Middle school quiz bowl tournaments

[yellow7206]

I am a quiz bowl coach in northern Virginia. We are looking for middle school quiz bowl tourneys to enter. Otherwise, we have to attend high school tourneys. That would be good experience, but we would never win or even be competitive. Any help out there?

Eugene Huang
Longfellow Middle School
Falls Church, VA

[at your pleasure]

I know of no specifically MS or novice tournaments save HAVOC. There are some easier tournaments in Colombia, MD, but I dislike the idea of driving an hour to play rotten questions.

That would be good experience, but we would never win or even be competitive. Any help out there?

What do you mean by "competive"?. Do you mean "tournaments where you have a reasonable shot at the top 5" or"tournaments where a nonzero number of the games you play will not be blowouts". Either way, you can have as many competitive games as you want if you are willing to work to improve.

[AKKOLADE]

Either way, you can have as many competitive games as you want if you are willing to work to improve.

This doesn't really make sense, dude. Wanting a competitive game doesn't magically make it happen.

[the return of AHAN]

I am a quiz bowl coach in northern Virginia. We are looking for middle school quiz bowl tourneys to enter. Otherwise, we have to attend high school tourneys. That would be good experience, but we would never win or even be competitive. Any help out there?

Eugene Huang
Longfellow Middle School
Falls Church, VA

Eugene,
From the coach of the #7 team in the Fall Great Auk to the coach of the #4 team, I have the solution for you if you're willing to travel to Chicago:

http://groups.northwestern.edu/quizbowl ... index.html
OR
http://ms.cusd220.lake.k12.il.us/Teache ... mentVI.asp

The former is the first incarnation of the Northwestern University Junior Wildcat Tournament, which will use ACF style bonuses, no less; a novelty in Illinois.
The latter has historically drawn the top teams in Illinois, including 3 of the top 4 finishers in the Illinois Class AA (large schools) State Championships. It may be a pipe dream, but I think it'd be awesome to see you at either tourney!

[Blackboard Monitor Vimes]

You're certainly welcome at HAVOC. We're going to try to invite as many middle schools as we can find with teams, as well as any that we think should have teams (like IB programs) that we can get ahold of. I don't really know much about middle school quizbowl in VA, but I've heard rumors of small middle school circuits in Powhatan and Hampton. If I can find contact info for them, we'll be inviting them to HAVOC as well. Hopefully one of the other VA players will be able to be more helpful; metro Richmond has nothing beyond KMO as far as quizbowl-like stuff in middle school is concerned, from my experience. I think a circuit has potential to develop though, if they can find an appropriate source of questions. You guys are definitely on the right track; if you're already trying to play high school teams, that should help when you are able to play middle schools (see: someone's advice in the other middle school thread about practicing at the level above you). That thread might be helpful to you as well, actually. You should check it out, if you haven't already.

[AndyShootsAndyScores]

Either way, you can have as many competitive games as you want if you are willing to work to improve.

This doesn't really make sense, dude. Wanting a competitive game doesn't magically make it happen.

I think he meant that if you improve your skill, your games will become more competitive. In other words, you have to want to get better in order to be more competitive.

[at your pleasure]

I think he meant that if you improve your skill, your games will become more competitive. In other words, you have to want to get better in order to be more competitive

I belive this was indeed what I was trying to say.

[Tower Monarch]

You're certainly welcome at HAVOC.

This.
As a former Manchester Middle Student, I remember Longfellow (and Frost, so is there is a possibility they would play??) for MathCounts successes. As I will soon be starting an email campaign among the less active Chesterfield high schools and the inactive middle schools, I can definitely add you and any interested parties you could find to my list. Generally, I hope to throw together a packet of HAVOC-level (High School JV, if that was not clear from the other posts) and send it to these teams to entice and teach. Let me know if you're interested: outhwest AT gmail DOT com

[STPickrell]

I am a quiz bowl coach in northern Virginia. We are looking for middle school quiz bowl tourneys to enter. Otherwise, we have to attend high school tourneys. That would be good experience, but we would never win or even be competitive. Any help out there?

Eugene Huang
Longfellow Middle School
Falls Church, VA

Background info:
Longfellow is the feeder to McLean HS, although I imagine some of the students go to Marshall HS or Langley HS. Fairfax middle schools are also grades 7-8.

Both Marshall and Langley these have been to VHSL states and have gone to tournaments (Langley is probably the second-most frequent attender behind TJ). McLean I've never heard going to tournaments although perhaps that might change.

To Eugene:
I know the former coach @ Spotswood was trying to get something started in Frederick County (Winchester). Ditto for something in Buchanan County VA. I am aware of a middle school competition in Virginia Beach as well. But that is not terribly helpful to you -- I can provide the necessary emails. Actually Winchester might be helpful to you if you are willing to travel that far. My email is shawn underscore pickrell at yahoo dot com.

To the general populace:
With passing the torch of question writing to HSAPQ I hope to be able to help in the foundation of a solid middle school circuit, or at least lend my Rolodex to those who can put in the local legwork. I asked Ted if it would be possible for HSAPQ to generate a middle school set in the VHSL format from the easier high school questions.

I've gotten in touch with the folks that have contacted me about middle school quizbowl -- I think even if I have to re-form a VHSL consortium for 2009-10 I can get a group of JV/middle school questions created. Sadly they would be from the varsity questions making it difficult to sell JV and varsity to the same district.

To Sarah:
Powhatan's league is a middle school league composed of teams from feeder middle schools to the Southside District, the James River District, and Halifax County (AAA school that's 2 hours from all the other AAA schools.)

Hampton's league is similar to MACC English in which students read a bunch of books and then answer questions about the books. It is sponsored by the Hampton Public Library.

Also, check your email.

[the return of AHAN]

From today's Metcalf Sweetheart Tournament at Metcalf Lab School (Normal, IL):
1. Barrington Station (7-0)
2. Bloomington Holy Trinity (6-1)
3. Morton (6-1)
4. Roanoke-Benson (5-2)

Station defeated Holy Trinity, 213-160 in the final. Morton defeated R-B in the 3rd place match, but I didn't catch the score. On one hand, there were some REALLY good teams. On the other hand, the questions... well, let's just say the reason we beat Morton could be boiled down to the fact they couldn't correctly identify the next step in making mashed potatoes after slicing them. Oh, and that, trailing by 6 points after TU20 (Solve x + 0.4 = 0.6), Morton could only identify Ford as the manufacturer of the Mustang, leaving Camaro, Challenger, GTO, and Road Runner unanswered on a bonus about 60s and 70s muscle car manufacturers.
I know. I feel dirty.

[Self-incompatibility in plants]

It's gone and passed now, but if you are really looking to the future, I know that the Charter School of Wilmington hosts a middle School tournament in January. Northern DE is not to far out of your way, I don't think, so hopefully you could easily manage and look into going to their tournament next year. They have info on their website, which is more than i can obviously give, http://www.charterschool.org/clubs/academicbowl/ms.php, you should take a look.

I do just want to say though, that i really respect you and your kids for trying so hard, regardless of how well you do or don't do (which btw, is still really good considering...). My coach, Mr. C, and I were just saying today how great it was that you guys do what do. So don't at all get discouraged, not only you do better than some high school teams as it is, but your kids will only get better the more they do. So keep up the hard work, the hard competition, and the high school tournaments, it will only help you guys.

I do understand your wish to compete against competition at an equal age and level to your kids, it is a very reasonable desire.

[Tegan]

I know. I feel dirty.

There are no shameful wins .... only shameful losses.

There are also shameful questions .... it appears you have seen/heard some of those.