ipsum, smoothen the edges a bit, and get it ready to be a public-facing website. We should also try to set a governing structure, so that it's easy for each person to know what exactly their role is and who is responsible for what.

Before the school year starts in the fall, I think a reasonable goal is to have a decent base of support around the state and to have a good idea of what the goal(s) of the Alliance will be for the upcoming year. Ideally, a student looking to go to tournaments or to start a club next fall will be able to turn to the Alliance for help and for guidance in what he/she needs to do. There's a tiny portion at the beginning of the year when students look to start clubs and novice tournaments can draw large enough fields to be viable, and the Alliance needs to be ready by this time if it is to do anything in the next academic year. The main summer goal, therefore, should be to make the Alliance a viable organization by the fall.
Sarod Nori
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Re: Michigan 2017-2018 Schedule and Discussion

Post by tksaleija »

Sarod Nori wrote: We should also try to set a governing structure, so that it's easy for each person to know what exactly their role is and who is responsible for what.
This should be one of the immediate actions done after nats (late May). Just some initial thoughts I have here:
1) Would it be a council system or a hierarchy (pres, vp, etc.)?
2) Would the goals of the Alliance be determined prior to the creation of the governing body, or would it be the responsibility of said body to set the goals?

There will probably more as work gets underway, but these seem to be the most pertinent.
Aleija Rodriguez
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Re: Michigan 2017-2018 Schedule and Discussion

Post by tksaleija »

Also, an interesting idea: discord server for Michigan teams and players
Aleija Rodriguez
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Re: Michigan 2017-2018 Schedule and Discussion

Post by EulerAlert »

tksaleija wrote:Also, an interesting idea: discord server for Michigan teams and players
Agreed, although such a server might exist already, albeit not to my knowledge. At any rate, sounds like a good idea to me.
Jason
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Re: Michigan 2017-2018 Schedule and Discussion

Post by Sarod Nori »

tksaleija wrote:Also, an interesting idea: discord server for Michigan teams and players
I don't know how useful this would be, since it would probably be used to do the same things as the Alliance website is meant to do (announce tournaments/news/help new clubs find their footing). The point of such a Discord should probably be to serve as a place of discussion for Michigan teams/players/coaches, but I don't think that (at least at the current moment) there would be much discussion on such a server. Perhaps this can become a thing in a few years or so (once quizbowl in Michigan becomes more prevalent).
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Re: Michigan 2017-2018 Schedule and Discussion

Post by tksaleija »

Sarod Nori wrote:
tksaleija wrote:Also, an interesting idea: discord server for Michigan teams and players
I don't know how useful this would be, since it would probably be used to do the same things as the Alliance website is meant to do (announce tournaments/news/help new clubs find their footing). The point of such a Discord should probably be to serve as a place of discussion for Michigan teams/players/coaches, but I don't think that (at least at the current moment) there would be much discussion on such a server. Perhaps this can become a thing in a few years or so (once quizbowl in Michigan becomes more prevalent).
Actually, I think it would serve better as a bonding agent for players. People could could meet and talk and read packets, learning tips and experience. Very similar to the current qb discord, just possibly geared towards newer/moderately experienced players in MI
Aleija Rodriguez
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Re: Michigan 2017-2018 Schedule and Discussion

Post by Sarod Nori »

Yeah, it could be a place for bonding, but only if people used it (which I don't think they would, at least not in the current HS QB environment). The current QB Discord is the product of decades worth of mailing lists/IRC chats; starting and maintaining a MI quizbowl Discord as well as running the MI QB Alliance is going to take a lot of time and effort, and I don't think it's worth expending a large amount of time and energy into a MI QB Discord that no-one would use.
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Re: Michigan 2017-2018 Schedule and Discussion

Post by CGismondiCC »

This is just a quick announcement that we (DCC) will be holding a two-day summer quiz bowl camp on Friday August 3rd and Saturday August 4th as we have for the last three years. In past years, the camp was only open to middle school students; however, if there is enough interest, we'd like to offer this year's camp to high school students and coaches as well. The camp is led mostly by DCC Quiz bowl alumni and features one class each day, a practice, scrimmages, and an individual overall tournament on the 2nd day. More information about the camp (as well as previous questions and materials) can be found here:https://dccacademicteam.com/shamrock-quiz-bowl-camp/ and registration for the camp can be done here: https://catholiccentral.myschoolapp.com ... &rid=22046. There is a $50 registration fee ($55 if you pay online).
Christopher J. Gismondi, Detroit Catholic Catholic Central Head Coach
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