What do you think is the best way to build a team? To quiz against tough teams right away and risk being demoralized or to quiz against weaker teams up front and risk growing complacent? Where can a team in my area find to quiz?
–Phil Darby, Florida
Well, I can only speak from the experience I have gained through creating a RAMS team. I put my team through the RAMS year, which is basically a league for new teams who want to quiz, but do not want to be thrown into competition with major teams, which in this case meant teams like FBC-CF and Master’s. I had a couple of quizzers on that team who were on or almost on the veteran level of quizzing, but for the sake of the brand new students I ultimately decided to put them in RAMS for the year to adjust them to the basics.
However, my greatest fear was thus: that some of my better quizzers, like Jeremy, would go “complacent” and would not be as good when I felt the team should move up to the higher-level. So I made a solution: I took Jeremy with me to the big competitions, like the New Year’s Classic (and would-have-been SCQANIT) to keep him on his game. Now, even after quizzing a year on RAMS, Jeremy, as well as my brother Andy, has improved.
There is a great danger in creating a brand new team. But I suggest starting out slow. Go to smaller competitions and build your team up. Expect more of your better quizzers. But what your quizzers must realize is that if they want to be a part of a good team, they need to be motivated.
As far as where you can go to quiz, the FQA (Florida Quizzing Association) has both a RAMS league as well as a Veteran league. There is a I-4 devision in the Central Florida area, as well as a I-95 devision in southern Florida. Go to www.biblequiz.cc/FQA for more information.
Hello Jesse, I’m a huge fan of yours and was wondering, although this might not be pertaining to your column, but is you brother available? I’ve only seen him at a couple of matches a number of years ago, but was only able to get his name, thank you for your time, and i hope you continue to quiz master.
–Unknown Sender, Florida
Available? For what? Mercenary? Lawn work? Quizzing?
If you mean relationship-wise, Andy is currently interested in a girl at Master’s, and they have been together for about 5 months. They are quite smitten with each other.
If you mean quizzing, he is currently quizzing not with Master’s though; he is quizzing with my church team, and has shown incredible progress since he first started quizzing. If you mean mercenary, if the price is right…. Just kidding.
Jesse