George Wood has been a part of the Bible Quiz community for nearly forty years. Shortly after moving his family from the hills of his beloved Tennessee, George began his Bible Quiz journey as a parent of a 7th grader and a 9th grader in Greenville, South Carolina. His children, Valeri and Carl, started in the PQA (more on that later) and became solid quizzers, eventually both being part of separate AACS Championship teams with Southside, SC. Valeri in 1988 and Carl in 1991.

One to get involved quickly, he became a Bible Quiz coach and stayed involved while his children quizzed in middle and high school respectively. After their graduation, he stayed involved and invested in other young people. That in itself is commendable and speaks to his love for others.

Following the successful college football career of Tennessee quarterback Heath Shuler in 1994, George became the director of the Piedmont Quizzing Association (PQA) where he actively serves to the present (2024). George’s career as PQA director has fared much better than Heath’s in the NFL. Yes, I had my chance to pick at Mr. Wood’s beloved Vols and I absolutely took it.

The PQA is a monthly quizzing league which meets monthly from August – January with a finale tournament in February. This league is invaluable for preparing entry level quizzers just starting and seasoned quizzers alike by dividing the text into emphasized portions each month and adding material each month. It is through the PQA, that many programs improve to the point of being competitive at national tournaments. Several Bible Quiz International Hall of Famers came through the PQA. Had George not stepped in to direct the PQA in 1995, it may not exist today.

In addition to his work with the PQA, George has also directed (and continues to direct) Bible Quiz tournaments including the major tournament, SCQANIT. This tournament has become debatably the most critical tournament of the year in crowning a national champion due to its robust competition, placement on the calendar, and its inclusion of non-AACS ministries. More recently, he has directed the Blue Ridge Invitational as well.

Over the years, he & his wife Marjorie have been an encouragement to me. He does many things behind the scenes that often go unnoticed. Constant communication, scheduling, question-writing, working with churches and schools for facilities, and coordinating quizmasters and scorekeepers are just a few of these.

It was the PQA season opener in August 2011, where I first met Mr. George Wood. That was my very first Bible Quiz event. I was nervous and didn’t know what to think. He welcomed me and my team and shook my hand. I could immediately sense his love for the game, his excitement seeing new quizzers, and his heart for youth and Scripture memorization. George Wood has long since earned this Bible Quiz International Hall of Fame induction. It is my hope to see others emulate George’s heart and passion for Bible Quizzing.