“An alpha particle has the same configuration as the nucleus of what element?” WHILE individual knowledge is important, strategy is key for winning as well.
Most people wouldn’t know the answer is “helium,” but for Scholars Bowl competitors a correct answer can mean the difference between a state championship berth or not.
The Iola High School Scholars Bowl team finished first in the regional tournament Feb. 6, giving the school its seventh state meet appearance since it began competing.
On Tuesday afternoon, the five members of the qualifying team sat down with The Register to give its readers an inside look at what it means to compete at the state level for a scholarly athlete. The team is made up of Clarie Moran, Clara Wicoff, Garrett Prall, Jonathan Tidd and Michael Wilson.
“It’s not anything you have to be smart to do, it’s just knowledge,” Tidd said modestly, while sitting in one of the high school’s science classrooms. “It’s random knowledge you pick up over the years.”
Admittedly, most of the team members don’t spend too much time training for competitions — maybe two or three times a week for an hour and a half. But there is one key difference between Scholars Bowl and other sports and competitions. Everyday life is the best way to study.
“They need to pay attention in class,” Coach Vince Coons said. “Because some of this stuff they can relate.”
“I don’t know if anybody — OK, Clara might — goes home and studies random things,” Tidd said. The rest of his team laughed.
“Sometimes it’ll be something you just studied in physics,” Wilson added.
Still, the team has gotten this far in the competitions by winning. The members said they each have their specialties, but all contribute to the group overall. Each team member has been competing since middle school.
Tidd is the history guru, Wilson thrives in social sciences, Wicoff is a pro at spelling and history, Moran is a know-it-all at art and Prall just knows “whatever” — which seems to be a useful skill in the competitions.
“I think we all bring something to the team,” Wicoff said. “I don’t know anything about art or operas but Garrett and Clarie do. It’s stuff that will come up.”
“We are all kind of good at everything,” Prall said.
They make sure they know about upcoming competitions and who they will be facing. By this point in the year they are familiar with individuals on each team.
The judges select three questions from each category (social science, language arts, mathematics, science/health, fine arts and mathematics), and the teams compete in rounds. The first team to buzz in and answer correctly wins a point for that round, and the team with the most points at the end of the rounds win. An incorrect answer results in points lost.
“You keep a mental calculator,” of the score, Wicoff said. Starting off, the team may be more conservative with their answers, but toward the end they may have to swing for the fences.
Competition can be intense — especially depending on the teams — but the students take it in stride.
“I don’t really get nervous,” Clarie said, barring any close calls at the end of the match.
“There is a pretty competitive spirit, but it’s a laid-back competitive spirit,” Tidd added.
While the team’s expectations are hopeful, they are also realistic. The rounds depend so much on the questions, that they can’t really know how well they will do overall.
“It depends on the questions that are asked,” Prall said.
Wicoff put their success thus far simply — a strategy they hope to carry into Saturday’s state competition in De Soto.
“The thing that kept us in was not losing,” she said.
For many of the team members Scholars Bowl is as much of a social club than anything — albeit a social club that competes against other social clubs.
The team is obviously close-knit, which also helps in competitions.
“We have a good time,” Wicoff said.
“Everyone in Scholars Bowl is pretty down-to-earth people,” Prall said.
Not to mention, they get to use knowledge that they wouldn’t necessarily use in any other situation, save for Trivial Pursuit.
“It’s nice to be able to use the knowledge that you’ve gotten from the teachers,” Moran said. “They don’t always test it in school.”
Battle of the Brains – Scholars Bowl team ready for state
