The Game I Love

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Nick
Wakka
Posts: 185
Joined: Sun Jul 29, 2007 4:41 pm

The Game I Love

Post by Nick »

Because I don’t post on this forum very often, I wanted to provide a public message so that anyone interested can hear what motivates me and my company, Academic Competition Enterprises (ACE), in my own words.

To be boldly straight-forward, I want to see academic competition (a.k.a. “quizbowl”) expand to rival the scope and significance of athletic competition in schools across the United States. I make the unfunny joke too often, “a chicken in every pot, a buzzer in every school.” Perhaps we’ll never see that day literally happen, but I don’t think it’s an unworthy goal.

Quizbowl is the game I love, and I’m disappointed it isn’t as big of a deal as I think it should be. It bums me out that the finals rounds at NSC aren’t well attended. It doesn’t feel satisfying that the Spelling Bee and Jeopardy! are the best known academic competitions. I’m a bit pained when I hear leaders of the community (and this messageboard) talk about how quizbowl is somehow at odds with “real life” or other similar comments. Quizbowl is my love, my life, and my livelihood, and I’m going to keep working every day to make it better.

These thoughts and opinions manifest themselves in the specific goals and general mission of ACE, a company I’ve had the fortune of working for and now guiding as one of its ownership partners.

The mission of ACE is to amplify the prestige, professionalism and popularity of academic competition nationwide.

I was never going to be the quarterback of my school’s beloved football team, but through hard work, I was fortunate enough to represent my school on a national stage, fly to and compete in every region of America, and ultimately learn more than most of my teachers about certain academic subjects and the world in general. Quizbowl gave me all of that. I know there are curious and competitive students all across the country, and I want every student to have these same opportunities. I want to build academic competitors the biggest stage possible so that they may shine as brightly as possible.

I’m proud of the work ACE has done thus far to these aims and for all the students who have had the opportunity to participate in ACE-coordinated academic competitions. I’m going to keep working, however, because I think this game has so much room to grow and I know it will take a lot of work to get there. We hope members of this community who appreciate our mission will help and support our efforts. We might disagree on certain particulars, but I think we all generally share the same enthusiasm for this game. I welcome and encourage anyone in the community to attend an ACE event, regional or national, to see how we’re delivering on this mission.

If you’re a past, present, or future academic competitor, I’m working for you. If you’ve ever thought “this game should be more prominent than it is” – then I’m out here working for you. If you’re a student in any school in America who might appreciate, enjoy, and benefit from academic competition, but you just don’t know it yet – I’m working for you.

Be good,

Nick
Nick
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