BQ Coach

Auxiliary Verbs

2012-01-31T21:49:00.001-06:00

is, am, are, was, were, be, being, been, has, have, had, do, does, did, shall, will, should, would, may, might, must, can, could

When I was a Freshman in High School, our English teacher required us to memorize the 23 auxiliary verbs. These are foundational elements of writing. Some of my classmates struggled with this exercise, but since I was memorizing the Gospel of Luke at the time, learning a list of 23 words was not an especially daunting task.

These verbs come in very handy in Bible Quiz when attempting to complete questions. Here's an example from the championship playoff at Friendship. The question was:

10 points. From Hebrews chapter 11.
What was formed at God's command?
11:3 the universe

The question was interrupted on the word "was" and ultimately missed. Almost everyone in the room assumed it was an overhit, and that there was no way to know the correct completion. I disagree. The key to completing this question lies in understanding auxiliary verbs.

"Was" is the fourth verb on our list, and it is the key word in the above question. I realize it doesn't seem like much of a key word, but if you look in chapter 11, the word isn't found very often. More importantly, in most of the verses where it is found, the context referred to a person (Abel, Enoch, Moses, Rahab, etc.). Since the first word of the question was "what" we aren't looking for a person as our answer. So we can eliminate all of those.

This leaves far fewer possibilities. The main alternatives to our question are verse 3 (what was made out of what was visible?), verse 34 (what was turned to strength?), and verse 38 (what was not worthy of the faithful?). Note that in verse 3 you can't really ask "what was visible?" because there isn't an answer to the question.

The other question from verse 3 would require a complete answer remark, since the answer is "what is seen." The question from verse 34 had already been asked, word-for-word, during the tournament. It is unlikely that the same question would be repeated.

This leaves two real possibilities. In Bible Quiz, we are always playing percentages. There aren't a lot of sure things when it comes to interruptions at the highest level. In choosing between the actual question and the option from verse 38, the choice should be to go with the question that was less awkward in its wording. That leads you to the correct completion.

Is it possible that the question might be something different? Absolutely. Could the writer have chosen to use something else, even if was an awkward wording? Certainly. In quizzing, you often have to take some chances and trust that the writer will do the best thing.

So how do you prepare your quizzers to complete this kind of hit? The first answer is the most obvious: make sure they are keeping up with their quoting. Words jump out at quizzers when they've prepared themselves. Next, make sure your quizzers hear a lot of questions. The hope is that quizzers will hear nearly every possible question in practice before they get to the game.

Another way to prepare your quizzers is to do an auxiliary verb drill. Make copies of one page of the Scripture Portion and have quizzers go through and highlight or circle all the verbs. They'll usually find most of the regular "action word" verbs, but fail to see the auxiliary verbs. Write the above list on the board and have them find all of those, too. By doing this, you call attention to these verbs and teach your quizzers to use them as key words when necessary.

People tend to groan when we start talking about language and grammar, but it's essential to remember that questions are written in English. To complete them correctly, a quizzer needs to have a pretty good understanding of the rules of the language. In doing so, quizzers will be prepared to interrupt questions early and complete them correctly.

Assistant Coaches

2012-01-12T07:00:00.000-06:00

Every year, when my assistant coach is assigned to me, I always warn them that they could be embarking on the most dull coaching experience of their lives. I'm known for running my practices very directly, and so often my assistant winds up doing a lot of sitting and watching.

Let me say that sitting and watching has proven to be a boost for several coaches. I've had numerous assistants go on to be head coaches themselves, so it's not necessarily a wasted experience. I do try to teach and mentor them, so they learn the basic elements of good coaching.

My assistants have a few standard responsibilities. In games, I need someone who can operate my Excel scoresheet accurately and efficiently. I also like to have someone who is empathetic and compassionate, to balance my somewhat brash and direct nature. In practices, my assistant usually will listen to quizzers check off chapters, run specific drills, and handle some of the administrative stuff for me.

For Bible Quiz, my assistant this year is Heidi Graves. She was on my team a couple years ago (I love using my former quizzers to assist--they already know my style and system, and they have totally bought in to what we do), and is a Freshman in college. Given that assisting for me doesn't require a great deal of outside responsibility, this is ideal for her. I want her to focus on school first, and she knows that. She occasionally will help me pull together study materials, but most of the time her work is done in practices and at competitions.

In JBQ, I actually have three assistants. This may seem like overkill, but I am using it as a chance to develop some leadership skills in young people. I'm also farming out a lot more of the responsibility than I have in the past. Victoriah and Linsey are both 6th graders who were on my Nationals JBQ team a year ago. They wanted to help out, and so I've let them do a lot of the day-to-day practice stuff. This year's team is a first-year group of boys, and you'd be amazed at watching the girls direct them. Linsey can run drills with an iron fist, and Victoriah's caring and compassion show through and make a big difference to the boys. Add that my third assistant, Jillian from my BQ team this year, and you've got a great combination. I supervise, run some of the drills, and teach the strategic side. The girls understand how to teach some of the basic interruption skills, so I'm letting them spread their leadership wings.

Our main task as coaches is to prepare our quizzers. We also have a responsibility to raise up leaders as coaches. This means sometimes giving up control of every little detail (a difficult task for me), in order to give someone else a chance to learn and grow. Most importantly, it follows the model of Jesus, who raised up leaders around Him that He sent to change the world. That worked out pretty well.

Have you started to develop your "coaching family tree" yet?

Plotting and Scheming

2012-01-08T15:43:00.000-06:00

Okay, "plotting and scheming" is probably exaggeration for the sake of effect, but it sounds much cooler than a "planning" meeting. Yesterday, our A-league coaches, quizzers, parents, and coordinators got together to fully plan the rest of our season. We focused on three areas: goals, events, and practices.

Ordinarily, our team would meet early in the season to set our goals. However, our team has had some fluctuation this year, so we wanted to make sure our roster was set for the year before we determined what our team goals were going to be. Now that we have made those final decisions, we can approach the rest of the season with our goals firmly established.

In order for us to achieve our goals, we must do two things. We must be consistent in finishing our assigned work, and we must have consistent, quality practice time. Notice the use of the word "consistent" twice in that sentence. Consistency is among the most important factors for quality quizzing. You want to create habits of doing the same things every day and week. Cramming is seldom a recipe for success. There should be a natural build to the season. If you are inconsistent in your practice times or workload, and then attempt to put the hammer down two weeks before Nationals, you will likely come up short of your goals (unless your goal is to quiz inconsistently).

Our event schedule is largely determined by the competition dates. We have the SFC, Friendship, and the River Classic, as well as leagues, Districts, Regionals, and Nationals (spoiler alert: there are so few teams in the Gulf Region that we would have to withdraw to not qualify for Nationals--I don't want anyone to think I'm being presumptuous).

There are a couple events we had to add to the list. First, Pre-Nationals, which, for those interested, we are planning to host at James River on June 15-16, 2012. We generally invite a maximum of 12 teams to participate, and we like to get as many top-level teams there as possible. More details will be available as we get closer to the end of the season.

We also had to determine our plan for retreat. At some point, I'll write a post explaining exactly what we do at our retreat, but it is a critical component for us to fully prepare for Nationals. We quote, work on our concordance, and quiz--a lot. This year, instead of doing a single-week retreat, we are planning three mini-retreats. They will be two days each. The first will be in May, about three weeks after Regionals. The second will be either the week before or the week after Pre-Nationals. The third will actually be the two days before Nationals begins. By spreading it out, we are hoping to build toward our goals and be fully prepared to quiz our absolute best. We'll sprinkle some fun and games into the time, and we'll get an awful lot of work done.

The third major component of our meeting centered on our practice schedule. This is an area that has proven very difficult during the first half of the season. Due to events beyond anyone's control, our practice times have been shorter and less consistent (there's that word again) than I would like. One problem has been that we've had to do several weeknight practices. These are less effective than daytime practices because quizzers are usually coming from school and are concerned about finishing homework and completing their assigned quiz work. They also tend to be shorter, so we naturally don't accomplish as much.

Yesterday, we went week-by-week through the calendar, with all of the families, and set our full practice schedule for the rest of the season. We placed a priority on getting back to the basics of weekend, daytime practices of three or four hours each. That may sound like a lot, but for the goals our team has set, that is the sacrifice that will be required.

If you haven't planned the rest of the season with your team, I'd suggest you do it. Be sure to include the parents. I've discovered that parents will buy into your program and enthusiastically support what you are trying to do if they are included in the process. Parents like to see their kids succeed in quizzing. Also, make sure that you include whoever is responsible for the budget. For our program, we have a coordinator, an assistant coordinator, and me. Some of what we want to do requires a certain amount of money, so it's important that what I want to do is in line with what's possible financially.

Good luck with your team's plotting and scheming.

New Year's Revolutions

2011-12-28T20:13:00.001-06:00

I've never been a New Year's resolution kind of guy. It always seemed a bit arbitrary, though I know a lot of people who use them for both fun and to make positive life changes. Before Christmas, I talked with my quizzers about things they wanted to change about themselves in the next year. Not a random goal like "don't drink soda" or a cosmetic one like "lose 20 pounds." Instead, we were talking about spiritual or relational changes that would make a permanent difference in their lives.

Some of the goals were more personal, but one stuck out to me. One quizzer wanted to be more disciplined in reading the Bible. After further discussion, the entire team decided that this was something we wanted to hold each other accountable for, so we committed to reading the Bible through in the next calendar year.

In Bible Quiz, we spend a lot of time studying the Scriptures. As a coach, I spend hours looking over concordance material, working on questions, and listening to students quote. My quizzers spend several hours every week entrenched in the Bible. Yet for all of that, it can often become an exercise in learning words on a page.

I hear people outside of quiz sometimes talk about "head knowledge" versus "heart knowledge." I reject this premise completely. I believe that consuming God's Word, for whatever purpose, will have a transformative effect on the consumer. I do believe that sometimes the immediate impact can be dampened, not from a lack of proper motivation, but instead from a numbing effect after quoting the same chapters again and again.

To that end, I think it's essential that quizzers spend time in the Word beyond quizzing. So we're starting a year-long Bible Reading Plan. There are numerous ones available, and I've given my quizzers their choice of plans. GPH offers one here. This isn't a check box on my quizzers' schedules. I don't want this to be part of an obligation. I want to encourage them, but I want to see the desire in their hearts.

Part of this means modeling good practices for them, so I'll be following a reading plan myself. Interestingly, in all my years of Bible study, I've never read through the Bible in a year following a daily plan. I'm looking forward to seeing Scripture in a new light.

I'd like to challenge you, as a coach, to challenge your quizzers. Maybe they need to work on Bible reading, or maybe they have a different opportunity. As you work with your quizzers, find a way to challenge them, not to make a New Year's resolution, but to begin a New Year's Revolution.

Quelling Quick Quoters

2011-12-19T12:33:00.000-06:00

30 seconds is an eternity in Bible Quiz. I realize that it seems like a pretty short timeframe, but the truth is that you can communicate a lot of information during that time. One of my favorite parlor tricks is to quote 1 Corinthians 13 in 30 seconds. I can also do Hebrews 1. If that sounds impressive, you need to spend more time around Nationals-level quizzers. Truthfully, quoting fast isn't a particularly useful skill. Quoting quickly and clearly is a different story.

Once a quizzer has quoted a chapter for the 6,342nd time, they are likely to play it a little fast and loose. The tendency is to start to ram words together, clip syllables, and drop articles. "Word of God" becomes "wordogod" and such. This can be dangerous, because while many judges won't notice the difference, when you get one who actually expects a quote to be quoted, you're looking at a negative score.

How do you solve it? Three ways.

1. Assign fast quoting. If you tell quizzers that you expect them to always quote slowly, they'll tune you out. Also, their schedule will take too long and they will be unprepared for those occasions when they need to move things along. For my quizzers, once a week they quote with timed goals. They have targets that I expect them to hit. Some of these are more difficult than others (Hebrews 8 seems to be tripping us up at the moment). Amazingly, if a quizzer can consistently hit the goals I set for them, they will have no problem getting the Master Memorization Award. Funny how that works out.

2. Assign slow quoting. Once a week, my quizzers quote fast. The rest of the time, I expect them to quote at a more leisurely pace. Enunciation is extremely important to me. Ask my quizzers how many times I bust them in practice for dropping parts of words. If you don't say it right, I won't call you right. Bad practices have to be dealt with consistently, or they will become baad habits. Quizzers may not like it, but they'll be thanking you when they get that big 30 in a key game.

3. Teach good time management. I'm not talking about weekly planners (although quizzers probably could use some of that, too). I'm referring to managing the 30 seconds a quizzer gets to answer a question. Time how long it takes them to get to the first word of a verse. It ought to be under five seconds. When they work quote cards, have them time themselves. The faster a quizzer can find the verse, the more time they have to quote it accurately. On concordance items, don't give them 30 seconds to answer. Give them 25. That way, they practice getting it right in a compressed timeframe.

Top-level quizzing requires speed and accuracy. If you want your quizzers to be successful, teach them to quote clearly and quickly.

Coaching Young Quizzers

2011-11-30T13:56:00.001-06:00

“I treat everyone fairly; Idon’t treat everyone the same.”—Herm Edwards

I’ve had the pleasure ofcoaching in Novice (now known as MSQ) for a number of seasons. During thattime, I worked with some extremely talented young quizzers and helped themdevelop their skills. As an A-league coach, I have fewer opportunities to workwith young quizzers, but this year I have had the chance to coach youth at ahigh level.

The first thing tounderstand is that every quizzer, regardless of age, has a different level ofability/talent/drive/intelligence (by intelligence, I mean the capacity tolearn). If you compare the work assigned to each of my quizzers this year, youwould assume that I have some sort of vendetta against one quizzer, whileanother gets a light assignment. While veteran quizzers can typically handlememorizing 8-10 verses per day, a 6^th or 7^th grader mayonly be able to do 4-6. Additionally, their quoting is usually going to beslower, especially early on in the year.

We try to keep a reasonabletime range for a quizzer’s work. This is a graduated system. Early on in theseason a quizzer may be expected to spend 45 minutes per day. As we get deeperinto the competitive schedule, that time will increase to as much as 2-3 hoursper day. However, it’s critical to realize that a 7^th grader can’talways accomplish as much in an hour as a senior. The schedule has to be set upto accommodate the quizzer’s capacity.

Another important factorwith young quizzers is what you expect from them. For me, I am more interestedin the long-term development of a quizzer’s skills than I am in a “win now”approach. I refuse to sacrifice a quizzer’s future by making unrealisticdemands. Instead, I have told my young quizzers that their primary job thisyear is to learn. This doesn’t mean I don’t expect them to contribute to oursuccess. On the contrary, by taking the pressure off a little, holding themaccountable to their commitments, and teaching them essential quiz skills, theywill be able to score points and help us win.

There is no magic formula.There is no set determination for when a quizzer is ready. Some students canstep in at 11 years old and be a strong force in A-league. Others aren’t readyto start at that level until they’re 15 or 16. How do you know? Some of it goeswith instincts, but one good test is to see how consistently they finish theirwork. If they can’t finish an MSQ schedule regularly, they certainly can’thandle the rigors of A-league work. Also, attitude is important. I won’tpromote a young quizzer unless I believe they really want it, and that theirparents are on board. For young quizzers, parents are responsible for gettingthem to practice and tend to be more involved in helping them finish theirwork. If the parents aren’t excited about it, it’s not going to fly.

A couple final thoughts:

Don’t automatically assumethat the young quizzer should be a 10-point specialist. Instead, have them hitwhat they’re most comfortable with, even if it’s 20s and 30s.
Be sure that your olderquizzers are leading and encouraging the younger ones. They need to be a partof the team and included in all the team discussions and activities.

Young quizzers can be greatassets to your team if you take the time to develop them properly. Justremember, you aren’t just trying to win now. You’re laying a foundation that,if built properly, will help you win for years to come.

Get Out of Town!

2011-10-24T07:35:00.000-05:00

This Thursday, James River will load up six teams and forty or so people in a big bus and head north, spending Friday in Chicago before heading to Elkhart, IN for the Michiana Quiz on Saturday. This is an annual event for us, and our quizzers look forward to it every year.

Trips are one of the coolest parts of Bible Quiz. Students love to get on the road, stay in a hotel, and meet new people. Over the years, I've had the chance to take many students on their first ever out-of-state trip, and the wonder on their faces at seeing new places and experiencing new things is unmatched. When we promote quizzing to our youth, we highlight the annual trip as a big reason to join.

For our A team, this is one of three out-of-state trips we'll go on this season, not including Nationals (should we qualify). But for our MSQ and B quizzers, this is the only trip they'll get to go on, so we try to make it special. We spend a day in Chicago, visiting Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower), window shopping at the Watertower Place Mall, and eating Gino's East Pizza. The kids will have their cameras out and snapping away. It's a highlight of the year for all of them.

Now, I've been to Chicago more times than I can count, and northern Indiana in October isn't exactly a tourism hotspot (unless you're a Notre Dame fan). Given a choice between staying in a hotel or staying at home, I'll take my own bed. I'd be thrilled if we could hold every competition, including Nationals, in Springfield. Travel lost its luster for me long ago. So why do I think these tournaments are important?

For me, it's all about the quizzing. From a competitive perspective, I want to help my team win games and prepare for higher levels of competition. Tournaments are a supremely important part of reaching our goals. We get to play tough teams from other regions and measure ourselves against them. When we go to Michiana this weekend, we'll play a couple very difficult teams, and whether we win or lose those games, we'll learn something from them that will help us later on.

Tournaments also are a great motivator for my quizzers. Over the course of the season, we'll quiz at four league matches and five tournaments before we get to District Finals. Each of these serve as a checkpoint for us to know where we are on the material, how we are quizzing, and what we need to improve. A quizzer who is slacking a little will get motivated to work much harder to prepare for a tournament. I tell my quizzers that our church invests money to help us with our expenses on these trips. If we don't work hard and do our best, we are wasting their money and being poor stewards.

Another great benefit of traveling is the time spent building relationships with quizzers. Last year, I spent about three hours on the bus hanging out with a couple sixth graders telling stories, playing games, and passing the time on the road. This year, those two quizzers are on my team for the weekend, and the time that I spent with them is paying dividends. These quizzers aren't intimidated by me because they've gotten to know me. I have no idea who I'll connect with this year and how that connection will pay off in the future.

So we're hitting the road this week to head to Indiana. I know that several teams are coming to Michiana, and many others are going to Dallas for Gold Cup. The quizzing at both these tournaments should be excellent, and hopefully the experienced gained will pay off as the season continues.

If you're a new coach, I strongly encourage you to take your team on at least one trip this year. For information on what tournaments are available this year, click here. Good luck, and hopefully we'll see you somewhere. If you're at Elkhart, be sure to come say hi to me.

Three Seasons

2011-10-19T06:11:00.000-05:00

The Bible Quiz season can be easily broken into three segments: Fall tournaments, Winter tournaments, and official competition. The goals for each of these segments are a little different, and success can be measured in a number of ways. Let's talk about each "season" of the year.

Fall Tournaments
The Fall schedule generally extends through December and comprises two league matches and one or two tournaments. For this part of the quiz year, the main focus is simply on learning the material. Ideally, by the end of December your quizzers will have finished all their memorizing. A big focus should be on quote cards, chapter analysis, and most of all, quoting. This is also your opportunity to get a sense of what your quizzers are capable of doing in competition. If you have options, it might be useful to shape your rosters in different ways to see what you have going forward.

At James River, we have our regular October and November league matches, as well as the Michiana Quiz (Oct. 30) and the Missouri Classic (Dec. 2-3). Our quizzers are on pace with their learning, and our main concern is tinkering with our roster to find the best mix. We are incorporating some of our MSQers with our A-league team for the tournaments, attempting to advance their quiz ability and determine their potential for the future. This isn't an exact science, and largely depends on the quizzers' willingness to consistently do the work. Fortunately, we have some very talented young quizzers, and we feel good about the number of options open to us.

Winter Tournaments
For BQ purposes, Winter goes from January until your District Finals preparation begins. Winter quizzing is about three things: mastering all the material, beginning concordance work, and measuring yourself against your rivals. For teams that hope to compete at a high level, rivals are the teams you have to beat at Districts and Regionals in order to qualify for Nationals. Because of this, it's important to go to tournaments where you get to play these teams in a competitive environment.

James River's chief rival is clearly Central A/G, in Springfield, MO. Fortunately, we get to play them quite a bit over the course of the season. We have league matches in January and February, with the Southern Fried Classic (Jan. 13-14), the Friendship Classic (Jan 27-28), and the River Classic (Mar. 2-3). We finished in 5th place at Nationals last year, so we also keep an eye on the four teams that finished ahead of us (Owasso, OK, Garfield, NJ, Wesley Chapel, FL, and the aforementioned Central), all of which we'll see at least once in the Winter.

Official Competition
This part of the season begins with preparing for District Finals, and ends whenever your team is eliminated from quizzing. For some teams this will be Districts or Regionals, while others will qualify for Nationals in Columbus, OH. The goals here are to master your concordance material, refine your quizzing skills as much as possible, and ultimately achieve your competitive goals.

So. MO District Finals are at the end of March, with Regionals at the end of April, and then a long layover until Nationals. We usually host a pre-Nationals quiz in June. During the time between Regionals and Nationals, we'll really clarify our goals and push extremely hard to perfect our quizzing. Teams can radically shift their quizzing (for either good or bad) in this time, so we want to take advantage of every opportunity.

What are your team goals? Have you looked at the season in chunks to determine what your team can accomplish this year? Time is wasting, so get to it. You'll be amazed at how quickly the seasons change.

League Match #1

2011-10-07T05:25:00.000-05:00

I've gotten into a lot of more discipleship-oriented discussions over the past few weeks, but with the start of league play for the 2011-12 season, I though it might be time to talk some competition. Some leagues have already begun, and several more, including ours in So. MO open tomorrow.

So, what are you trying to do in your league? This is the time of year where you should be talking about goals and setting expectations. You may have no idea what to expect from your competition, so League #1 may be about level-setting. Figure out where you are compared to the other teams and determine what you need to do better.

-----I know that some people don't like to hear about my own team on this blog, while others like to learn from my missteps. So, consider this your warning. I will talk about my guys if I feel like there's a point I can help get across to the audience that is useful. If that's not your bag, feel free to skip it, but this is the last warning you'll get.-----

Every year at James River our roster reinvents itself all down the line. This year, we have a high number of MSQ students, after two straight years of massive influx from JBQ. Our A-league group is significantly smaller than it has been in awhile. Rather than viewing this as a negative experience, we are looking at it as an opportunity to more strongly develop our younger quizzers.

I'm coaching our one A-team, and for leagues it consists of two returning national-level quizzers. These guys have a depth of experience and solid talent. My job is to continue to shape them as quizzers and motivate them to finish their work. In addition, for different competitions, we are bringing up some of our younger quizzers to add assistance and help them learn. I see this as a valuable training opportunity. We have no defined plans for a long-term system for these quizzers. We just want them to gain experience and grow in quizzing.

All of these quizzers are brand new to me, though most have heard some of the horror stories. So far, I haven't frightened any of them off. One parent actually wants me to be harder on her child than I am (which I have to say is a first). If they're up for it, we might find a way to plug them in here in some way.

For now, I want to hear how leagues are going across the nation. Post it in a comment here, or Facebook or Tweet me. Good luck everyone, and have some fun.

Words of Encouragement

2011-10-04T02:19:00.000-05:00

Last week I made about 20 calls to quizzers, former quizzers, college students, and other people over which I have had some measure of influence in the past few years. These calls weren't to harangue them about schedules or chastise them about their work ethic. In fact, several of them are quizzers from other teams.

Encouragement is one of the most important tasks of the Christian. In Hebrews the writer tells us:

See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness (Hebrews 3:12,13).

You see, the writer is collectively telling his readers to encourage each other, and reminds them that they bear responsibility for the souls of their fellow believers. In our culture of rugged individualism, this type of thinking is difficult to accept. How can I be held responsible for my neighbor's salvation?

We are responsible for each other. Encouragement is essential to avoid a hardened heart. At James River, our small groups operate under the theme "Do Life Together." The Christian life is not meant to be a solitary one. Followers of Christ are required to build each other up, bear each other's burdens, and bring healing to each other's hurting lives. If your brother or sister is missing the spiritual mark, you are charged with offering assistance.

I've carefully cultivated a reputation as a tough Bible Quiz coach. My quizzers know better than to offer lame excuses for not meeting my very high expectations, and my instructions in game situations are inviolate. For all of that, my quizzers also know that their spiritual health and growth is my top priority. I like to see my quizzers win games; I love to see young people achieve great things for the kingdom of God.

Have you encouraged someone this week?

The Practice Quiz

2011-09-27T17:36:00.000-05:00

At James River, we have about ten brand new quizzers this year. These students have never participated in a BQ match. Some of them come from JBQ, so they have some quiz experience, while others have never seen a match of any kind before. With our first league match less than two weeks away, we think it's important that they experience what a real game is like before they have to play games that matter.

So this Saturday we have scheduled a practice quiz. Our one B and five MSQ teams will compete it a two-round tournament with all rules in effect. We'll have a full complement of officials in each room, we'll keep score, and we'll encourage the quizzers to do their best.

By doing this, quizzers get game experience in advance of the league match. They get to see what it's like with the questions, the timing, and the procedures. It's sort of like pre-season games for sports teams. It also lets inexperienced coaches get a sense of how to manage a game, and it gives us an opportunity to train new officials.

For us at James River, having multiple teams makes setting up a scrimmage situation fairly simple. If you only have one team, it may be more difficult. I would encourage you to try and do it anyway. Maybe you can split your team into two groups or even invite a team from a neighboring church. By having a couple games where rules are enforced, fouls are called, and quiz outs are counted, you give new quizzers a chance to see what it's like, and experienced quizzers a chance to shake off some rust.

One final point--don't expect the results of the practice quiz to be indicative of future results. My teams have quizzed notoriously poorly at these, but the end results usually wind up pretty decent for us.

Sunday School Answers

2011-09-15T01:46:00.002-05:00

This week I started teaching a new Sunday School class at James River. It is not a Bible Quiz class. One of the problems that we've had to work on is retaining quizzers once they reach High School. Hence, we have three times the number of Middle School quizzers compared to High School quizzers. Further, when we teach our regular BQ Sunday School (actually held on Saturday with practice), we have to aim for a very wide age range. This, combined with the size of the group, limits the opportunity to deeply examine issues and have frank discussion.

In addition, Bible Quiz often becomes self-involved without intending to be that way. When you spend a large number of hours working with the same people, going on trips, and creating memories, it can become a very tight-knit circle. This isn't always bad, but you have to be careful not close yourself off from the rest of the youth ministry.

For these reasons, we started a new Sunday morning class aimed at High School students who aren't necessarily in BQ. It isn't really a recruiting tool as much as it is a way for students who can't or don't want to commit to memorizing to learn deeply from the Scripture. We spend a lot of time studying the Bible; it's important that we share some of that knowledge beyond BQ.

The idea for the class came from one of my recently graduated quizzers. We are targeting High School students because we want to have a deeper discussion than is possible with younger students. The two goals for the class are to teach students how to correctly study and interpret the Bible and to challenge them each week in their walk with Christ. If students don't walk out of the classroom every week thinking about what they believe and why they believe it, then I haven't done my job.

One of the things I say to students all the time is that a faith you are afraid to question is a weak faith. If you can't ask hard questions and have honest discussion, then you aren't prepared for life beyond High School (or even life in High School). I want these students to be well-prepared to light their campuses for Christ and offer them solid food instead of milk. We don't offer typical "Sunday School answers" in this class.

Now, between coaching JBQ and BQ, it would be easy for me to say that I have too much on my plate to take on teaching a weekly class. Truthfully, it's a little daunting, but I am challenging my own faith as well. Preparing the lessons gives me the chance to rediscover truths that I may have shuffled to the back burner. We are covering the quiz material in class, but we are looking at it from a completely different perspective. Last week, in covering Hebrews 1, we spent a good deal of time talking about how to recognize heresy. Next week, we are going to talk about the difference between what is true and what ought to be true.

I'm not afraid of asking hard questions, opening discussions that I can't fully control, or even saying "I don't know" when asked a question. I am afraid of sending students into the world who aren't fully prepared for what awaits them.

Quizzer Information Sheet

2011-09-12T06:06:00.000-05:00

Every year, after we get our teams settled, I have each ofmy quizzers fill out an information sheet. Now it has all the typical questionsyou'd expect (name, phone number, e-mail address, and parent contactinformation), but it also has some very important and specific questions.

One of the most important parts of the survey is collectingbirthday and grade information. Every registration form you fill out willrequire this information, so it's helpful to have it on hand. I also bringdoughnuts to practice for my quizzers' birthdays, so it's a good thing to knowwhen I need to hit Krispy Kreme.

Now some people think you should ask for hobbies or sports,and those aren't bad questions. For me, I want to ask questions thatspecifically relate to what we do in quizzing, so here are a few examples.

What other extracurricular activities are you involved in?What months are they in-season?

I ask this instead of sports and hobbies, because this is alittle more specific. Most importantly, I need to know when the cross countryseason opens and closes, so I can plan my practice schedule around such things.Also, I like to go and watch them compete when I can, so having a schedule ofcompetitions helps me plan to do that.

What is your favorite fast-food restaurant? Sit-down?

Inevitably, our quiz team eats dinner together often,especially on trips. By knowing what places each quizzer prefers to eat, I cantry to find something they like. Of course, the alternative is just going whereI like to eat, but I try to remember that quizzing is about the quizzers.

What are your preferred pizza toppings?

A staple of the Bible Quiz season is the pizzaparty/practice combo. It makes ordering food a lot easier if you don't have togo twelve rounds over which pizza to get. I don't understand why people likeputting pineapple on their pizza, but they swear that they like it. As long asI don't have to eat it, that's totally fine.

What kind of soda or other drink do you like best?

In my refrigerator, anyone who knows me knows that all Ihave to drink is Diet Coke and bottled water. It's been that way for years.However, I do tend to schedule practices at my house (some people have aman-cave, I have a quiz room...seriously). Therefore, it's helpful for me toknow what quizzers like to drink, so I can have some of that on hand when we'redoing our marathon tournament prep sessions.

There are a lot of other things you can ask on a survey, butthese are the main things I like to know from my quizzers. What pieces ofinformation would you add to the list?

Just Another Day

2011-09-11T10:49:00.000-05:00

(This is one of those rare posts that has nothing to do with quizzing, but if you'll bear with me, I think you'll see the relevance.)

September 11, 2001 was just another day for me. I got up, went to teach at the school in the morning, and went home. I chatted with friends for a few minutes, ate dinner, and worked on my next day's lesson plan. Then I went to bed. Save an unusual e-mail from my mother and five minutes of TV at my friends' house, there was nothing remarkable about that day.

I was serving a short-term missions assignment in Kenya, teaching at East Africa School of Theology. Because of the time difference, everything that happened in the US in the morning was happening in the afternoon where we were. I got home after teaching my afternoon Pentateuch class, dialed into AOL to check my e-mail (those were the days), and read a strange message about airplanes and the World Trade Center from my mom.

The house I lived in didn't have a TV or radio, and my unreliable dial-up service didn't afford me ready access to the news of the world. I casually walked across the street to visit my missionary friends who had a TV. I asked them if they knew about something going on in New York. We watched Kenya's network coverage for about five minutes, and then I went back home, ate dinner, and started reviewing my lesson plans for the next day's Corinthians class.

For missionaries on foreign soil, life is quite different than in the US. Obviously, in the past ten years, the advent of Facebook, Twitter, and Skype have made the world smaller. Still, living overseas separates a person from the daily happenings in the US.

Missionaries are often risking their lives for the gospel. Even in the "safe" places, there are language and cultural barriers to overcome, separation from friends and family, and the work of the ministry they are called to fulfill. Often, they are out of touch or out of step with the news of the world.

My memories of September 11, 2001 don't revolve around the horror of watching the towers fall, the sadness of seeing lives lost, or the gratitude for the heroic efforts of firemen and police officers. I certainly respect all of those things. For me, this day offers an opportunity to remember the heroes that are serving God around the world, daily risking their lives for the gospel.

JBQ: C/Rookie/Pee Wee Quizzing

2011-09-08T10:26:00.003-05:00

JBQ is fundamentally different from Bible Quiz in many key ways. One of the most important differences is that in JBQ, the material is essentially static. From year to year, you don't cover different books; rather, the first grade student studies the same stuff as the fifth grade student. This means that a student who begins quizzing in fourth grade is at a tremendous disadvantage compared to one that started in first grade. To allow for different levels of development, we have created additional leagues to specialize in rookie quizzers.

In Springfield, we had about 60 teams compete in our league last year. Organizationally, teams were divided into four leagues: A, B, C, and Rookie. A-league is open to anyone, but typically the high-level, older, experienced quizzers are found here. B-league is for experienced quizzers in fourth grade and below. C-league is for students in fourth grade and up who have never quizzed before. Rookie is for third graders and younger who have never quizzed.

In each league, the Fact-Pak is cut down and introduced on a graduated system. There are pros and cons to this setup. Here is how it works:

A-league & B-league:

Match #1: 1-150; 288-385; 481-520

Match #2:1-200; 289-425; 481-540

Match #3: 1-250; 289-460; 481-560

Match #4: 1-288; 289-480; 481-576

C-league:

Match #1: 1-150

Match #2: 1-200

Match #3: 1-250; 289-375

Match #4: 1-288; 289-425

Rookie:

Match #1: 1-150

Match #2: 1-200

Match #3: 1-250

Match #4: 1-288

When I coach in A or B, I totally ignore these divisions in preparing my team. The reason is because I am ultimately focused on winning at the end of the season, and my goal is to prepare my team for District Finals, which covers the entire Fact-Pak. Also, since these quizzers are already familiar with the material, we are usually focused on achieving our Master Seal, which requires total knowledge of the Fact-Pak.

For C and Rookie, we are still looking at the seals, but typically these quizzers aren't going to move past their Discover and Searcher in the first year. Success for these quizzers is based on mastering the 10s and 20s in sections. Plus, these quizzers are usually totally unfamiliar with JBQ, so they have to learn about the rules of the game and the fundamentals of quizzing.

At the higher levels, the graduated system is designed to provide some parity or balance to the competition. The idea is to allow for teams with less experience to have a slightly more level playing field against tough teams. In truth, this rarely works out. The top teams don't typically care whether they're quizzing over 150 or 288 10s; they're going to win because they've worked harder and are more aggressive.

The graduated system is a good thing for first-year quizzers. It allows an already level playing field to be more aggressive. Brand new quizzers aren't usually going to master 300 questions in two months. It takes a little time to figure it out. That said, teams with experienced leaders probably have an advantage over the new ones. This is an unavoidable reality that is true across every level of quizzing. Good coaching can make a huge difference.

This year, I am coaching a C-league JBQ team for James River. It's a challenge that I am looking forward to with great enthusiasm. It's been a long time since I've worked with quizzers that have never even seen a game before, and their excitement is contagious. Once again, I have a great assistant coach that I look forward to mentoring, and I expect that this will be a fun season.

The Master Schedule

2011-09-02T13:42:00.003-05:00

“If you aim at nothing, you’ll hit it every time.”

--Unknown

I love goals, checklists, and plans. I have a bit of a type-A personality when it comes to such things, and I like to be over-prepared. The idea of a Master Schedule in Bible Quiz may seem like folly to some people, but I love it. I love to know what I’m planning to do with the season and I think it’s important to have a roadmap for our quiz progress.

Basically, a Master Schedule details what you are planning to cover in practice and study schedules on a week-by-week basis for the entire season. Mine starts in August, and since we are hoping we’ll be able to qualify for National Finals, it concludes in July.

There are a lot of different ways to create a Master Schedule. Here are the essential components:

Dates: I usually create mine to go week-by-week, so the first column might have “September 4-10” in it. Since we typically practice once per week, this gives me the context for what I want to cover.
Events: Here I list every tournament, league match, and scrimmage we are planning to attend, along with the material that will be covered. This is important, because our work has to be ahead of the required material for an event. If the league match is focusing on chapters 8-11, I need to be sure the quizzers have mastered all of that material before the competition.
Memorize: I lay out the verses I want my quizzers to be memorizing that week. Often my quizzers are well ahead of these goals, so this is usually a good warning sign. If I have a quizzer that is not further along than the Master Schedule, I know I need to carefully monitor their progress so they don’t get behind.
Other work: During the league season, this might include Application Questions. You can also assign quizzers to write questions in order to get “into the mind” of the writer (often a scary place to go). Later, this will be where concordance work is assigned, as well as any additional projects you want to work on.
Practice Focus: As we begin the year, we tend to focus on one or two chapters per week, making sure that we have mastered them. There are also specific skills that I want to work on throughout the year with my quizzers. Early on, we review the basic interruption skills. Later in the year, we look at types of concordance questions, and learn how to hit those. We also analyze the writing style for upcoming competitions. Anything you want to focus on in practice can go here.

The best way to create a Master Schedule is to start with the basics, and then modify it to fit your needs. There’s really not one right way to do it. A couple extra tips:

Don’t become so beholden to the Master Schedule that you’re afraid to adjust it. While you want to stick to your plan, sometimes you need to change the plan a bit to make it work. You have to balance between rigidity and flexibility.
Be sure to schedule lighter work during some weeks, and build in time to review before a major event. You want your quizzers at their best when they compete, and you don’t want to burn them out.

One Month Bible Challenge

2011-09-01T09:27:00.005-05:00

James River Assembly's Realife youth ministry is participating in the One Month Challenge in September. The idea is simple: carry your Bible (not your iPhone or Scripture Portion, but your actual Bible) with you everywhere you go for an entire month. You can then post pictures of yourself with your Bible to encourage others.

I think it's a neat idea, and something that's especially relevant for Bible Quizzers. So here goes. For the next month, I encourage you take your Bible everywhere with you. For more information, click here and watch the video below.

I dare you to take your Bible with you for the next month. Post your Bible pics here.

Rejected Team Names

2011-08-26T21:08:00.002-05:00

So, every year I like to develop a list of rejected team names from the material being studied. It's all intended in good fun. If you're easily offended be forewarned; I don't think there are any bad ones, but you might. Mostly, I just think they're funny.

Also, there's a decent chance my actual team name will come from this list.

Sustaining all things

Superior to the angels

Majesty in heaven

Angels winds

Scepter of your kingdom

Above your companions

Violation and disobedience

Held in slavery

Tested and tried

I was angry

Always going astray

Heard and rebelled

Of no value

Example of disobedience

Uncovered and laid bare

Ignorant and going astray

Subject to weakness

Loud cries and tears

Hard to explain

Slow to learn

Still an infant

Acts that lead to death

Public disgrace

In danger of being cursed

Become lazy

Defeat of the kings

A tenth of the plunder

Lesser person

Weak and useless

Men who are weak

Copy and shadow

Obsolete and aging

Committed in ignorance

Ashes of a heifer

Face judgment

Repeated endlessly

Waits for his enemies

Sins and lawless acts

Fearful expectation

Raging fire

Died without mercy

An unholy thing

Mine to avenge

Dreadful thing

Great contest

Publicly exposed

Insult and persecution

Impossible to please

As good as dead

Aliens and strangers

Destroyer of the firstborn

Shut the mouths

Jeers and flogging

Sawed in two

Sheepskins and goatskins

Destitute, persecuted and mistreated

Feeble arms and weak knees

Darkness, gloom and storm

Entertain strangers

Strange teachings

Envy and slander

Among the pagans

Supreme authority

Foolish men

Unjust suffering

Sheep going astray

The weaker partner

Speak maliciously

Living in debauchery

Flood of dissipation

Heap abuse

Kind of criminal

Greedy for money

Nearsighted and blind

Cleverly invented stories

Destructive heresies

Swift destruction

Shameful ways

Gloomy dungeons

Lawless men

Bold and arrogant

Brute beasts

Creatures of instinct

Blots and blemishes

Accursed brood

Beast without speech

Blackest darkness

Returns to its vomit

Wallowing in the mud

Deluged and destroyed

Reserved for fire

Judgment and destruction

Ignorant and unstable

Everlasting chains

Slander celestial beings

Speak abusively

Unreasoning animals

Grumblers and faultfinders

Stained by corrupted flesh

Crazy Times

2011-08-24T03:49:00.002-05:00

I've had that song in my head lately, but I doubt anyone knows what I'm talking about. Anyway...

Things have been busy over the past couple weeks. Preparing for the new season, recruiting quizzers, and getting both Bible Quiz and JBQ kicked off has kept me hopping. I also, believe it or not, have actual work to do so I can do crazy things like pay my mortgage and buy groceries. So, here are a few quick items for this week. Next week, I'll be back with a post about Master Schedules.

NYM posted the videos from National Finals. Check them out.
The Bible Quiz website added some tournament information.
NYM has made training videos available on the right hand side of this page. Topics include running practice, contesting, teaching quizzers to study, and tips for the rules.
If your buzzer boxes need replacement or repair, go to the best available source. I had to order some replacement parts this week myself for a couple of our boxes.
I don't have practice sets available for sale this year, but Joey does. Order his questions. I am available to write for tournaments (or, if you're willing to pay obscene amounts of money, I could write some sets for your team).
Let me get an early plug in for the Missouri Classic this December. Once again, Greg House is writing the A-league sets, and they will likely be the cleanest questions you'll hear all year. You won't be sorry.

Finally, I am thinking about some new ways to communicate. One idea I have is to hold a training seminar via Skype that would be open for anyone. That way, people could submit questions as we go, and I could cover some elements that would be useful. Let me know if this is something that would be interesting to you.

"Quoting" to Yourself

2011-08-16T03:53:00.002-05:00

To begin, a story that illustrates my point:

It was the summer of 1995. My teammate Todd and I are riding in the backseat of a car headed for Nationals in St. Louis, MO. My mother is driving, and my brother Kevin is riding shotgun. To pass the time, we are quoting through John in a round. This was a habit for us, as we would check each other and keep things interesting during the mindless hours of quoting. This time, Kevin was idly following along in a Scripture Portion, though we had told him that we were above such things.

So we get to a particular verse somewhere in chapter 8, and Kevin interrupts our rhythm. He tries to tell us we’ve made a mistake. We explain in a rather exasperated tone that he is mistaken because we don’t make mistakes. He simply hands us the book, at which point we look at our so-called “mistake” and then each grab our own book, certain that there is a misprint in his.

We all know how this story ends. The phantom misprint is nowhere to be found. Todd and I had been quoting incorrectly for months, never discovering our error because we checked our own minds and each other. We couldn’t begin to tell you which of us originally perpetrated the problem, but we both had repeated the violation. Thus goes the story for quizzers who “quote” to themselves.

So the scenario above starts from one of two situations. Either a quizzer is so totally isolated from the world that he/she has no one to listen to them quote (a likely story), or the quizzer is so abundantly confident in his/her own abilities that mere mortal ears are unnecessary when it comes to listening to quoting.

The truth is almost always that quoting aloud to another person takes more time because you have to actually, you know, quote. You can’t just incoherently mutter syllables under your breath while playing Angry Birds. The time that it takes and the frustration that develops when you have to speak each word at a volume and speed that someone can follow are not worth the potential prize. So it becomes easier to claim that you “quoted” to yourself.

There are three big reasons why “quoting” to yourself is a bad idea:

Mistakes will happen. It’s possible that you are the world’s most perfect quizzer, but unless your name rhymes with “Smabby Smogers” you probably are going to misquote something along the line. If no one is annoyingly following your quoting like a beady-eyed hawk, you are likely to repeat a mistake in competition and miss a question that could easily have been ruled correct with the help of the hawk. Take the time to get it right, and you won’t get it wrong.

Bad habits are hard to break. If you perpetually mutter your “quoting” to yourself at the speed of light, you are developing a habit of speaking like a psychotic auctioneer on Ritalin. As entertaining as that can be, it is rarely a key to successful quizzing. Very few answers require you to sound like the micro-machine man (forgive my dated reference). It makes more sense to try a decaffeinated approach to quoting that actually stands a chance of getting you ruled correct.

When you “quote” to yourself, you take away the blessing from someone else. Okay, call me sappy, but one of my favorite things in the world is listening to quizzers quote. Ask around, and I bet you’ll find a lot of coaches and parents that agree. Sure, there are times that it’s not easy, and sometimes finding the time can prove challenging, but listening to the quoted word of God is a blessing. Even though I can quote most of it myself, I still enjoy listening to quizzers spout Scripture from memory. There is power in those words, and I want access to that power in my life.

Quoting is generally the most time-consuming part of studying Bible Quiz, especially early in the season. Don’t cut corners with this process. When you do, you cheat yourself out of your best work and someone else out of a blessing. Take your quoting seriously. The results will be worth the time and effort.

An Open Letter to Question Writers

2011-08-10T21:44:00.005-05:00

Dear Writer,

We find ourselves at the beginning of a new season, and that brings the joy and pleasure of competition. As we look forward to quizzing, you will be providing an essential component of the experience with your questions. As such, you wield tremendous influence over every game, and will be either extolled or condemned based on your work.

In the past few years, tournaments have become noted for problematic questions. This isn't confined to a single writer or tournament. It is a near-systemic issue. Poor grammar, missing answers, and especially validity are problems that have haunted tournaments. Certain writers have, unfortunately, ruined their reputations by continually providing poor questions.

I have an idea. There is a simple solution to the epidemic of invalidity that has plagued tournaments. Writers need to ask for help with editing their questions. But don't just ask anyone. All editors are not created equal.

So who should you ask? You need to find someone who wants to kill your questions just to watch them die. You want an editor who will be unflinchingly brutal in evaluating your writing. You need an editor that will catch errant commas, missed extra answers, and erroneous introductory remarks.

When you write for a tournament, you put your reputation on the line. If you think people don't recognize the difference between good and bad questions, you're dreaming. If you don't have time to write them correctly, then don't write them. The greatest source of problems with questions is that writers often procrastinate and then rush to finish. Rushing leads to errors. Writing is a deliberate process.

Writers, I know how tough it can be, and no one is perfect. Here's my solution: ask for help. Ask me. If I have time and my team isn't competing at the tournament, I'll edit your questions free of charge. If I can't, I will recommend one or two extremely detail-oriented people who can help you.

We all need to work together to make this the best year ever for tournament questions. Quizzers work too hard and teams sacrifice too much to go to a tournament with poor questions. Take pride in your writing, and please ask for help in getting your questions edited. Quizzers will thank you for it.

Sincerely,

Karl

BQ Coach

2011-12 Rules Overview

2011-08-02T07:05:00.002-05:00

The rules have changed.

Actually, the rules are pretty much the same, but they are arranged in a completely different order. Rather than going line-by-line through the rules, as there aren’t many changes of significance, I’m going to give you an overview of where everything is found.

The new Rule Book is currently available for download. Every single coach and official needs to have a printed copy of this Rule Book. Since the Rule Book was made available for download, a lot of people decided not to bother printing it off. Instead, they attempted to use the old Rule Book. This is roughly akin to trying to judge quotes out of the KJV. It’s even more critical now that the arrangement of the Rule Book is so completely different. So please, do yourself, your quizzers, the officials, and the world a big favor and print the Rule Book out.

Also note that many sections of the Rule Book cover fewer pages than the previous edition. This is because the font size is smaller, which is challenging for those of us with poor eyesight, but also makes a 55-page document into a 35-page document. This makes it a little easier on the printer and photocopier, as well as the environment. It’s nice to study the Word and save the world at the same time.

Here’s where everything currently is, where it was, and what it means:

General Information (Now on pages 4-6; was a mixture of pages 35-37 with previously unpublished rules)

This is a great section of information to have codified in the rules, because it really helps eliminate confusion. Issues such as quizzer eligibility, team restrictions, and non-A/G teams are specifically addressed. It also de-mystifies the wild card process, allowing teams to know exactly how those decisions are made. Note that the only scenario under which a church may have three teams advance is if they finish 1-2-3 in their District Finals. Also note that non-A/G churches are excluded from competing at National Finals.

Match Rules (Now on pages 7-11; was on pages 11-16 and 54)

The shift here is bringing the tiebreaker rules from the appendix at the end of the book into the main section of the rules. Note that they removed “National Finals” from the tiebreaker section. I’ll have more on this below.

Question and Answer Requirements (Now on pages 12-19; was on pages 25-34)

The only change that I found here was that some of the headings were made a little more clear. For example, what used to be “Give a Complete Answer (Give Two Complete Answers, etc.) Give a Complete Answer from Two (Three, etc.) Consecutive Verses Give Two (Three, etc.) Complete Answers from Two (Three, etc.) Consecutive Verses” is now “Complete Answers.” A welcome change, to be sure.

Answers (Now on pages 20-22; was on pages 17-19)

No changes here at all.

Corrective Procedures (Now on pages 23-26; was on pages 20-24)

Again, there are no changes here.

Guidelines for Officials (Now on pages 27-30; was on pages 6-10)

Moving this section from the front to the back was a smart move. There are no changes regarding specific rules here.

Rules for National Finals (Now on pages 31-33, was on pages 39-47)

Here they made some significant edits, removing rules for Adult Quizzing, Dramatized Quoting, Preaching Ministry, and East/West/Boys/Girls Quizzing. This doesn’t preclude these events from happening at Nationals, but there really wasn’t a particular need for the Rule Book to cover them, either.

They also put in a nifty little rule regarding tiebreakers and playoffs at Nationals, giving leadership the authority to do as they see fit, as long as it is announced prior to the event. They did not specifically codify the Final Four, allowing themselves the option to change the format as they deem necessary without making new rules for it.

Classy Quizzing

2011-07-18T03:36:00.002-05:00

My coach, Marcae, taught me an important lesson about quizzing. She taught me how to be classy. Now, I’m not going romanticize my quizzing days. There were definitely moments that I wish I could take back. I probably received more fouls for unsportsmanlike conduct than for pre-responding. But through all of that, I learned about demonstrating class. Marcae didn’t just want our team to be competitive. She wanted us to win (or, if necessary, lose) with class.

What does it mean to be a classy team? Well, to borrow from the Supreme Court, you know it when you see it. It starts with being genuine. Faking an over-spiritual nature or pretending to be nice isn’t classy. People can see straight through it. Praying loudly and wearing fancy clothes doesn’t make you classy. Jesus pointed out that Pharisees did these things, and He had little use for them. Jesus preferred people who were real.

A classy team knows how to win. When winning, you don’t need to congratulate yourself. You let others do it for you. Football Coach Vince Lombardi said, “When you get into the end zone, act like you’ve been there before.” I’m not referring to a spontaneous outburst, but planned celebrations and calling attention to yourself only make it more difficult for others to congratulate you. Instead, let others acknowledge your accomplishments. When they do, a simple “thank you” is the perfect response.

A classy team knows how to lose. Slamming buzzers and throwing books have no place in competition. It’s foolish to blame the officials, the questions, or the tournament structure. That makes you look small, mean-spirited, and insincere. It also cheapens the result for the winners and calls undue attention to the losers (and I use that word intentionally—quizzers that don’t win and behave poorly truly deserve to be called losers).

At the banquet at Nationals this year, I was extremely disappointed. It is traditional to honor the National Champions by standing when they receive their award. In looking around the hall, there were far too many people that chose to keep their seats. Owasso, OK did exactly what they needed to do in order to be called champions. There is no excuse for not honoring them for their achievements.

I would like to commend the team from Garfield, NJ. When Owasso was called, the Jersey boys stood and applauded. Rather than having sour grapes or poor attitudes, they demonstrated true class. I never heard them complain about the format or whine about the way things turned out. Owasso won, Garfield lost, and they stood to congratulate the championship team.

Garfield, NJ was a great example of a classy team.

#400: New Season, New Priorities

2011-07-14T13:16:00.003-05:00

The 2011-2012 season is upon us, and it's time to take a look at what we want to accomplish in the next year. It's also post #400 on the blog, which I suppose merits some sort of mention. There are some exciting things happening in the quiz world, and it's important to take note of these.

My top priority with the BQ Coach blog has always been training quiz coaches to do their work better. To that end, I was given an amazing opportunity recently, and I want to make very certain to promote it well.

The Assemblies of God National Youth Ministry teamed with a few coaches to create some training videos for Bible Quiz. This is an important project, and gives BQ people an excellent opportunity to develop coaching skills.

View the videos here, and then send a note to bq@ag.org and tell them what you think. The more feedback they hear from people, the easier it will be for them to know what people in the BQ community need.

Currently, videos are available on running a practice, contesting, studying material, and knowing the rules. Because of the rule book changes, I plan to offer some updates on this blog to help you note any changes from the videos online to the new rules.

Next up on the blog will likely be a detailed rules analysis. I'll go page-by-page through the new rule book and let you know what's been omitted, repeated, added, or changed. I'll try to avoid stumbling my way through.

Also, look for some changes, updates, and additions on the Bible Quiz site. This site is devoted to history and training resources, and we are planning to add content steadily over the next few months.

Finally, as we determine how we are going to approach our season at James River, I'll give you my perspective on coaching, as well as the occasional look at the competitive landscape of BQ overall.

Thursday Quizzing Quick Hits

2011-07-07T23:47:00.003-05:00

The final day of quizzing, as well as the final 4 went basically as predicted. Here are my thoughts (for full results and video, click here):

-Congratulations to Owasso, OK for winning their 3rd title in 4 years. The boys have worked hard and they certainly deserved it. They were the best team at the end, and they did a good job of keeping their emotions in check in beating 2 really tough teams. Jesse went out on top, while the other boys still have a few years remaining. I think they remain a force to be reckoned with, and this was not their last hurrah.

-Garfield, NJ was gracious in defeat, and certainly gave Owasso all they could handle. A few questions going differently might have produced a different outcome, but Garfield improved on last year's 3rd place finish, and didn't graduate anyone. I think they have another run or 2 in them.

-Wesley Chapel, FL had a rough semifinal game against Owasso, but came back strong in the 3rd place game. It's no secret that Abby Rogers is the best quizzer in Bible Quiz today, and she proved it, quizzing out in every game but one all week, including both final 4 games today. This team will remain loaded, and as Erinn Wolf and Reesie Owens continue to grow, they have the chance to do some special things.

-Central-Springfield, MO (confession--my alma mater) gained valuable experience and proved that they belonged in the final 4. They put up a strong fight against Wesley Chapel, and I expect more from them in years to come. I believe they took some giant steps this week.

-Daniel Wagner (Owasso, OK) did a nice job in winning the Individual Tournament. Abby Rogers finished 2nd, with Hudson Kelley (Montgomery, AL) finishing 3rd and Jesse Wagner 4th. Jesse had an amazing comeback in his semifinal game to qualify for the finals.

-In the East/West Quiz, the East took out a few years of frustration on the West and won handily. Abby Rogers (shockingly) was the MVP with a quiz out. The West dug themselves a deep hole and couldn't recover. Speaking as a life-long East fan, I was glad to see them win.

-In a departure from previous years, the last 4 in the quoting bee will quote off during the banquet Friday night. My prediction is Abby Rogers for the win.

Overall, it was an extremely good day for quizzers, and I think much fun was enjoyed. The broadcast seemed to go well, and we attempted to tweet updates and give some analysis. I'd be interested in hearing what worked well and what needs to be scrapped or adapted. Drop a comment or a tweet and let us know.

Final Four Coverage

2011-07-07T09:22:00.001-05:00

Go to the website for full coverage of the final four right now.

Wednesday Quizzing Quick Hits

2011-07-06T20:39:00.006-05:00

Final thoughts on the eve of the final four (full results posted here):

-Congratulations to Garfield, NJ, Owasso, OK, Wesley Chapel, FL, and Central-Springfield, MO. These teams quizzed very well, worked extremely hard, and earned their spots. Tomorrow's action ought to be quite entertaining. Each team has a strong mastery of the material. What sets these 4 apart is their patience and ability to make smart choices at the buzzer. That said, each team has small chinks that can be exploited, especially depending on the questions.

-I think the quizzing tomorrow will largely depend on who is able to perform under the pressure. 3 of the 4 were in it last year, so Central lacks the edge in experience. Having said that, Central might be the most balanced of the 4, though that's a close call. Whichever team can remain calm and focused will probably be the most successful.

-The questions will also be a factor, as they have all week. In past years, there have been 10-12 concordance questions per game. This year, it was more like 5-7. There were a lot more consecutive verse questions and generally less complex answers. Also, the degree of difficulty on the 20s tended to vary widely from question to question. It's not really about who knows the most; it's about who makes the best decisions at the table.

-James River #1-Ozark, MO finished 5th for the 2nd year in a row. While they were obviously disappointed, this is a great achievement that should not be brushed aside. Whitney Garrison and Daniel Clark acquitted themselves well in their senior year, and I was personally quite proud of them.

-Binghamton, NY was a huge surprise finishing 6th, especially since they had to win a playoff to qualify for Championship. Isaac Ward and Aaron Scarinzi were impressive as the only 2-person team in the division. Isaac also is one of the smoothest quoters I saw all week.

-Abby Rogers (Wesley Chapel, FL) finished 1st in scoring...again. Her 131.58 average bested the next 2, who were tied at 100 ppg. This is a major accomplishment for any quizzer, especially one as young as she is. Remember, she's got 4 more years. Tamera Burkhalter (Orlando, FL) finished an impressive 2nd, with Daniel Wagner (Owasso, OK), Jesse Wagner (Owasso, OK), and Catherine Haines (Bristow, VA) rounding out the top 5.

-In Challenger, Overland Park, KS rebounded from their rough Monday to finish 1st, and Ariel Brookbank was the top scorer. Even though they would have preferred to make Championship, they stayed focused on the quizzing and finished strong.

-As for my predictions, I had 3 of the final 4 correct, and 5 of the top 6. Not too bad. If Wesley Chapel wins tomorrow, I'll never hear the end of it, but that's fine with me. They are a great team, and this was my first chance to see them this year. Bowling Green, OH ended 7th, leading a group of 3 10-9 teams to round out the top 9 (Montgomery, AL and Bridgeville, PA). White Cloud, MI was 10th.

-I give a lot of credit to teams that are gracious in victory and defeat, and Garfield demonstrated a lot of class in winning the round robin. Their 18-1 record is strong, and whether they win or lose tomorrow, they'll be a class act. You can't appreciate that kind of attitude enough.

Note: Tomorrow, Joey and I are planning to live blog the action through the chat room on the broadcast, so feel free to stop by. We'll try to give you some insight and commentary on the quizzing, and give you the inside scoop on what's happening.

Round 17ish

2011-07-06T16:04:00.001-05:00

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Round 15

2011-07-06T14:10:00.001-05:00

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Round 13ish

2011-07-06T11:59:00.001-05:00

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Tuesday Quizzing Quick Hits

2011-07-05T21:18:00.002-05:00

A few quick thoughts on the first day of regular rounds (for current results, click here):

-The top 4 through 10 games are Garfield (10-0), Owasso (9-1), Wesley Chapel (9-1), and JRA-John (7-3). Not too surprising. Central (6-4) is tied with 2 other teams for 5th. There are 5 teams after that at 5-5 and 2 more and 4-6, so there are still a lot of teams in the mix. Tomorrow will come down to patience, discipline, execution, and probably a little luck.

-I saw both Owasso and Wesley Chapel today, and both looked strong. The quirks of the schedule won't allow me to see JRA-John or Garfield. At this point, I'd say the odds are good that those 4 are the last ones standing, but I wouldn't put too much money on it. There's a lot of quizzing left.

-Abby Rogers is lapping the field in scoring at the moment, with a 30 ppg edge so far. I have a hard time seeing anyone else beating her unless she eats her buzzer. She has done the work and deserves every bit of what she's earned. I have no hesitation in calling her the best quizzer here. She also might be the nicest.

-Bowling Green seems to have started slowly today. At 5-5, I wouldn't count them out, though. They also could wind up playing spoiler. Also, watch out for Bristow and Houston. They're lying in the tall grass at 5-5, and could cause some trouble.

-In Challenger, Overland Park has bounced back from their rough Monday with a vengeance. They're on fire at 10-0 and not slowing down. I think their probably the best team in Challenger.

Overall, the format lends itself to some drama (like it or not). I think that experience counts for an awful lot, so 3 of last year's final 4 will likely return. The 4th spot looks good for James River, but nobody should make reservations for Thursday's quizzing yet. There are still a lot of games left to play.

Round 8ish

2011-07-05T17:09:00.001-05:00

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Round 7ish

2011-07-05T16:05:00.001-05:00

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Round 6ish

2011-07-05T15:11:00.001-05:00

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Round 5

2011-07-05T13:33:00.001-05:00

Individually Abby leads with 133 avg. Jesse and Catherine and Daniel with 106, 101 and 96.

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Round 3ish

2011-07-05T11:57:00.001-05:00

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Round 2 Challenger

2011-07-05T11:25:00.001-05:00

Click to see a higher-res photo

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Round 2 Champ

2011-07-05T11:24:00.001-05:00

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Round 1 Challenger

2011-07-05T10:26:00.001-05:00

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Round 1 Champ

2011-07-05T10:25:00.001-05:00

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Championship & Challenger

2011-07-04T21:55:00.004-05:00

Well, bloody Monday is over and the carnage has been completed. Here are a few thoughts on the quizzing, as well as the final list from each division. One note: Monday results don't necessarily have any correlation to Championship Quizzing. A lot of teams tend to peak early or get a good draw. That doesn't usually last.

There were a few teams that did very well, with Wesley Chapel and Owasso leading the way. At this point, they are the class of the field. Garfield, JRA #1, and Central #1 are grouped right behind them. Bowling Green, Houston, and a handful of others are in the mix based on today's results.

Individual points mean less than nothing on Monday, but Abby Rogers averaged 127 ppg to lap the field. Next closest was Micah Samuelson with 100 ppg. That Abby girl might be a pretty good quizzer.

Expect discipline and patience to rule the day for top teams. The ones that have greatest chance to do well will learn to stay out of their own way and simply quiz their game. My best advice remains: Don't hit what you don't know.

My predictions took a step back this season. I was 70% accurate on my Champ picks. Not my usual best, considering the number of teams that were an unknown factor.

Championship Teams (in no particular order)

Bowling Green, OH

Orlando, FL

Colorado Springs, CO

Oklahoma City, OK

Binghamton, NY

Cedar Rapids, IA

White Cloud, MI

Bristow, VA

James River #1, Ozark, MO

Wesley Chapel, FL

Bridgeville, PA

Owasso, OK

Central #1, Springfield, MO

Mt. Vernon, OH

Swedesboro, NJ

Garfield, NJ

Houston, TX

Montgomery, AL

James River #2, Ozark, MO

Racine, WI

Challenger Teams

Springfield, VA

Central #2, Springfield, MO

Fort Collins, CO

Bothell, WA

Toccoa, GA

East Lansing, MI

Irvine, CA

Kuna, ID

Cumming, GA

Muskogee, OK

Elkhart, IN

Gering, NE

Bellevue, WA

Phoenix, AZ

Overland Park, KS

Richmond Hill, NY

Santa Ana, CA

Lexington, KY

West Plains, MO

Monday Round 9 Stats

2011-07-04T17:18:00.005-05:00

Monday Groupings and Analysis

2011-07-02T23:07:00.004-05:00

Below are the groups for Monday's preliminary quizzing, along with my brief analysis of the bracket. Teams with "*" beside their names are teams that I project to qualify for Championship. In past years, I've been 85-90% accurate, so take it with as much salt as you deem necessary.

A few general notes on the groupings. I don't see a bracket of death, like there has been in years past. I'd say that B might be the softest, but it's not that soft. In every bracket, I can see the potential for ties, so there may be some playoffs come Monday evening. Better carb up at lunch.

Group A

Owasso, OK*

Bellevue, WA*

Phoenix, AZ

Central-Springfield, MO #1*

Bridgeville, PA*

Gering, NE

Mt. Vernon, OH

Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Elkhart, IN*

Swedesboro, NJ

I don't see a lot of surprises here. Owasso will win the bracket. I could see three teams tying for the final spot here, so it really will come down to execution.

Group B

Garfield, NJ*

Racine, WI*

Overland Park, KS*

Montgomery, AL

Lexington, KY

Ozark, MO #2*

Santa Ana, CA

West Plains, MO

Houston, TX*

Richmond Hill, NY

A soft bracket, but there are some teeth in some teams. Overland Park wins some good games, and I could see Montgomery or West Plains make a run.

Group C

Wesley Chapel, FL*

Ozark, MO #1*

White Cloud, MI*

Cedar Rapids, IA*

Cumming, GA

Kuna, ID

Muskogee, OK*

Bristow, VA

Irvine, CA

East Lansing, MI

The top four in the group are pretty easy to pick. For the fifth, I think it will come down to a couple well-timed hits, and seeing who doesn't blow the big question. My advice. Don't hit what you don't know.

Group D

Bowling Green, OH*

Fort Collins, CO

Springfield, VA*

Bothell, WA*

Colorado Springs, CO

Oklahoma City, OK

Binghamton, NY*

Orlando, FL*

Central-Springfield, MO #2

Toccoa, GA

Bowling Green and Bothell are likely the class of this group. This is another division where I see room for playoffs.

Nationals Programming

2011-06-30T22:08:00.004-05:00

On Saturday I'll be headed to Dallas for National Finals. The internet connectivity is always a bit of drama, but I'll be able to do some stuff from my iPhone. I'll do quite a bit of tweeting and a little blogging. After Nationals, I'll be on vacation, but that won't necessarily preclude some blogging if the mood strikes me.

Here are some things to look forward to:

NYM will be broadcasting some events from their website. Check it out as you have opportunity. There's a schedule showing what events will be available to watch.
NYM also has a mobile site set up, so you can keep up with things on the go. My guess is that this is how most of us will be monitoring results on the ground.
You can follow me on Twitter. I think we'll be trending the nationals posts with #bqnats.
Check the blog for updates. I'll mostly tweet when I add something. I'll probably try to recap some of the action as I have the chance.

After Nationals, I'll be working on my analysis of the new rule book. I'll also give some thoughts on the upcoming season.

Nationals Predictions

2011-06-29T18:52:00.003-05:00

I'm not coaching this year, so I have no qualms with throwing out a few predictions. The usual disclaimers about this all being in fun and not meaning anything obviously apply.

I think there are about seven or eight strong contenders for the final four. In no particular order, I'd say the following are probably the top teams in the running, with my brief analysis of each:

Bowling Green, OH

(They win more than you might think--these guys would be my dark horse pick)

Garfield, NJ

(Experienced and talented, they just have to maintain consistency)

Wesley Chapel, FL

(Last year's champs won't sneak up on anyone)

Ozark, MO (John)

(Daniel Clark was killing everything at pre-nats)

Springfield, MO (Richard)

(Young, but they already have experience and talent)

Owasso, OK

(If they control their emotions, they ought to be the favorite)

Bothel, WA

(Never, ever count these guys out)

There is no disrespect intended to any other teams, but these are the best seven, in my opinion. Which ones do I think will be the last four standing? I don't want to tick anyone off, and I easily could be very wrong, but I think I'd go with these four:

Owasso, OK

Ozark, MO

Garfield, NJ

Springfield, MO

Of these, Central might be the biggest reach because of their youth, but I was really impressed with their quizzing, especially at Regionals and pre-nats. James River isn't a homer pick, despite what some of you may think. If Daniel quizzes like he has been, this isn't too much of a question. Garfield has a deep and experienced team, and I think they are on an upward trajectory. I don't see the pressure being too great for them.

My expectation is that Owasso will win it all. They are motivated and experienced. As long as they don't let their emotions rule their quizzing, they are probably the best team in Dallas.

I think the scoring title is Abby Rogers' to lose, but Daniel Clark and Jeremy Albrecht could both mount serious challenges. I like Daniel Wagner in the Individual Tournament. As for the East/West Quiz, I am obligated to make the homer pick and go East.

If you're looking for a couple off-the-radar teams to watch, I'd look at Christian Temple from Houston, TX and Elkhart, IN. The Houston team showed some game at the River Classic. The Elkhart team is an up-and-comer to watch. I'm not saying either of these teams will win the title, but I think both of them are capable of winning some big games.

So those are my predictive thoughts on this year's Nationals. Feel free to flame me at your pleasure. I look forward to seeing everyone in Dallas and seeing myself proven to be a blubbering fool as a team comes from out of nowhere to dominate the whole thing.

The Summer Program

2011-06-22T20:08:00.002-05:00

For the majority of teams, the season of John is over and you are anticipating the start of Hebrews and Peter. Since I am not coaching at Nationals, I am in that position as well. At James River, we hold a summer program for our non-Nationals quizzers. This year, I am overseeing that program.

During the time between June and August, we hold three practice sessions. We try to space them out, so it doesn't feel like we've extended the season to run year-round. The goal is to give returning quizzers a jump on the new material and have a little fun through the summer. It also allows coaches to evaluate quizzer progress and refine certain skills.

In my opinion, it is extremely important that these practices are light, and that the schedule assignments are not too taxing. Some coaches think that quizzers should try to memorize as much as they can before school starts in order to make things easier in-season. This is a fallacy. Whether quizzers memorize early or on-schedule, they still have to do the daily work of quoting throughout the season. If a student thinks that they are saving themselves from work to be done later, they are wrong. Quiz requires discipline during the season. If you don't quote it, you'll forget it. Trying to memorize it all up front generally just causes a quizzer to burn out from having quoted the same 400 verses over and over for 13 months.

So we make assignments, but they are light and negotiable. If a family is going on vacation, it's not wise to assume that the quizzer will be quoting. Rather, assume they won't do anything. If they do manage to get some quoting or memorizing done, you can be pleasantly surprised. Typically, for a non-vacation/non-camp/normal summer day, the assignment shouldn't take more than 20-30 minutes. That should be a maximum. You want quizzers to enjoy studying (or at least not hate it) and you hope that they'll want to come to practice. Keeping the summer work manageable will help with that.

We also usually only allow returning quizzers to attend our summer program. It's not that we don't want to recruit new students, but these practices are for quizzers who are pretty much committed to quizzing. This isn't our trial period.

An exception to that rule is made for those JBQers who are being promoted, especially those who have been to Nationals. These quizzers are generally committed to quizzing and already have a basic familiarity with the structure. When we divide into groups, we set aside a coach specifically to work with these quizzers. (Sometimes we also make an exception for younger siblings of current quizzers, as long as we feel certain of their commitment. We don't want to spend our summer teaching students who aren't actually going to quiz).

We'll have three practices, with at least one free week in between. When I run the program, I strongly emphasize quoting. Every quizzer is required to quote something during the course of practice, even if it's only a few verses. It's good to have a lot of coaches and parents on hand to listen to the quoting.

Every quizzer will receive a schedule to work on between practices. As mentioned above, we try to make note of camps, vacations, and other events that would limit a quizzer's ability to complete work. We want quizzers to come out of the summer program motivated and excited for the new season, and not feeling like they failed by not getting the summer work finished.

We also try to make the practices fun. We'll often have candy or play games. I try to get the quizzers at the buzzers and quizzing within 10 minutes of the start time. For those that show up with absolutely nothing memorized, this means we jump straight into learning a verse or two, quoting that verse, and then doing some quizzing over what they just learned. Some students will show up with one or more chapters ready to check off. We divide students into groups by knowledge and skill level, and then move them around as needed to achieve a proper balance. We don't go more than about two hours at these practices.

A summer program is a great way to start quizzing off on the right foot. Middle School students are often bored during the summer, and parents want for them to find something to do. I would encourage each church to get your quizzers together over the summer for some informal work and fun.

Coaching JBQ Nationals

2011-06-14T17:04:00.002-05:00

We just returned from a great weekend in Minneapolis, MN at the JBQ National Festival. My team finished 29th overall out of 80 teams, which was about exactly where we belonged. Below are a jumbling of thoughts that occurred to me over the weekend and since I returned.

-My team started the year with low expectations. None of my guys had ever done A-League quizzing in Springfield, and none of them had their Master Seal. In addition, we did a radical restructuring of our teams between Leagues and Districts. I kept two of my quizzers from my 2nd place League team, and had to start over with three new ones. We took 4th at Districts, jumped up to 2nd at Regionals, and wound up being 29th at Nationals. By the end of the season, four of my quizzers earned their Master Seal.

-I heard some grumbling about the competition structure, which made me feel like I was at BQ Nationals. My feelings on this are pretty much the same. I may not be a fan of the structure, but it wasn't like it was a surprise. We all knew what we had to do to achieve our goals. It just comes down to execution. So I preferred to keep my thoughts about it to myself during the quizzing and just focus on what we were there to do.

-JBQ Nationals is not a zero-sum game (neither is BQ Nationals, come to think of it). It's not "win it all" or you're a loser. If you look at the top teams, all of them were competitive with each other, and that extends far down the line. Success at this level of JBQ comes down to being focused, and often the experienced teams are likely to do better.

-One of my quizzers did have one of the most amazing performances I've ever seen. My 10-point specialist, Victoriah, averaged hitting 3.4 questions per game, and was 89.8% accurate. This is a nearly unbelievable number (I triple-checked it) for any level, but especially at Nationals.

-80 teams is a lot to quiz in one place. The coordinators did a good job of keeping things moving, and with a couple exceptions, things ran pretty smoothly. They did the awards quickly, which was nice after quizzing 23 games in 2 days. Also, we only played one team twice, and only quizzed one game against a team we had played before Nationals.

-I liked the way they did individual awards. Instead of an unending litany of division-based trophies that lasted for hours and over-emphasized personal scoring, they just did a straight top-15 scorers overall. It wasn't broken by division, so any quizzer from any level could be up there if they scored enough points. I'm going to recommend that we start trying to do that in our league.

-The Mall of America is a great way for kids to spend a few hours. Our kids all did Nickelodeon Universe (the indoor theme park in the mall). They also shopped and generally had a blast. We spent about 5 hours there, which was enough to make sure they got to do what they wanted and didn't get bored. A tip on activities like that: Always leave them wanting a little more. Don't stay until they've burned out on it.

-I don't understand the concept of the American Girl dolls (though watching me walk around the store with our girls would probably have been very entertaining to some).

-One of the big differences between BQ and JBQ is the amount of parental involvement. We had several entire families on the trip with us. At first, I wasn't sure about all that extra "help," but I am so thankful they were all there. I had a group of extremely helpful and supportive parents who were more than willing to let me handle the coaching while they focused on the other stuff. It made the trip special for the kids, and it made my life a lot easier.

-Next year's JBQ Nationals is in Orlando, FL. I might just have to do the JBQ thing one more year.

JBQ National Festival

2011-06-09T21:49:00.003-05:00

You can follow the results from the JBQ National Festival online here. Thanks to Larry and Cindy Mullins for their work. I'll also try to tweet as I have the opportunity. I am coaching one of the James River Assembly teams.

Scripture Memorization Survey

2011-06-04T17:34:00.002-05:00

Darryl Wootton is a former quizzer and current pastor from Bartlesville, OK. He is currently working on a doctoral studies project that carries significant interest for those of us in the Bible Quiz community. He is studying the long-term impact of memorizing Scripture and needs some help with a survey.

Here is Darryl's explanation:

I am currently conducting a doctoral project that involves measuring the effects of Scripture memorization on spiritual formation. I am contacting you because I know of your love for learning the Word of God. Would you invest 5 minutes of your time today in completing a short survey? Your input is very valuable, especially any testimony or advice you could provide on question #25.

I am targeting those who have memorized large portions of Scripture at least 10 years ago or more. I really do appreciate this and would be glad to share the results with anyone who participates.

Darryl is a friend of Bible Quiz (and of mine) and I would love to see the BQ community step up and help him with his project. Please follow this link and fill out the survey as soon as possible. It takes about 5 minutes to complete.

Updated Final 40 List

2011-05-23T18:48:00.002-05:00

I'm about 95% certain this is the final:

JRA Bread of Life, Ozark, MO
Central Without Limit, Springfield, MO
JRA Nothing False, Ozark, MO
Faith, West Plains, MO
Central Determined to Kill, Springfield, MO
Owasso, OK
Overland Park, KS
Highpointe, Oklahoma City, OK
Muskogee, OK
Christian Temple, Houston, TX
Racine, WI
Cedar Rapids, IA
Gering, NE
Sioux Falls, SD
Timberline, Ft. Collins, CO
Phoenix, AZ
Living Hope, Colorado Springs, CO
Santa Ana, CA
Orange County Christian Evangelical Church
Garfield, NJ
Springfield, VA
Bridgeville, PA
Binghamton, NY
Manassas, VA
Swedesboro, NJ
Wesley Chapel, FL
Montgomery, AL
Cumming, GA
Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Orlando, FL
Toccoa, GA
Bellvue, WA
Bothell, WA
Kuna, ID
Bowling Green, OH
White Cloud, MI
Lexington, KY
Mt. Vernon, OH
Elkhart, IN
East Lansing, MI

Under Pressure

2011-05-22T16:46:00.003-05:00

One difficulty about practice is recreating game-like situations. You can ask questions and do scrimmages, but it's a challenge to bring the same pressure that quizzers experience in competition.

It is important to try and develop an atmosphere of intensity in practice. If quizzers aren't used to the stress that comes from competition, they will be unprepared for the quizzing. Then quizzers will have to acclimate themselves to the pressure, and they likely will not quiz to their highest potential.

So, to prepare my quizzers for the rigors of competition, I intentionally try to "stress them out" in practice. To accomplish this, I often move through question sets very quickly. We do drills at a rapid pace, we push for perfection, and we work very hard. We don't take a lot of breaks, and when we do break, it is always very short. When I coach on interruptions, completions, and answers, I keep my comments direct and to the point.

Now, I realize this may seem cruel, and it certainly requires a balance, but I have found it to be a very effective method of preparation. Let me caution you to be very careful in how you approach this. You don't want your quizzers to hate quiz or dread coming to practice. It's best to only use this method when preparing for a particular event.

Bible Quiz is an exercise of the mind, and no matter how relaxed you try to be, quizzers will feel a measure of pressure at competitions. Hopefully, by creating some intensity in practice, you can prepare your quizzers to give their best in the toughest games.

School Comes First

2011-05-19T05:48:00.003-05:00

We have a rule at James River that school comes before Bible Quiz. It's an important rule that may seem counter-intuitive at first. Often, people think that there is a tension between schoolwork and quizzing. They think that if you emphasize one, the other will suffer. The opposite is actually true.

In most cases, the students who are successful in school are also successful in quiz. Quizzing doesn't pull focus off of school, and school doesn't divert attention from quiz. Instead, students tend to order their lives. Thus, a quizzer who has their priorities in order will be balanced in life.

A balanced life excels in school and in Bible Quiz. Conversely, a quizzer who doesn't do their schoolwork in a regular manner probably also doesn't have good work habits in quiz. A good worker is a good worker, and a lazy quizzer is a lazy student.

I always tell quizzers, "You make time for what's important." It hardly ever comes down to making a choice between having time for school or having time for quiz. It's not difficult to do both successfully. In fact, it's more difficult to do one well at the expense of the other. If a quizzer is organized, efficient, and disciplined, that quizzer can find plenty of time to meet all of their commitments.

Parents, youth pastors, and school teachers will find it refreshing that a Bible Quiz coach is emphasizing schoolwork. Quizzers will feel relieved to know exactly what their priorities should be. Students will be better at school, and in turn they will become better quizzers. A well-ordered life produces good results in all areas.

The Final 40-ish

2011-05-16T01:17:00.003-05:00

Regional Finals are all finished, so you can get on to grousing about unique word questions and debating the merits of 2-verse and 3-verse conversations. Also, those who qualified might want to take a quick peek to see who else has qualified. I've helpfully listed all the teams here for your perusal.

A couple notes: I listed all of the sixth place teams (except from the Gulf, where only five teams competed). Depending on whether or not any teams decline their bids, it's possible spots could open up for wild card selections. I suppose we'll find out for sure in the coming weeks.

Both James River and Central are sending two teams this year. For JRA, this is a regular event. For Central, this is only the second time the church has done it (1996).

Here's the list of teams. Good luck to everyone.

Gulf:

JRA Bread of Life, Ozark, MO
Central Without Limit, Springfield, MO
JRA Nothing False, Ozark, MO
Faith, West Plains, MO
Central Determined to Kill, Springfield, MO

South Central:

Owasso, OK
Overland Park, KS
Highpointe, Oklahoma City, OK
Muskogee, OK
Christian Temple, Houston, TX
Harvest, Ft. Worth, TX (possible wild card)

North Central:

Racine, WI
Cedar Rapids, IA
Gering, NE
Sioux Falls, SD
Newton, IA
Hastings, NE (possible wild card)

Southwest:

Timberline, Ft. Collins, CO
Phoenix, AZ
Living Hope, Colorado Springs, CO
Santa Ana, CA
Orange County Christian Evangelical Church
Scottsdale, AZ (possible wild card)

Northeast:

Garfield, NJ
Springfield, VA
Bridgeville, PA
Binghamton, NY
Manassas, VA
Swedesboro, NJ (possible wild card)

Southeast Region:

Wesley Chapel, FL
Montgomery, AL
Cumming, GA
Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Orlando, FL
Toccoa, GA (possible wild card)

Northwest:

Bellvue, WA
Belgrade, MT
Bothell, WA
Kuna, ID
Meridian, ID
Renton, WA (possible wild card)

Great Lakes:

Bowling Green, OH
White Cloud, MI
Lexington, KY
Mt. Vernon, OH
Elkhart, IN
East Lansing, MI (possible wild card)

Jude Chapter Analysis

2011-05-14T16:53:00.004-05:00

The new Scripture Portion includes the text of the Book of Jude, but does not contain the chapter analysis for Jude, nor does it bold the individuals or italicize the locations. Jude is only being quizzed over at National Finals, so this will only apply to the 40 teams that qualify next year.

Now, we don't yet know exactly the rules that will govern questions for Jude at Nationals. I can't imagine that these items would be excluded from questions, so I would assume there will have to be some rules adjustments to bridge the gap between what we have in the Scripture Portion and what the current rules dictate. In any case, below is the chapter analysis for Jude, as it should appear. There are a couple explanations, as needed.

Jude

Verses: 25

Sections: 4

1-2 Untitled

3-16 The Sin and Doom of Godless Men (possibly the greatest section title in history)

17-23 A Call to Persevere

24-25 Doxology

Individuals: 8*

1 Jude

1 James

9 Moses

11 Cain

11 Balaam

11 Korah

14 Enoch

14 Adam

*In verse 9, Michael is not an individual because he is an angel, and as such he wouldn't be counted in that list. A similar point would be made when Gabriel or Satan is named.

Geographical Locations: 3

5 Egypt

7 Sodom

7 Gomorrah

Parenthetical Statements: 0

Exclamations: 1

24-25 To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore!

Old Testament Scriptures: 0*

*Verses 14 and 15 quote Enoch, but this quote does not come from the Old Testament.

Questions: 0

As far as I can tell, this is accurate. If anyone notices any errors, let me know and I'll correct them.

New* International Version

2011-05-13T14:53:00.002-05:00

In the middle of the Regional Finals hoopla, we have an announcement from NYM that affects the future of Bible Quiz in a big way. Starting over Matthew, for the '12-'13 season, we will be using the updated NIV, copyright 2011. Note that for the upcoming '11-'12 season (Hebrews, I & II Peter, and Jude--sort of), we will continue to use the 1984 edition.

There are some significant changes between these versions. In the coming weeks, we'll get a more detailed analysis and show you some of the things you can expect.

This decision wasn't made in a vacuum by NYM. A/G Headquarters and Gospel Publishing House (who produce the BQ materials) had to make a change because of requirements from the publisher of the NIV. I'm certain that for as long as there are multiple translations of the Bible, there will be different ideas about which is best.

I mention all of this by way of pointing out that, while you may not be happy with this change, there were no alternatives available to BQ leadership. This isn't an issue where discussion or disagreement could lead to a different solution.

Fairly Foul

2011-05-02T21:34:00.003-05:00

I served as a quizmaster at the Gulf Regional Finals last weekend. There was some pretty good quizzing, but one thing stood out to me. There was a good deal of procedural sloppiness among the teams. As a result, over the course of 10 games, I called 10-15 fouls. I'd like to mention a few of the repeated issues, because these are things that teams really need to watch for in their quizzing.

First, let me give my philosophy concerning fouls. The rules are absolute. There are no rules that allow for warnings. A foul should serve as a pretty good deterrent to not commit the same infraction twice. The foul is the warning.

Further, if officials fail to call a foul, they are cheating. Think of it this way: If Team A commits a foul and the officials don't call it, they have cheated Team B out of five points. You might think you are showing mercy, but really you are not treating both teams fairly. You might say, "But I wouldn't call that foul on the other team, either." That may be true, but Team B didn't break the rules; Team A did. They earned a foul. That is tantamount to not calling a quizzer incorrect when they deserve it.

In Bible Quiz, we strive to teach discipline. If a team shows discipline, they won't be fouled. If they don't, then the foul ought to provide a valuable lesson for them. Rules cannot and should not be applied subjectively. That leads to undisciplined, and ultimately unfair, quizzing.

Time Outs

I called at least five fouls for teams conferring after time was called on a time out. The rules are clear. Time is up when the first sound of the electronic equipment is heard. Teams may only confer during the 30-second time out. If a coach or quizzer says anything, even a word or part of a word, after time expires, it qualifies as improper conferring and is subject to a foul.

If you struggle to know how long you have for the time out, practice it. Failing that, have an assistant coach or substitute quizzer use a stopwatch to help you stay on track. There is no excuse for this type of foul.

Other Conferring

To be clear, there are a specific and limited circumstances that allow for verbal communication. In other words, you can only talk when:

A quizzer has buzzed in and is answering
A quizzer has missed a question and requests to confer
A confer is granted (all active team quizzers at the table may confer)
A team member requests a point of order
A head coach or active quizzer requests a time out
A time out is granted (all team members may confer)
A quizzer requests a contest
A contest is granted (all team members may confer until the team begins their presentation; all members of the opposing team may confer until they begin presenting their response)
A head coach requests a contest (the team is fouled, but the contest is granted)
A game goes into overtime (a one-minute time out is granted before the overtime question)
An official time out is called by the quizmaster and the teams are granted the right to confer

It is important to note that only the quizzer who missed the question can request to confer. If the captain attempts to request it or to tell the quizzer to request it, this is improper conferring and should be fouled. Any verbal communication on the bench (outside of time outs and contests) results in a team foul. Any communication between team members and the audience during the game is a foul, including the coaches and inactive quizzers. This is prohibited from the start of the match until the end, and includes time outs and contests.

Pre-responding

The rules are consistent about using the phrase "first sound" to clarify certain situations. For example, time is up at the first sound of the electronic equipment and a quizmaster must finish the question if he begins the first sound of the last word when the quizzer buzzes in.

The same applies to the beginning of the question. If a quizzer buzzes in before the quizmaster begins the first sound of the first word of the question, it is a pre-response foul. Note that this is not the same as having formed the word on the lips. If no sound has come out of the mouth, then the word has not been started.

One of the things I've heard is that Bible Quiz is too technical. My answer is that every game has rules. From football to spelling bees, every game has detailed guidelines that must be followed to the letter. Quizzers and coaches often understand this better than parents and other observers. Quizzers, especially at the highest levels, appreciate being held to a high standard.

After all the fouls I called on Saturday, you might think coaches were frustrated. To the contrary, every single coach (and several quizzers) thanked me for enforcing the rules and helping their teams prepare for Nationals. The discipline required by faithful and fair application of the rules will serve them well.

The Usual Regionals Post

2011-04-28T23:03:00.003-05:00

Regional Finals are starting around the country this weekend, and will continue for the next few weeks. Here are the usual reminders:

1. Don't talk about the questions with anyone. Obviously, we need to keep things fair. Plus, don't you want to make everyone else suffer the same way you did?

2. Send your results to the website, and Joey will get them posted.

3. Joey would also like to have pictures of each team for the site, and he will probably have a questionnaire for teams to fill out. If you do it, he won't bug you to death. Also, it's a pretty good way to get to know the other teams before Nationals.

4. For the complete list of dates and locations for Regionals, go here.

I think that's most of it. Good luck to everyone.

Leadership Coaching

2011-04-20T14:57:00.000-05:00

Coaching Bible Quiz is fundamentally a leadership task. A good coach must be a leader, mentor, friend, teacher, and motivator. I would contend that it is among the most complex ministries available in today’s Church. There are loads of books, videos, and blogs that share some great information about leadership. I am going to take three general principles and apply them to coaching Bible Quiz.

Praise in Public, Correct in Private

My quizzers learn quickly to grow thick skin. I have no problem telling them exactly what they are doing wrong, and I usually do so in my patently sarcastic manner. However, even in my most animated moments, we always keep it inside the team. I don’t go off on one of my quizzers in the middle of a game, and I don’t admonish my team where everyone else can see or hear.

On the other hand, I am more than happy to congratulate them in public, and when someone asks about my team, I will tell them about the good things my quizzers are doing.

Quizzers need to be corrected, and they need to be encouraged. It’s important to praise them in public. That not only lets the world know that you appreciate your quizzers, but it also lets the quizzers know that you think highly enough of them to say so to others. Correction is private. It is to be handled within the team. There is no need to embarrass a quizzer publicly to get your point across.

Deflect Praise to Others, Accept Responsibility Yourself

In my role as a leader, I have learned that I can’t give away credit fast enough. Now, I’m not talking about false humility, but genuinely sharing the credit for the good things that are accomplished. When someone tells me how awesome I am as a coach, the first thing you’ll hear me say is something like, “The quizzers have worked really hard and done well.”

To be clear, I’m not talking about general complements, to which the standard response should be some variation of “Thank you.” I am talking about the things we do as leaders. By any definition, a leader has to have one or more people following them. Therefore, anything I accomplish as a leader is a direct reflection of the work done by those who follow me.

Conversely, when things go wrong, a leader needs to have broad shoulders. Being willing to accept responsibility, even when one of your followers is to blame, is the hallmark of leadership. When you blame your followers (deservedly or not), you appear to be avoiding responsibility. If you accept responsibility and shield your followers, you can earn their respect and loyalty by demonstrating your loyalty. Then, you can privately correct their errors and work to make sure such mistakes don’t happen in the future.

In BQ, this may mean that when your team blows a big game, you acknowledge that you didn’t prepare them as well as you would have liked. We’re not talking about lying or covering things up. Rather, it’s about understanding that your role as a leader means that you share the blame for mistakes made by those you lead.

Goals Chosen by the Group are More Likely to be Attained by the Group

This is a big deal in BQ. If the coach sets all the goals and imposes them upon the team, then the quizzers will be less likely to adopt those goals as their own. It’s important for the coach to set vision, but I have found that the best goals come from the quizzers themselves. When the coach provides some basic framework and allows the quizzers to set the direction for the team, the quizzers own those goals and are more likely to achieve them

I have seen teams that were well-coached and hard-working, but ultimately were unsuccessful because the team didn’t buy into the coach’s vision. If the coach is the one who drives all the goals, the quizzers don’t feel the need to take responsibility for fulfilling those goals. By contrast, if the quizzers are the authors of the goals, and the coach is pushing them to achieve goals the quizzers set, the quizzers are more likely to buy into those goals. In addition, if the quizzers aren’t living up to the goals they themselves have chosen, it’s much easier for the coach to hold them responsible for their failures.

Good coaches are good leaders. Take a look at the way you interact with your team. Do you praise in public and correct in private? Do you take responsibility for failures and give away the credit for accomplishments? Do you allow the quizzers to set the goals under your guidance? Look for ways that you can improve as you lead your team.

News and Notes

2011-04-18T19:05:00.002-05:00

There is an awful lot going on in the BQ world these days, so I thought I'd post briefly to give everyone the scoop.

Available Resources

One of the things I get asked often is why I don't post more these days. There are a lot of reasons for that, but the main one is this: The mission of BQ Coach was to create a resource that would allow coaches to improve their efforts and share strategies and ideas with other coaches. My goal was to provide a resource to help new and experienced coaches learn how to do BQ better.

That mission has largely been completed. This isn't to say that all the BQ knowledge can be found on this blog, but we've covered things pretty well. As well, the most essential articles from BQ Coach have been archived on the BQ website. As new things happen, we'll continue to update information and keep things current. In the meantime, feel free to peruse the archived resources and see if you can learn something new.

National Finals

The official site has added registration information for Nationals. One question people asked was concerning registration fees, and for the most part, it looks as though things remained unchanged from last year.

Coach's Connection

There were several items included in the latest newsletter that was published today. If you haven't subscribed to receive the e-mail edition, you can do so here. I recommend it.

Bible Quiz Podcast

I am a guest on this week's edition of the podcast. We discuss news and results. If you haven't yet discovered Tim McDaniel's podcast, I suggest you take a listen. It's usually both informative and entertaining.

I think that's about it for now. I hope everyone had a successful District Finals and is looking forward to Regionals. Hopefully, we'll see some of you in Dallas this summer.

Truth Wins

2011-04-02T22:28:00.001-05:00

(This post is very much off the beaten path. It has almost nothing to do with Bible Quiz, other than that it contains many references to Scripture. This is my response to a book I read this week. Feel free to skip my post if you aren't into this sort of thing.)

Rob Bell is teaching heresy. I realize that it isn’t polite to say so, but when someone is a false teacher, believers are required to point it out (1 Timothy 4:6). I understand that this will place me in the crowd of millions of Christians who, according to Bell, are judgmental, critical, and unloving. I also understand that it would be more “kind” to say he is misguided or misinformed, but that his intentions are good. I don’t know those things to be true. What I know with absolute certainty is that his book, Love Wins, is teaching a false doctrine and a false Christ.

His premise is not new, as he himself points out. For centuries, people have questioned how a loving God could possibly condemn people to eternal damnation. To be sure, love is an attribute of God. So are mercy, grace, patience, and kindness. Our human understanding of these attributes would lead us to logically argue that God could never be cruel. However, God is also angry, vengeful, and just (Psalm 90:7, Deuteronomy 32:43). We cannot pick and choose the attributes of God we like and reject those we don’t, and we do not get to inform God of His character.

The central error Bell makes is two-fold. First, Bell has determined that human logic can be applied to God’s wisdom and character. We know that human wisdom is foolishness to God (1 Corinthians 1:25). It is impossible to fully understand the Lord’s mind, and it is foolish, impertinent, and arrogant to attempt to tell God what He must do (Isaiah 40:13). You cannot base your interpretation of Scripture on the assumption that God behaves according to human logic. His ways are far beyond the ways of people (Isaiah 55:8).

The logic of Bell’s argument is that God’s loving nature doesn’t seem to be reconciled with the concept of eternal condemnation of Hell. In his attempt to prove this from the Scriptures, Bell makes his second, and even more damning error. He misapplies and misinterprets Scripture in an effort to bend them to his message. This is not a new tactic. Nearly every heretical teaching is based in Scripture that has been twisted to accomplish the purposes of the false teacher (Galatians 1:7).

Let’s look at three specific areas where Bell perverts the Scripture:

John 3:16. Probably the central verse in the declaration of the gospel, this is also possibly the most easily mangled. The problem lies in the part of the verse people choose to focus on—“For God so loved the world…” Obviously this is true, God loved the world and sent His Son. The problem arrives when you fail to read the rest of the verse, and the verses that follow. Here is the passage in context:

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God” (John 3:16-21).

Jesus says that believing is required to not perish, that believers will not be condemned, and that unbelievers will be condemned for not believing in the name of Jesus (that part will be important later). There isn’t much ambiguity in words like “perish” and “condemned”, no matter what Bell would try to say. He doesn’t even address this passage beyond the first six words of verse 16. He uses it as a basis to argue that Jesus came to save the whole world, when the verse itself, as well as the context, specifically limits the application of that salvation to those who choose to believe in Jesus’ name.

Luke 16:19-31. The story of Lazarus and the rich man is the next point at which Bell twists the meaning of Scripture to his own devices. In this case, he uses part of the passage to define Hell (or ill-define, to be more precise), and later misses the central point of the passage when describing God’s judgment.

Bell says that Hell is not eternal fire, but rather the suffering that comes in this life, and possibly the next, for failing to live a moral life. He says that the rich man’s request for water shows a failure of the man to realize, even after death, that he was not superior to Lazarus. He completely ignores the reason for this request, which gives us a glimpse into the nature of Hell. The rich man’s words were, “Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire” (Luke 16:24). This is roughly akin to saying the person who calls 911 should calm down because he’s too stressed out, while ignoring the fact that his house is on fire. Of course he wants water.

But this is where Bell’s argument really breaks down. He claims that God doesn’t condemn people to an everlasting punishment after death on this earth, using numerous verses from the Old and New Testament as proof texts without looking at the context of the passages. He doesn’t tell us what he thinks happen to those people who die apart from Christ, other than saying that these people will have as many chances as they need until they accept the truth of the concept of Jesus.

This ignores the point of Jesus’ story concerning Lazarus and the rich man. The payoff is in the closing verse. “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead’” (Luke 16:31). If the witness of the Scriptures doesn’t persuade people, resurrection won’t convince them. Moreover, Jesus gives no indication that the rich man can be rescued from the agony he faces after death. In fact, Abraham’s words in the story declare that there is no way to cross from eternal punishment to eternal life. “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us’” (Luke 16:25,26). Also, why would the man’s family need to repent before death, if there was a way to be saved after death?

The Name of Jesus. This is perhaps the most insidious part of Bell’s argument. He claims that people who have had negative experiences with Christians may not want to embrace Jesus, and that there may be people in primitive or restrictive cultures that do not receive an adequate gospel witness. For these people, he believes it is sufficient to embrace the basic behavior of Jesus without acknowledging Jesus by name.

This is flatly false. Repeatedly, the Scriptures declare that people must believe in and confess the name of Jesus. John 3:16-21 showed us that. John 1:11,12; Acts 2:21; Romans 10:13; 1 Corinthians 6:11; and Philippians 2:9-11, as well as many other passages, specifically refer to the name of the Lord Jesus as being the key element required for salvation. It is not enough to embrace the teachings of Jesus. A person must call on His name to escape eternal punishment.

This brief essay has merely scratched the surface of the error contained within Love Wins. Such heresy leads me to conclude that Rob Bell is a false teacher. Personally, I believe that beyond calling this teaching what it is, believers ought to disassociate with any of Bell’s other works until he publicly repents of and renounces his heresy. This includes items such as the Nooma video series and books like Velvet Elvis. The Bible is clear that believers are not to associate in any way with false teachers (1 Timothy 4:1-8). Our only interaction with false teaching is to refute the teaching and rebuke the teacher.

It is my desire and prayer that Rob Bell will turn from this wicked foolishness, repent of his sin, and publicly correct his errors. This teaching has the potential to be even more harmful because of the large audience that Bell commands. Until he does, believers must be warned to guard their hearts, and the gospel must be plainly spoken by those who know the truth. Truth wins.

Playbook: Smart Quizzing

2011-03-29T14:06:00.003-05:00

I love smart quizzers who do the little things well. There's nothing that warms my heart quite like a quizzer who listens in practice and then applies that knowledge in a game. One of my JBQers did something incredibly intelligent at our District Finals a couple weeks ago.

Victoriah is my primary 10-point hitter. In our reread strategy, Victoriah has responsibility for 10s, while another quizzer covers 20s. Now, my quizzers know two things about me. First, they know that following my instructions is extremely important. Second, they know that I value intelligent quizzing above everything.

We were late in the game and Victoriah was carrying five correct. Question 18 is a 20-point "What do we mean..." question. (For those who don't know, there are ten 20-pointers in the Fact-Pak that begin with those four words, so these are often overhit and turned over.) The other team turned it over, and the reread came to us. As soon as the quizmaster started the last word, Victoriah made the hit, being careful not to interrupt. She answered it correctly and got her quiz-out.

Since there are other quizzers on our team with primary and secondary responsibility for 20-point rereads, and because the quizzers know that I hate to see them compete over rereads with each other, most quizzers in her position would probably have let it go to someone else. Because we've talked about the value of quiz-outs in practice, Victoriah understood that she should make the hit and take the quiz-out. Her smart play iced the game for us.

Quizzers who make good decisions at the buzzers are the best kind. It took courage and leadership skills for Victoriah to make that play at that time, and she made certain we won the game because of it.

Southern Missouri JBQ District Finals

2011-03-17T13:20:00.003-05:00

In a few hours I'll be heading to Kansas City, MO with my JBQers for our District tournament. We're looking forward to a great two days of quizzing and a lot of fun memories.

This year's format features two A-league preliminary divisions, and two in B-league. Based on those results, teams will be grouped for the final rounds, and that will determine the top teams. Obviously, the top level A-league teams will have the opportunity to advance to Regional and National competition.

For those unfamiliar with JBQ, the advancement process is a little different. In JBQ, the District champion is given an automatic berth to the JBQ National Festival, to be held in Minneapolis, MN this summer. The second, third, and fourth place teams receive invitations to compete at Regional Finals (with the fifth place team occasionally receiving an invite, if space permits). The District champions also participate at Regionals. From there, the top five teams that haven't already qualified for Nationals are invited to the National Festival.

If you want to follow the standings for So. MO, you can check them here, thanks to Larry Mullins.

Boy Scout Bible Quiz

2011-03-11T10:51:00.002-06:00

The ubiquitous motto of the Boy Scouts is "Be Prepared."

This simple, logical piece of advice is crucial. It's also a biblical principle. The Bible consistently tells people to watch, listen, count the cost, and be ready for action. Christians are supposed to be constantly ready for the challenges that await them.

Bible Quiz coaches should take this advice to heart. When you go to practice, have a plan. Every time I go to practice, I know exactly what I want to accomplish before I start, and I have a plan for how to do it. Now, things don't always go according to plan, but with a starting place, it makes it easier to adapt.

In tournaments, you should know what you're doing every step of the way. For trips, I always have a detailed itinerary that I give to all the parents. This way they know what's going to happen. For the quizzing, I know who I want to start, what situations I need to be aware of, and the things that I am going to tell my quizzers to watch out for.

Often there is a chasm in BQ between the coaches that have been involved for many years and the relatively newer people. The name for that dividing line is experience. Less experienced coaches can bridge that gap through planning and organization.

I am regularly asked for advice concerning coaching. My best piece of advice is to plan. Set schedules, plan budgets, and organize yourself. In this way, even if you may not have everything figured out, at least you are reading from a script instead of making it up as you go. As you discover what things work best and what ideas are abject failures, you'll grow and develop better plans.

Be a Boy Scout.

River Classic Live Round-by-Round Results

2011-03-03T12:45:00.002-06:00

Larry Mullins is publishing results from the River Classic live. They can be found here. So if you can't be there, you can keep up.

Four Words Coaches Hate

2011-03-02T22:19:00.002-06:00

"That was MY question."

More aggravating words have never been uttered by a quizzer. Not only is this statement never true, it also displays an attitude that is counter to everything I believe about Bible Quiz. Let's look at what is so abhorrent about this statement.

First, BQ is a competition. Questions are not reserved for a quizzer. If you want a question, you need to beat the other guy to it. (To be clear, this discussion has nothing to do with rereads.) Even if a quizzer has a particular area of strength, questions do not come pre-labeled as belonging to one quizzer. The only questions that belong to a quizzer are the ones that quizzer hits.

More disturbing is the attitude that often lies behind this sentiment. Intentional or not, the message delivered is a selfish one. It says, "I deserved that question, and you took it away from me." The only questions you deserve are the ones you hit. When an opponent takes the question, it's because they were better than you (at least for that question). When a teammate hits a question, the same is true.

Romans 12:10 (NIV) says, "Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves." In competition, this doesn't mean that you aren't supposed to do your best. Instead, you are to acknowledge when someone else has done their best. Don't be upset that someone took "your question" (shudder), but honor them for making a good hit on "their question."

Quizzing Over (Less Than Good) Questions*

2011-02-03T19:06:00.004-06:00

Clean questions are in short supply these days. This is not to call out any one writer. Every writer is guilty of having an off question or two, and sometimes a good author will lay an egg at a tournament. This post is not to bash writers. I'm certain that I've made my share of mistakes, and I beat myself up appropriately for those errors.

No, today instead we're going to talk about how to quiz when the questions are less than great. The mistakes writers make tend to fall into three main categories, and there is a specific way to deal with each issue.

Mistake #1: Invalid Questions.

Solution #1: Pay Attention. I have been to several tournaments over the years where the main problem seemed to be a lack of editing. Incorrect chapters or sections were referenced, the introductory remarks didn't agree with the questions, or the question demanded an answer that didn't exist. To combat this, quizzers must stay focused. It helps to have a good captain who knows the rules and understands what they are looking for. Once you spot a trend, be sure your quizzers know what to look for, because often the same type of mistake is repeated throughout the day. Often when there are obviously invalid questions, the other team will agree and you can skip the actual contest and just point out the error. This is especially helpful if the games are under a time limit.

Mistake #2: Bad Key Words.

Solution #2: Slow Down. Quizzers like to hit fast. This can be a good thing, and generally we try to teach them to be quick in practice. When the questions are unpredictable, though, quizzers need to learn to slow down. I can't count the number of games that I've seen where an obviously superior team lost simply because they hit too fast and turned questions over. Even the worst question can typically be answered by a team that doesn't have to interrupt and can hear the whole thing and have time to work it out. If good teams want to win, they have to learn to adjust their speed to the quality of the questions.

Mistake #3: Additional Answers.

Solution #3: Answer the Question. This may seem like an odd piece of advice, but I've discovered that when a question writer leaves the potential for two or three different answers, sometimes the quizzer will be paralyzed and not say anything. Often this is because the question contains a confusing component, and the quizzer thinks it's a trap. It might be a trap, but I tell the quizzer to give the best available answer. If they're called wrong, they shouldn't assume they are wrong. Instead, teach them to look for the possibility that their answer was an additional correct answer and be prepared to contest. These aren't always simple, but they can be highly effective if used properly.

Again, this is not an indictment of question writers. I live in too much of a glass house to start pitching stones. Instead, realize that even the best writer will sometimes make errors, and be prepared for everything. If the questions are good, it's usually easy to speed up. It is often much more difficult to slow down.

*Trying to find a title for this post that wouldn't sound mean-spirited was a bit of a chore.

Individual Scoring

2011-01-27T04:33:00.003-06:00

Stats are for losers. Final scores are for winners.
--Bill Belichick

One of the time-honored traditions of Bible Quiz is the recognition of top individual performers. In my day, tournaments gave large and gaudy trophies to high scorers. Today, the awards seem more muted, and often cash is given in place of a trophy.

What are we teaching our quizzers with these awards?

When I watch football, I cringe when I hear a player talking about reaching individual goals, like total yards in a season or touchdown passes caught. Obviously, the general goal of football is to gain yards toward scoring touchdowns. The Super Bowl isn't won by the team that has the leading rusher (this year, it was Arian Foster of the Texans who didn't make the playoffs) or the team that had the leading touchdown receiver (Dwayne Bowe of the Chiefs, who lost in the first round of the playoffs).

Caring about individual scores in BQ is roughly akin to a football, basketball, or baseball player worrying about fantasy stats. If a player focused on fantasy football, they would get thrashed in the media for it. Yet in BQ, we devote most of our awards ceremonies to individual honors.

What are we teaching our quizzers with these awards?

Sometimes, the best way a quizzer can help their team is by scoring as many points as possible. Often, these are very one-sided teams, and typically the upside for this teams is small. One quizzer can only be so dominant, and without a team-ful of capable quizzers, success will be limited. Unless the competition decides to start missing questions and quizzing badly, a winning team really needs at least two strong quizzers.

In a team game, quizzers must be willing to sacrifice individual achievement for a team to reach its goals. As a quizzer, I remember times where I would score very highly, but my team was a middle-of-the-pack finisher. While an award was nice, I never lost perspective.

What are we teaching our quizzers with these awards?

My very first quiz experience was a JBQ match in fifth grade. We had done pretty well, especially considering it was completely new to us, and lost two games. I was not happy about the two lost games (paying no attention to the five we won--this would be a common theme for me over the years). Later that evening, my mom got a call from the coordinator who had compiled the stats from the day. She called to tell us that I was the high point quizzer for the day.

Here's where you'll laugh--we didn't even know they kept individual scores. It would never have occurred to us that they tracked those scores. All I cared about was whether the team won or lost. It was like being in the Garden of JBQ Eden, blissfully unaware that people cared about such things.

My innocence shattered, I now was aware of individual scores. Fortunately, my mom raised me to be a team-first quizzer. Unfortunately, I quizzed on several teams where the only way we were going to win any games was for me to maximize my points. The best teams I quizzed on were my last two years. My teammate, Todd, was an extremely effective quizzer, and on several occasions, he outscored me. I was more than happy for that to happen because it helped the team win.

What are we teaching our quizzers with these awards?

In addition to teaching Scripture to young people, we are charged with teaching them the concepts of teamwork and fair play. Teamwork sometimes means making the big hit, and sometimes means laying off the question for the good of the team. Twice at our last tournament we iced games against tough teams at question 15. In both cases, I told my quizzers to stop hitting, even though each time I had a quizzer with 4 correct and 0 incorrect. Because my quizzers are taught to respect the game and be team players, they didn't even think of complaining about our decision. We were going for the win, and that was what mattered.

What are we teaching our quizzers with these awards?

There are some people that argue that individual awards give recognition for the good quizzer on the bad team. This may be true, but BQ has always been a team competition. Not to be heartless, but rather than setting a different standard, those teams need to be encouraged to get better. This has nothing to do with church size or budget. I have coached teams from mega-churches and from tiny churches, and the teams have always been competitive. Building a winning team isn't easy, but it can be done just about anywhere.

What are we teaching our quizzers with these awards?

I've come to the conclusion that we would be better off if we stopped all scoring awards. The quizzers that understand the importance of team and don't care about individual awards won't miss them. The quizzers that are totally focused on individual honors to the exclusion of the team don't need the distraction.

I'd really like to hear the reasoned opinions of others on this subject. I realize that the day of scrapping individual awards has probably passed, but I think it's a perspective worth taking a second look. What do you think? Should individual awards be a part of Bible Quiz?

JBQ: The Basics

2011-01-24T19:38:00.004-06:00

About 98% of my posts are about Bible Quiz, but since I also coach JBQ, I think it's probably a good idea to post about it from time to time as well. Feel free to skip it if it's not your thing, or read it anyway. You might learn something.

In coaching JBQ, I have a simple philosophy. There are three steps: Mastery, Interruption, and Anticipation.

Mastery. In the first step, the goal is to master the material. There are 576 questions in the Fact-Pak, and the goal is to learn them all. This is where some teams make a critical error. Some coaches over-specialize their quizzers. I have coached all types of teams and specialized in nearly every way you can imagine at one point or another (I've coached JBQ, off and on, since 1993). I've had 20/30 specialists, 10 specialists, 20 specialists, 10/30 specialists, and 10/20 specialists. While this works strategically, it fails in two important ways.

First, if a team only has one quizzer who has mastered a particular point value, if that quizzer is eliminated from the game or gets sick (which isn't out of the realm of possibility when dealing with kids), the team becomes deficient in that area. Even if you have a competent replacement, there is probably a reason that quizzer isn't your first option. With most JBQ teams, if you take away just one quizzer, it dramatically reduces the team's ability to win.

Second, the Master Seal program requires mastery of all the questions. If a quizzer doesn't learn them all, that quizzer cannot get the Master (or Achiever) Seal. Now, some teams don't use the Seal program, and that's your option. I've both used it and not used it, and experienced success either way, so it's not required. I believe there is value in it, as the goal of JBQ is to teach kids as much of the Bible as possible.

Interruption. As quizzers learn the questions, they should start adding interrupting skills to the equation. The important thing here is that when a quizzer studies, they need to learn both the question and the answer. Often, in our rush to teach quizzers to answer questions, we don't require them to learn the question with equal priority. This leads to slower ability to interrupt and a tendency to confuse questions with similar wording.

As quizzers become more comfortable with interruption, move them toward break points. It's a delicate balance, because you want them to be fast, but you also want them to be disciplined and not hit too early. One practice strategy I use is that when the quizzer overhits a question, I change it on the fly to another question. In this way, they can never hit early and be correct, and guessing is never rewarded.

Anticipation. This is the holy grail. Being able to anticipate when the key word is going to come out, and hit in the perfect spot to get that word without overhitting. If a quizzer can anticipate questions, they can dominate a game. This requires hours of practice, absolute familiarity with the questions, and the ability to think quickly. It requires understanding the percentages and knowing how many questions there are that begin with a certain combination of words.

If quizzers can move from Mastery to Interruption to Anticipation, then they can help their team be very successful. The best teams in the country have three or even four that have this ability, but even a team with two very strong quizzers can be effective. Because a JBQ quiz out is six questions, if a team gets two quiz outs, they are most likely going to win the game.

So good luck, and master those questions and answers!

Sportsmanship and Health

2011-01-11T23:36:00.003-06:00

Okay, so this one is admittedly a little strange, even for me. I think it's important, and so that's why I'll happily be ridiculed for posting about it. I think we've reached that point in the season where we might want to stop shaking hands for awhile.

Now, I'm not advocating poor sportsmanship. Instead, I am standing up for good health. In the last two weeks, I have heard repeatedly from quizzers and families that have various maladies ranging from the ubiquitous sniffles and coughs to strep throat to the dreaded "flu-like" symptoms.

Saturday, at our league match, I made my quizzers carry around a giant bottle of hand-sanitizer and use it liberally. I fist-bumped all day rather than touch anyone's open palm. I chastised my girls for their tendency to hug other girls all day. We didn't even hold hands when we prayed.

Young people tend to be little germ factories on their best days, and the last thing we need is to have the snot spreading from team to team. I realize that no one wants to stay home from a quiz competition, but if you're going to bring your disease with you, do your best to avoid sharing it with others.

So in lieu of shaking hands, let's do some fist-bumping, saluting, or even just a "good job." I would advise against Gatorade baths or patting people on the backside, as I think those things would probably send the wrong message. If you know you're not feeling well, be kind to others and keep your hands (and germs) to yourself. Break out the sanitizer, disinfectant, and hand-wipes. Keep in mind that the buzzer you're slobbering on is going to be used by about 20 different people that day.

Again, I realize that this seems like an odd topic. My quizzers were mocking me last week. That doesn't bother me. I just want them, everyone else, and most especially myself to remain healthy.

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-24T07:44:00.002-06:00

I pray that everyone has a great Christmas, and that your quizzers don't all decide to stop studying for the holidays. Here are a few things that are happening in my quiz world at the moment:

-In order to keep the team focused during the busy season, I have established some goals for my gang. We are planning to attend the Southern Fried Classic in Texas next month, but for the quizzers to qualify for the trip, they have certain goals that must be met. A couple of them have already achieved their goals, and the rest are close.

When it comes to goals like this, it's important to keep your word. If a quizzer doesn't reach the goal, the quizzer doesn't get to go on the trip. If I were to fudge on the goals or allow for some wiggle room, it would completely defeat the purpose. It also wouldn't be fair to the quizzers who finished on time. While it would be unpleasant to leave someone behind, the goals must be enforced.

-Last weekend, James River quizzers helped a local ministry in Springfield deliver Christmas baskets to families in need. I think it's important to teach quizzers to apply what they've studied. This is always an eye-opening experience for the quizzers and a great deal of fun.

-I am planning to start blogging a little more regularly in the coming months. I have some new topics I'd like to explore. I'd also be very interested in hearing from coaches and quizzers. What questions do you have about Bible Quiz? I'd like to post once a week, and I want to be sure and address areas of concern.

Merry Christmas!

Time Out!

2010-11-21T19:16:00.004-06:00

The time-out is a critical part of coaching strategy in quiz, and it's important to use it wisely. In each game, a coach can call three time-outs. These, and contests, are the only opportunities you have to communicate with your team. Before we get into specifics, let me share one of my philosophies that might seem counterintuitive.

When I am coaching in a game, I rarely, if ever, tell my team the score. It's not that I try to keep the scoresheet secret. In fact, quite the opposite. I'm happy to let them see it while we talk so they can see the flow of the game. The reason we don't talk about the score is because I don't want them focused on that while they're quizzing. The only things I want my quizzers thinking about at the buzzers are questions and answers. If there is a need for a certain endgame strategy, I'll let them know what questions they need. I work in practice on having them remember their correct/incorrect question count, as that directly relates to questions and answers.

One of the important concepts we focus on is doing your job. Their job is to answer questions. My job is to keep the score and put them in position to win. As a coach, I want to relieve every potential stressor possible so they feel free to simply answer questions. That's why I handle game strategy, contesting, and all the details. My captain, as I said in my last post, serves as an extension of what I do on the buzzers, but even she doesn't worry about the score. Her job is to keep the team focused, manage the reread strategy, and know when to call a contest.

So, in a time-out, there are four things I try to do:

1. Tell them what they're doing right. Encouragement is important to quizzers, and it can make a big difference in they're focus level. If they make a nice hit, give a good completion, or lay off a question at the right time, I try to always let them know. I also point out when they've executed the strategy that we've laid out for the game.

2. Tell them what they're doing wrong. While giving positive feedback is important, it's also important to correct problems in the way they are quizzing. Normally, the problems are either with a lack of focus or poor decisions on question selection. Even, and especially, when the game is going well, I think it's important to point out little things that we can do better. I rarely have a problem with a quizzer that misses a question unless they made a poor hit (or if they shouldn't have hit it at all). The focus problem is more difficult to address in a time-out, but it bears mentioning because that's the only way to start to get through to them.

3. Make sure they know the situation. As I said before, my main concern is that the quizzers know their count. Our reread strategy and game situation plans depend on quizzers making the right decision based on who has what, so we practice that often. In almost every set in practice, we track the count, and I will stop and ask them their count. It's also a good way to measure how focused they are on the questions.

4. Set up the strategy. While I don't talk about the score with my guys, you can bet that I'm paying attention to it. I'm always looking at what it takes to ice a game that we're winning, and what it will take to come back in a game we're losing. Rather than telling my team the score, I take that information, form a strategy, and relay the strategy to the quizzers. This maximizes the 30 seconds and avoids unnecessary confusion.

Now, that might seem like an awful lot to cover in a short time period, and it is. The key is to practice it, and to have a pretty good idea of what you want to say before you call the time-out. A couple last pointers:

-I don't allow my quizzers to call time-outs. Because that doesn't fall into the category of questions and answers, it's not their responsibility. If you are doing your job right, the quizzers shouldn't feel like they want to call one anyway. They should feel informed and comfortable with the game based on what you've told them.

-Use contest time wisely. Now the rules prohibit calling a contest solely for an extended time-out, but it's always good to take part of the time before you present your argument to go over the strategy and get everyone on the same page.

That's how I use time-outs. The more you coach, the more at ease you'll be and the more effective your time-outs will become. You'll also develop an internal 30-second clock in your head, allowing you to use as much time as possible. Remember, if you communicate in any way with your quizzers after the timer goes off, you should be fouled, so be careful.

Good luck. Now, get back to the game...

Expectations for a Captain

2010-11-03T14:47:00.002-05:00

I have a lot of expectations for my captain, even more than I do of the other quizzers on my team. To start with, I don't necessarily select my best quizzer as my captain. In fact, in each of the past two years, my captain has been my second or third best quizzer. There are three main qualities I look for in my captain.

Quiz IQ: This is sometimes a difficult thing to measure, but it basically means having a quizzer who understands the game. Now, let me be quick to say that, especially this year, I have a team-ful of kids with pretty high quiz IQs. What I want is someone who has a good feel for game situation, can keep track of important things through the game, and deliver that information to the other quizzers during a confer. Particularly this year, we have a more complex reread strategy that changes throughout the game. The captain's job is to save me from calling a time-out and relay the essential data at the buzzers. Also, obviously, a high quiz IQ means knowing when to contest, but I really expect all of my quizzers to understand that.

Leadership: I want good leadership on and off the buzzers. I want a quizzer who is on time for practice, has all the work done, and is ready to go without complaining. I also want them to be able to command respect from their teammates at the table, and know how to lead without being egotistical about it. This is something that all quizzers need to learn, especially a captain.

Calming Influence: BQ matches can get emotional, and I want a captain that can help to take that emotion out of it for the other quizzers. My team this year is rather young and inexperienced, and the captain's job is to bring an uncommon maturity to the game and show poise even in the most stressful situations.

My captain this year is a girl named Brianna, who turns 14 this week. She has worked very hard at learning a fairly complex system. It's made much harder by the fact that she's never quizzed in A-league before, quizzes in a league where every other team has Nationals experience, and has never been captain of her team before. She is doing an excellent job of leading the team, and her teammates have responded well to her leadership. She'll continue to grow as a quizzer, and I expect great things from her.

Additional Scriptural Evidence

2010-10-20T00:11:00.004-05:00

A Contest concerning Additional Scriptural Evidence means that a team believes it has found a correct answer from the Scripture being studied other than the answer shown on the official question set.
-p. 23, Use of Additional Scriptural Evidence in Contesting, #1

Today seemed like a good day to review the basic anatomy of an Additional Scriptural Evidence contest.

Before you even present the contest, you must determine two things: did the quizzer answer the question, and did the quizzer give the alternate answer correctly? Pay attention to the locator in the introductory remarks and make sure that the answer the quizzer gave came from that section. Also, if the question was labeled "Give a Complete Answer" then the answer the quizzer gave must contain multiple phrases, clauses, and/or key words.

Also, make sure the quizzer gave the answer correctly. If the alternate answer works, but the quizzer gave the answer incorrectly, they are still wrong, so make sure they gave it right. If the other team presents one of these contests, make sure to pay attention to this, as it can often bail you out.

So, assuming the answer works and the quizzer gave it correctly, now you need to present your contest. I always cite the rule above, and then turn the officials' attention to the Scripture. I start with the answer they have on their sheet and show them where that is found in the text. From there, I point out the answer my quizzer gave so they can see both answers in relationship to each other.

After this, I briefly explain how the alternate answer also works for the question given. Usually, the correlation is fairly obvious, but sometimes you have to draw the lines. Be specific, and be sure to point out that the answer meets the requirements of the introductory remarks. Also, don't belabor the point. Make your point, make it clear, and then sit down.

In some cases, the officials may agree that an alternate answer exists, but they may not have been able to follow the answer when the quizzer gave it. If I think this might be the case, I always point out the rule that covers this (p. 24, Voiding and Replacing for One Team, #6). The judges first vote if the answer meets the requirements for Additional Scripture. Then they vote, not if the answer was correct, but if they could follow the answer and rule it correct. If the second vote is negative, a new question is read only for your team.

Defending these contests is pretty simple. Generally, either the answer works or it doesn't. If it doesn't work, say so. If it does, just agree with the contest and move on. In cases of a longer answer, it may benefit you to get the judges to read a substitute question to the other team. It's possible they won't be able to answer it correctly. Occasionally, as I mentioned, the answer will work but the quizzer will have given it incorrectly. In this case, point out the errors and let the judges vote.

Additional Scriptural Evidence contests tend to be pretty open-and-shut. Keep these rules in mind and use them when it can help your team. Often, these contests can make a big difference in close games.

Three JBQ Rules Changes that Need to Happen

2010-10-18T15:37:00.000-05:00

JBQ is a fun, great program that teaches kids the Scriptures and can give a firm foundation to prepare them for Bible Quiz. I am coaching JBQ for the first time in 10 years, and I am having a lot of fun with it. There are, however, three changes that I think would make JBQ a much better experience for everyone.

Five Question Quiz Out
Bible Quiz made this change a few years ago, and while I wasn’t too sure about it, I think it’s been a good thing. It has obviously affected strategy and made it nearly impossible for a one-man team to be successful, but this has allowed Bible Quiz to be a more team-oriented competition and has increased quiz out opportunities for quizzers.

In JBQ, this change makes all the sense in the world. First, there are already four quizzers at the buzzers for each team, so reducing the number of questions needed for quiz out would allow for more involvement from everyone. Also, for the average, non-nationals JBQer, getting six questions in a game is a significant challenge. I would estimate that by dropping that number to five, you could increase quiz outs by as much as 20%, and that would allow more quizzers to experience success.

This would also radically affect strategy for top-level teams. If two strong 10-point specialists can quiz out in each game (since there are ten 10-point questions per game), it means that those questions take on an even greater level of importance. Further, it makes it a little easier for the 20-point specialist to get a quiz out, which I think would ultimately make a big difference in games.

Now, many people who know my old-school tendencies might be surprised at my advocating this position. I am for whatever is best for the quizzers, and I really believe this is a change that needs to happen now.

NIV Only
It’s hard to believe, but there are still pockets of teams around the country that still have their quizzers doing KJV. Now, personally I think this borders on child-abuse (and I was a KJV quizzer), but I think the time has come to force this change. NIV isn’t perfect, but it is much easier to understand, it is more widely used in other ministries, and it gives the officials one less thing to focus on during the game.

Redefine Improper Conferring
In Bible Quiz, non-verbal communication is allowed on the back row at all times. Inexplicably, JBQ tries to restrict both verbal and non-verbal communication. The enforcement of this rule is uneven at best, and it makes no sense. Technically, if I look at the scoresheet my assistant coach is holding, I am violating the rules. Clearly, this doesn’t make any sense. Conforming these rules with the Bible Quiz rules would create fewer areas of confusion and eliminate the chance of non-essential fouls that could impact the game.

These are some changes that I think need to happen immediately in JBQ. What do you think? Leave a comment.

Let Your Voice Be Heard

2010-10-15T14:28:00.004-05:00

The Youth Department has posted a survey for Bible Quiz coaches. It can be viewed here. I strongly encourage all coaches to take a few minutes and fill out this survey.

Too often people complain that they don't have any input on the way things happen in Bible Quiz. This is your chance. Now, some naysayers may believe that their input won't make a difference and that the leaders are going to do whatever they want, regardless of what the survey says. Personally, I don't think that's necessarily true. More importantly, I spent five minutes answering the survey, and it's worth it for me to take the chance that my opinions might matter.

I refuse to tell people how I voted or to suggest how you should vote. There are some good questions on the survey, and I consider this an opportunity to give my input. Hopefully, you'll consider it the same way.

Bear in mind that the survey closes on October 25, so there isn't a lot of time to answer the questions. Take a few minutes and fill out the survey. It could make a difference in this program that we all love and work in on a daily basis.

Ron Johnson, A Man of the Word

2010-10-05T19:32:00.003-05:00

Ron Johnson was a man of God's word. His life was devoted to teaching students to love the word, and his impact on lives is greater than anyone could know. He coached successful Bible Quiz teams for many years, and was instrumental in building the Central Assembly dynasty of the 80's and 90's. Later, he went on to coach Nationals teams in the Southeast Region. Wherever he went, he taught the word and reached out to change people's lives.

Mr. Johnson was the father of Marcae, my coach at Central. He went on trips with our team and was a big part of my early quiz experience. I remember long drives in the middle of the night, sitting and talking with him while he drove. He taught me a great deal about how to look at the game of Bible Quiz. He also taught me a lot about the Scripture, and I am grateful for the time he invested in me when I was young.

The impression Mr. Johnson made will last a lifetime, and his legacy is one of someone who loved the word and taught others to love the word. Please keep the Johnson family, including wife Earline and children Kirsten, Paul, and Marcae in your prayers. There will be a service at the base chapel in Warner Robbins, GA this Saturday.

In lieu of flowers, the family would invite you to make a donation to the Bible Quiz Scholarship Endowment in memory of Ron Johnson. Cards and notes, especially with memories from those who knew him personally, can be sent to the family home. Contact me if you'd like the address.

In closing, let me share one of Mr. Johnson favorite poems:

"Time with God is time not spent
But giving back what He has lent;
In dividends a thousand fold,
Like changing pebbles into gold"
--Author Unknown

When God Interrupts

2010-09-25T20:47:00.002-05:00

I am known for being pretty meticulous in practice. We have fun, but we keep things moving and don't waste a lot of time. Even my JBQers are starting to learn this about me. But today, we had an interruption that I was happy to make time for. Today, God interrupted my practice.

We were drilling through a set, and a question came up from one of my quizzers. This led to another question which led to another. The topic was predestination. We talked about the fact that God knew that Judas would betray Jesus, and whether or not that meant that he caused the betrayal. We spent probably 10 minutes in the middle of quiz practice discussing a theological issue that has been debated for hundreds of years.

Why did I spend so much time on this issue? I believed that it was a topic that was timely and important for teenagers. The Spirit opened a door for us to answer some tough spiritual questions, and it was important to yield my practice time to Him. We fully discussed the issue and helped quizzers gain some new understanding.

Of course, we still got our practice time in, but we honored God by allowing Him to have first priority in our practice. As important as it is to be prepared and follow a plan, it's also important to let the Spirit lead and be willing to be flexible when necessary. Having a balance accomplishes our discipleship mission in Bible Quiz.

The Difficult Questions

2010-09-19T18:39:00.002-05:00

Bible Quiz is different than other ministries in many ways, but one of the most important differences is that we don't choose the subjects we cover. A small group can pick and choose what parts of the Scripture they want to discuss, and which parts they want to carefully skirt to avoid being uncomfortable. Bible Quiz doesn't work that way, or at least it shouldn't. We go wherever the book takes us.

I was reminded of this when I went to work on my lesson covering John chapter 4. Now, there are a lot of different angles from which one can approach this passage. Evangelism has to be a central theme. I also felt that it was important to think about the nature of the woman at the well, and how to make sure that, years from now, none of the quizzers in our program wind up in a position similar to hers.

So, when I taught this lesson, while my main theme was evangelism, I made certain to spend a few minutes talking about that most taboo of subjects: sex. You see, I have a significant number of friends who were "good Christian girls" when we were teenagers. Many of these girls have children and aren't married. Now, God has grace for people, and I don't condemn anyone. My goal is to help students in our program avoid the major mistakes that can derail their lives.

I simply spent a few minutes explaining that it is important to ask questions and talk about difficult issues. Most people don't enjoy such conversations, but they are essential to helping kids grow into strong men and women of God. The world will certainly be communicating its message to students about sex. How can the church remain silent? If we do, we give up our influence in their lives.

My challenge to you as a coach is to have the frank discussions. Don't be afraid of the difficult topics. You don't have to be cavalier or gross, but simply encourage kids to ask questions of their parents or trusted adults. I send girls that need to talk about private matters to a female leader, and I always first suggest that they talk to their parents. But the most important thing is to make it clear that talking about these things is the only way to get to the truth.

Bible Quiz coaching requires more than an understanding of the game. You also must become a leader, teacher, counselor, and friend. Doing this will give you influence over lives for years to come.

The Secret of My Success

2010-09-06T13:49:00.003-05:00

I have discovered that there are a lot of people out there who think there is some sort of mythic secret to successful Bible Quiz programs. These people think that experienced coaches have a treasure trove of top secret plans and schemes that allow them to churn out winning teams year after year. Speaking as a relatively experienced coach, how I wish this were true!

The fact is that the things that make a successful program are fairly mundane. Work hard. Quote a lot. Do a lot of practice sets. As you coach, you certainly learn different and better ways to do things, and this blog offers a number of those "secrets" in its archives. But most of the time, the difference between a good team and an average team is the effort displayed on a daily basis.

The basics are the same as they have been ever since I started quizzing. Quoting, chapter analysis, and references are the essentials. Add concordance work as you move later into the season. Do a lot of drilling on question sets and get a good read on the question writer.

Most experienced coaches are more than happy to provide tips and pointers, but the truth is that success comes simply from hard work. The toughest job a new coach faces is figuring out the best way to motivate a team. There is no magic formula. It gets easier as you experience success, because quizzers have confidence in your ability to lead. To start, if you demonstrate that you are willing to work as hard as you expect the quizzers to work, you will probably get them off on the right foot. Take joy in the little victories, and keep cheering them on.

The great misunderstanding is that coaches have some sort of special powers or wisdom that can be imparted to other coaches. The truth is that every successful team has a coach that is willing to spend hours pulling together concordance lists, listening to quizzers quote, and planning practice sessions.

Naturally, I am more than willing to share ideas with coaches and I have no problem answering basic questions. The best answer I can give is to work hard. Expect quizzers to work hard. Use practice time efficiently. Set goals and work toward them. These are the great secrets of successful coaching.

Junior Bible Quiz

2010-08-26T07:01:00.004-05:00

For the first time in 10 years, I am coaching a JBQ team. Now, I'm still coaching Bible Quiz as well, but I wanted to get back to my roots and pitch in a little. James River has about 15 JBQ teams, and we always need quality coaches. So I decided the throw my hat in the ring.

This year, I'll be coaching one of our A teams. The kids have some experience, but are still very raw in their development as quizzers. My goal is to help the quizzers achieve their JBQ goals and be excited about joining Bible Quiz for the next year. Also, we want to have a lot of fun, and winning a few games would be nice.

I have a phenomenal assistant coach that will be helping me with the young kids. Fortunately, a couple of the kids have older siblings that have quizzed for me in BQ, so they know me a little. I am looking forward to the opportunity and challenge this provides.

Here are a few thoughts with which I will be approaching my team this year:
1. Daily Study Schedules. This is something we do as a matter of routine in BQ, but JBQers are less accustomed to it. Typically, JBQ assignments are based around a weekly idea: "Work on questions _____ this week." Or, we tell kids, "Study 15 minutes a day." I prefer to give a specific written assignment for what each quizzer is to do during the week. I include card numbers, drill information, and other important notes. It still should be a 15-30 minute project each day, but this clearly defines the scope of the schedule. The two important reasons for daily schedules are so the quizzer can know exactly what they are supposed to do each day, and so the quizzer knows when they are done. Parents and kids don't need to wonder if they've studied enough. By assigning daily work, they know that when they've done the work, it's over.

2. Dual Goals. At James River, we believe in and utilize the Master Seal program to guide our quizzers to mastery of the material. We also want to be sure that our quizzers are well prepared for the competitions. To do this, I sit down with each kid on my team and we make a plan for them to achieve their goals. I involve the parents in this process. We want to figure out what can be done, and then make a plan to do it. We want to establish this upfront, and figure out how the Seals plan is going to help us in competition. Ultimately, both goals work together to help the team.

3. Have Fun. JBQ is roughly akin to little league sports with a spiritual twist. Kids do better at anything when they are having a good time. Ideally, quiz practice will be both fun and productive. The top level kids won't want to waste time goofing around, but they still want to enjoy themselves. It's also a good idea to do a few activities outside of regular practices to help the team bond. Find out what your quizzers like to do, and make it a part of the JBQ experience.

I often tell people that every kid should try Bible Quiz to see if they like it, but every kids should do at least one year of JBQ. The foundational biblical knowledge and doctrine kids learn is unparalleled and irreplaceable. I first encountered the Fact-Pak in 1989, and the things I learned stick with me to this day. JBQ impacts the lives of young people for eternity. I am happy to coach because I know that what I do has everlasting consequences.

Questions Now Available

2010-08-20T13:42:00.002-05:00

All of my questions over the Gospel of John are now available. I have sent the files to those who have already ordered. If you haven't yet ordered, e-mail me at karltdawson@mac.com and I'll get them out to you right away. The cost is $40 for 100 sets.

For more information, as well as a downloadable sample set, check out biblequiz.com. Feel free to contact me with any questions.

Gospel of John Reminders

2010-08-13T14:20:00.004-05:00

As teams start practicing across the country, I thought I'd throw out a few reminders and links to helpful pieces of information.

1. There were a few errors in the Scripture Portion and Chapter Analysis. These were noted in the May Coach's Connection:
Errors in John Portion
1:31 Israel should not be italicized in portion (It is correct in Chapter Analysis)
1:49 Israel should not be italicized in portion (It is correct in Chapter Analysis)
3:10 Israel's should not be italicized in portion (It is correct in Chapter Analysis)
6:71 Judas not bolded in portion
12:13 Hosanna! Should be underlined in portion. (It is correct in Chapter Analysis)

Errors in Chapter Analysis
Ch 6 Analysis: Sea of Galilee/Sea of Tiberias are the same location
Ch 19 Analysis: Place of the Skull/Golgotha are the same location

2. The deadline for National Memorization Awards is significantly earlier in the season. Take note and make sure you finish things on time. Click here to access the forms and guidelines.

3. John Application questions can be accessed here.

Hopefully, some of this will be helpful as you begin the season. Good luck everyone.

Money Matters

2010-08-06T07:39:00.001-05:00

A lot of time, energy, and stress goes into worrying about how to finance a Bible Quiz ministry. I realize this can be a challenging problem, and I certainly don’t minimize its difficulty.

Personally, I have been through the whole spectrum—from churches that paid for everything (even meals on trips) to churches that needed us to raise every dime we spent. Most of the time, it’s somewhere in between.

I have also worked with quizzers and families that could afford most anything they needed or wanted, and some that couldn’t pay for anything. Again, most of the time, it is somewhere in the middle.

It’s important first to tell you that I have a pretty radical philosophy that I refuse to compromise. It’s simple: Money is not the reason you won’t do Bible Quiz. At the end of everything, if a quizzer has a tough time, we will find a solution. Sometimes, this requires creativity. Fortunately, we serve a creative Creator.

Here are three ideas for financing Bible Quiz:

1. Charge a fee for each quizzer. Usually, $15-30 is normal. Keep in mind that some quizzers buy books on their own and some may get them from you. We discount the amount of the Scripture Portion from the fee if the quizzer buys it separately. Obviously, if a family needs financial assistance, be sure to make it available. Rarely will anyone take advantage of this option unless it is truly necessary.

2. Hold fundraisers. There are many ideas for fundraising both inside and outside the church. It’s always a good idea to coordinate with the pastor and youth leaders to keep everyone happy. Try to remember that, even though relating with church leadership can sometimes be difficult, they are doing their best to serve the Kingdom, and treat them with respect.

Here are some fundraisers that have been popular:

Quote-a-thon: People pledge per verse or a flat amount for verses quoted.
Bake Sales, Car Washes, etc.
Family Meal Auction: Have families offer to host meals, and then auction them off to the highest bidder. People bid based on the menu and the number of people being served.
Sponsorship: Offer families or small businesses within the church the opportunity to sponsor a trip or event for Bible Quiz.

3. Divide trip costs among families. This is a pretty common practice in smaller churches, and works fine, as long as everyone can handle the financial strain.

Money is one of my least favorite things to talk about, but the reality of the world is that it is required. Costs of everything seem to be going up, and things are tight everywhere. Managing money carefully is more important than ever. It’s also more important than ever to rely on God to be our source. He has the cattle on a thousand hills, and he’s not afraid to hold a BBQ to meet his children’s needs.

Games Are Supposed To Be Fun

2010-08-03T20:07:00.003-05:00

One thing coaches like to do is talk about how tough we coach our teams. We like to tell stories about how demanding we are, about setting the bar high, and about expecting great things. I think in doing this sometimes we give the wrong impression.

Now, to be sure, I am a demanding coach, and I would never try to deny it. However, the part that I don't talk about as much is the fun. In our practices, we laugh a lot. We enjoy the experience. Even when I am correcting a quizzer, I do it in a humorous way that puts the quizzer at ease.

I say this because in the past several months (and years, for that matter) I've talked to a lot of quizzers who weren't having much fun. I try very hard not to judge other coaches (after all, I get judged enough myself), so I remind these quizzers that their coach has their best interest at heart and is doubtless working very hard to be a good coach.

One of the things I have said about quiz for a long time is that it's a game, and games are supposed to be fun. This is not to say that you shouldn't take it seriously, but rather that you shouldn't take it too seriously. Now, we all have moments that we wish we could have back, and I certainly don't want to be judged based on my worst day. I say this for myself as much as anyone.

As we start a new season, we all need to be reminded that this outstanding game we get to play has eternal impact--not from wins and losses, but from Scripture and life lessons learned. One of those lessons is that you can be disciplined, take it seriously, and still have fun doing Bible Quiz.

If you aren't having fun coaching Bible Quiz, you're doing it wrong.

Questions for Sale

2010-08-01T15:21:00.005-05:00

I am once again selling practice questions over the Gospel of John. These are a great resource to help your team master the material and have been used by some of the top National teams to prepare for competition. As well, I have specific sets developed for Middle School Quiz following the correct league breakdowns and designed to help young quizzers understand the fundamentals of the game.

All 100 sets will be available by August 20, and the sets are broken down as follows:
1 set per chapter...21
5 sets per A-league section...20
5 sets per Middle School section...20
15 Middle School comprehensive...15
14 A-league comprehensive...14
10 A-league regional-level comprehensive...10

The cost is $40, and sets can be ordered by e-mailing me at karltdawson@mac.com.

To download a sample set and see practice sets available from other writers, visit biblequiz.com.

Thinking Inside the Box

2010-07-30T13:18:00.007-05:00

This time of year, one of the major concerns is to make sure your quiz equipment is in shape. Personally, I have spent a few hours sorting, organizing, labeling, and ensuring that all the parts are in place for our quiz boxes. Here are a few tips that you might find useful:

1. Always put boxes away the same way. Habits can be very helpful, especially when dealing with a $350 piece of equipment. Given how tight quiz budgets are these days, it's pretty important to take care of what you've got. Be sure you put away the box neatly, that you include all the pieces, and that you store it in a cool, dry place. These are not toys, and they need to be treated with proper respect.

2. Power cords seem to be the weak spot for the classic Kirkman boxes. It's not hard to take care of them, though. When you go to wrap the power cord, be sure to leave some slack--especially where the cord meets the wall plug. This is where we most often see a cord become damaged, and usually it's because of how it's put away. Coil the wire loosely and don't let it get severely twisted during the packing process.

If you need to get a replacement power cord, you can get one from the manufacturer. I also found replacement power cords at Best Buy. It's a Dynex 12V 1A AC Adapter. Obviously, it's important to double-check that the specifications of the part match the box and that everything is going to work. I personally took my box in to test the cord before I bought it.

3. Treat all the equipment with respect and teach your quizzers to do the same. These boxes represent major financial investments, and it's important to make sure they last. At James River, we have several boxes, and many of them have been in use since 2000. They are old, but reliable.

4. Be sure your box is labelled. When you go to a quiz tournament, there will be roughly 65 million briefcases that contain Kirkman boxes. Make it easy to know which one is yours. Mark it carefully and make note of what room your box gets set up in.

5. Be sure you include an extension cord in your box. This is not only helpful in competition, it also keeps from stretching the power cord all over creation, which can lead to damage. I recommend at least a nine-foot extension cord.

Kirkman boxes are excellent and very useful. I highly recommend that each quiz program invest in one. For more information or to order, visit his site. To see specific information about the preferred A/G box, check this out.

In Memory

2010-07-22T21:19:00.002-05:00

Mark Gilmer loved God's word. He lived God's word. He loved teaching young people God's word. He did not let physical ailments deter him from the task God had placed on his heart. When many would have given in or given up, he forged ahead. His legacy is one of disciples made and lives changed.

Personally, Mark was a good friend. I have been trying, and I honestly can't remember the first time I met him. It's as if we were always friends, which is how it ought to be with Christian brothers. I was so glad to see his team win the playoff and qualify for Nationals in 2010.

Mark loved Christ, his fellow man, and especially his quizzers. His enthusiasm was infectious. Earlier this season he was telling me about the potential of the young people he was coaching, and how glad he was that they had the opportunity to quiz at Nationals.

Mark has had a long and distinguished history with National Bible Quiz Finals, appearing as a quizzer in 1975, 1976, 1978, and 1979 as part of the legendary team from Decatur, GA. In '76 and '78 they were crowned National Champions, and at least twice Mark finished among the top six scorers. He also coached at Nationals several years, placing at least three teams in the top three.

Mark was a great coach, a great friend, and a great man. Heaven's gain is truly our loss. My prayers are with Mark's family and many friends. Thankfully, we know that he is away from the body and at home with the Lord.

Monday Groupings

2010-07-04T16:31:00.002-05:00

Group A
Garfield, NJ
James River "Perfect in Weakness", MO
Living Hope Church, Colorado Springs, CO
Christian Temple, Houston, TX
Orlando, FL
Lexington, KY, "Donut Holes"
Springfield, VA
Grand Island, NE
East Lansing, MI
Ashland, AL

Group B
Cumming, GA
Briargate, Colorado Springs, CO
Binghamton, NY
James River "Sufficient Grace", Ozark, MO
White Cloud, MI
Racine, WI
Phoenix, AZ
Braeswood, Houston, TX
Snellville, GA
Elkhart, IN

Group C
Owasso, OK
Bothell, WA
Bowling Green, OH
Portage, WI
Bristow, VA
Central, Springfield, MO
Montgomery, AL
Muskogee, OK
Irvine, CA
Richmond Hill, NY

Group D
Champaign, IL
Pleasant Hill, IA
Wesley Chapel, FL
Bellevue, WA
Overland Park, KS
Santa Ana, CA
Swedesboro, NJ
West Plains, MO
Lexington, KY, "Page 7"
Oklahoma City, OK

The schedule for each team may be found here in text format.

A Coach's Thoughts on "The Book of Eli"

2010-06-26T23:04:00.001-05:00

I watched The Book of Eli tonight, and these are some thoughts I have that I would like to share with some of you: (Warning: there are unavoidable spoilers in this note, so if you haven't seen it and want to be surprised, stop reading)

First, this movie probably cannot be characterized as "good" or "bad." It is certainly interesting, and I have an affinity for the subject matter. Essentially, the film revolves around a man charged (presumably by God) with carrying the last remaining copy of the Bible to a place only described as "west." Along the way, he meets a corrupt town leader who wants to use the words of the Book to control people and build his kingdom. Not a novel idea--Constantine did essentially the same thing. In the end, the bad guy gets the book, only to discover it's written in Braille, which he can't read. Meanwhile, our hero arrives at his destination--Alcatraz remade into a library/museum--and is able to quote the entire text of the King James Bible word for word so it can be transcribed and printed.

Now, right from the start those who are concerned about such things should know that this film is Rated R and contains what some would probably describe as a a lot of violence and foul language. It's a post-apocalyptic action movie--what do you expect? Obviously, parents have to determine what their children can handle in that regard. Personally, I would think that kids around 14 or 15 could handle watching it with their parents, but that is a matter for individual families to determine.

For me, this was a film about a journey of powerful faith. It reminded me that we carry God's word in our hearts in a way that can't be captured merely on pages of a book. It was Psalm 119 come alive. Ultimately, given the ministry in which I am so deeply involved, it strengthened my resolve to ensure that young people carry as much of the Scripture in their hearts and minds as they can stand.

I enjoyed watching The Book of Eli, but don't be misled. It's a work of art, and if you only judge a movie by the number of swear words contained, you won't be impressed. If you can look beyond those judgments, I think it is two hours well-spent.

Comments and Spam

2010-05-30T04:15:00.002-05:00

I wanted to let everyone know that the comments on several of the blog posts were spammed, so I have temporarily disabled comments until I can fix it. It isn't a high priority at this point. Contact me by e-mail if you have questions.

Southeast Regional Finals

2010-05-14T22:22:00.002-05:00

We'll have live stats and video broadcast of the final regional quiz available through www.biblequiz.com. Check back tomorrow for details.

The End

2010-04-13T16:51:00.001-05:00

For a number of reasons, I have decided to no longer be actively involved in the public side of BQ. I will be coaching my team, and I look forward to seeing all of you at tournaments and at Nationals. God bless.

Memorization Awards

2010-04-13T09:27:00.002-05:00

I have gotten a few questions about this, so I thought I'd go ahead and post the links and information here. NYM gives two memorization awards. The National Memorization Award is available for both A and Novice, and requires quizzers to quote each chapter of the material (1 & 2 Corinthians for A; 1 Corinthians for Novice) with four or fewer mistakes. Quizzers must quote to a coach or other non-parent. Also, the quizzer is required to quote one chapter in a church service or youth group meeting.

The Master Memorization Award is only for A quizzers and requires quizzers to quote the entirety of the material to a coach or other non-parent in one sitting. There is a time limit of one hour, and quizzers must quote it with seven mistakes or fewer.

The forms can be downloaded here, and must be postmarked no later than May 3, 2010. For questions, contact NYM at bq@ag.org.

District Finals (or, where have all the teams gone?)

2010-04-11T21:10:00.002-05:00

We had our District Finals in So. MO yesterday. Things went pretty well. John's team was first, Central was second, my team was third, and West Plains was fourth. West Plains took a wild card berth to Regionals. A few thoughts on quizzing and questions:

-The questions were very consistent with the practice sets. I saw no real surprises there, which is a good thing. At this point in the season, we want as few surprises as possible. In terms of numbers, my guys were 77.6% accurate, so I felt like we had a good read on the sets. Difficulty will jump a notch for Regionals. It'll be interesting to see how that impacts the results.

-The top four teams in our league tend to match up pretty well. West Plains didn't have their best day ever, but they've had some really good moments this year, and they always give my guys a tough time. I expect them to bounce back. Central looked good, and John's team was impressive.

-There was a straight tie for top quizzer between Daniel Clark and Whitney Garrison. Both also tied in quiz outs, so it went down to how they did head to head. Whitney was declared the winner. The nice thing is that neither quizzer is really concerned about individual scores, so they thought it was pretty funny.

On another subject, the Gulf Region apparently has reached what seems to be an all-time low in teams. Outside of the six that competed at our District Finals, there is one A team in Arkansas, and that's it for the whole region. Consequently, with the four teams going from So. MO, we already know exactly who is going to Nationals from the Gulf. It's just a matter of positioning, and whether or not the team from AR chooses to quiz at Regionals and go on to Nationals (as of this moment, I have not heard a final word on that).

This begs the question of how other Districts and Regions are doing in terms of team numbers. When we went to 40 teams at Nationals, we were running around 1000 teams nationwide on a regular basis. We know that the number has dropped. The last count I heard was just under 700 a couple years ago. In this age of fewer teams, do we really need 40 teams competing at Nationals? Since we're seeing a lot of changes and facing serious financial pressure at every level, maybe it's time to look at scaling back a bit. I have two or three different thoughts on this, but I'm more curious as to what other coaches think.

So leave a comment, and vote in the polls we're adding. Let's hear some feedback on this point.

By the Numbers

2010-04-07T16:38:00.003-05:00

Statistics are kind of like prisoners of war. Torture them long enough, and you can get them to say anything. The problem with most stats is that coaches want to do raw comparisons against other teams, and that doesn't always work. In fact, it almost never does. Why? Because teams quiz different styles and have different strengths. Having said that, here is my analysis of some of my team's stats heading into District Finals.

46-27 This is our team win/loss record this season. 56 of our 73 games have been against teams that quizzed at Nationals last year, so I'm pretty happy with this record. Much more so, since none of my quizzers have ever quizzed at Nationals before. It's not a stretch to say that our schedule is among the toughest in the country, so I'll take 63% and 19 games over .500 at this point.

153.9 Our team's average points per game. Now this is a bit lower than I would normally like, because generally I'm looking for 175-180. There are two reasons I am less concerned with this number. First, as referenced above, my team has played a very hard schedule, so it's natural that our scores would be lower. Second, my team doesn't generally blow the competition away. We are capable of putting up 280, but we tend to play closer games and focus on quizzing under control. That said, we are going to work on improving this number at Districts and Regionals.

84 This is our total number of quiz outs on the season. Out of 73 games, this is lower than we want. To be at our best, it really needs to be an average of 1.5 per game, instead of our current pace of 1.15. Our .38 backward quiz out rate is decent, but I'd be happier if it were .25 or so. We need to be a little more efficient with our questions.

+43.5 Our average margin of victory was convincing, but again could be higher. We win a lot of close games. Another interesting note is that at the Missouri Classic and the River Classic, where the questions were decidedly more difficult than other tournaments, our average margin was better than 60 points per game. This bodes well for Regionals and Nationals, where questions will be challenging.

Numbers are not the end-all and be-all of coaching, but they can definitely yield useful information about your team. When used correctly, stats can help mold your team into who you really want to be. It does take some time to pull these numbers together, but they definitely can help you see where you need to improve.

Final Four Feelings

2010-04-02T21:51:00.000-05:00

I have kept my thoughts on the Final Four changes in BQ to myself, mainly because I’ve been too busy to articulate them fully. I also wanted to make sure I had as many facts as possible, especially about some of the reasons for the changes. Now that I’ve had time to reflect a bit, this is what I think.

The reasons presented for the format change were to “promote Quiz across the nation and generate a level of excitement previously unmatched.” This is an interesting thought, but it assumes that people who aren’t involved in quiz would be attracted to it by being able to watch a championship game. It also at least implies that Nationals, in its current format, is lacking excitement.

My problem with these assumptions is that there doesn’t seem to be any evidence to support them. Programs that last are built by dedicated coaches who love the ministry and work tirelessly to teach young people God’s Word. I’m not going to say that a webcast of a championship game couldn’t help inspire people, but I’m not sure it’s worth changing the way we determine the culmination of months of work from some of the hardest working students in the world.

The idea that Nationals somehow is lacking in excitement in its previous format is also flawed. There have been few years when we had an undefeated champion, and in each case the team that won was without doubt the best team competing. In other years, there have been playoffs for the top places, and hardly a year goes by where the champion is determined before the final couple games. This is a different kind of drama to be sure, but it doesn’t lack for story-value.

More importantly, there are some very good reasons to not make this change. Let’s look at three key ones.

1. It’s been tried before—several times. In the beginning of BQ, this was how championships were decided, and it became clear that round robin quizzing was a better way to determine a national champion. As recently as ’84 and ’85, an attempt was made to revive the bracket system. It was almost universally panned by participants and was thankfully discontinued. Interestingly, many people still look at the results from those years with a raised eyebrow.

2. It fails to address BQ’s core mission. Bible Quiz is about discipleship through memorization of Scripture. One of the key tenants that we teach our quizzers is the quality of consistency. This is why a round robin is superior—it rewards the team that is most consistently good. Not good for one or two games, but the team that wins the most games over the course of three taxing days of quizzing against the best teams in the country.

3. It is not motivated by fairness. This is not to say that it’s unfair, but the change was not made to address a flawed system. Since the 40-team format was introduced at Nationals, only once has the champion been separated from the 4th place team by fewer than three games. In all of these cases, the teams played each other once in a round robin, and after 19 games, a champion was crowned based on who won the most games. In cases of ties, they were broken by a playoff. To essentially declare a 4-way tie between the top four teams fails to address the fact that one team won more games than the others.

The final thought on this issue is that it clearly violates the rules that were established at the beginning of the season. From page 54 of the Rulebook, here are the relevant passages:

For ties in official competition (League, District, Regional, or National Finals) the following tie breakers will be used.

3. If four teams are tied:
a. The four teams will be ranked by points scored (the first ranked team is the team with the most points).
b. The first ranked team will play the fourth ranked team in one room and the second ranked team will play the third ranked team in another room. Teams will compete over the same set of questions for each round.
c. The winners from the first playoff round will move on to play each other to determine the first and second place positions.
d. The losing teams from the first playoff round will move on to play each other to determine the third and fourth place positions.

At National Finals, should one team go undefeated, the undefeated team will be declared the National champions, regardless of the win/loss records or points of the other teams.

The Final Four change basically declares a four-way tie between the top four teams and then forces them to playoff for first place. Also, the Final Four doesn’t take into account what happens if there is a tie for the 4th spot, as has happened at least three times in the past 10 years.

I’m not organizing any protests or calling anyone names, and I’m certainly not questioning the motives or intentions of leadership. I believe that they want what’s best for quiz. I do, however, believe that this particular change is misguided.

News and Notes

2010-03-27T21:38:00.002-05:00

A few notes as we head into the "real" quiz season:

-Send your District results in to biblequiz@me.com and we'll post them on the website. We're looking forward to seeing how everyone does.

-There are some changes to the competition structure at Nationals. The top four teams in Championship after the round robin will be seeded into a "final four" bracket to be played Thursday morning of Nationals. The champion will be determined from this.

-Posting here will be light for awhile as I prepare my team for official competition. I'll check in from time to time, but won't be posting frequently for the immediate future.

Owasso Xtreme Tournament

2010-03-19T22:29:00.001-05:00

We will be streaming live from the Owasso Xtreme Tournament on Saturday, March 20. Go to www.biblequiz.com to watch.

Playoff Pressure

2010-03-18T15:55:00.003-05:00

There will be a time and place for me to talk about my feelings on some of the recent news from the BQ world, but this is not it. Instead, I want to post about how to quiz in playoff games under pressure. When I quizzed we had many playoff games, as nearly every tournament would have playoffs to decide winners. As Joey has noted elsewhere, I loved quizzing in front of a crowd, and Todd Katter and I used to really enjoy putting on a show. Funnily, while we won most of these games, the few losses are the ones that really stick out in my head.

Here are a few ways to master the pressure and keep your team on track:

-Break the game down. Sometimes I like to divide it into five-question chunks. Instead of trying to win the whole game at once, we try to win each "quarter" of the game. It gives quizzers a shorter term goal to focus on and helps keep things more manageable.

-Don't miss questions. This is good advice for every game, but especially in playoffs. If you turn questions over and give away easy points, you are going to lose. If you're going to get killed, there's no reason to dig your own grave.

-Try to manage the tempo. If your team is better in fast games without stoppage, then keep things moving. If you're better off slowing things down or messing with the other team's timing, then find ways to break the action up. The goal is to make your team more comfortable and the other team less so.

-Coach calmly. The more intense you are, the more likely your team is to tense up and get nervous. Make a conscious effort to keep your emotions in check and offer good strategic coaching to your quizzers.

Pressure situations can help your team improve and can create some fantastic memories. They can also lay the groundwork for years of future therapy bills. The trick is to do the best you can, quiz the questions, and try to have fun with it. Quiz is, after all, a game, and games are supposed to be fun.

Contesting Tips

2010-03-14T16:49:00.003-05:00

It's tough to present a quality contest, but there are ways to make it easier on yourself. Here are five quick tips for making your contests count:

1. Pick your spots. Don't contest everything. I tell my kids to not be shy about calling a contest, but we aren't shy about withdrawing them either. My percentage of accepted contests (not counting withdrawn ones) is about 85% this year, and that's pretty good. The reason is because we're pretty picky, and only try to bring up quality contests.

2. Know the rules. I've talked about this before. If you know the rules, you can cut down on poor contests and give your team the best chance to win. I recommend going over the rules once again in detail before District Finals. Try to make sure you have a good understanding, especially of the rules in Section 5 on question and answer requirements.

3. Present similar verses. Many times a contest will come down to how a word or phrase is used in an answer. If you can find another verse in the text that supports your point, it can help you win a contest. As you work with your team on concordance material, a lot of these will come to light. Also, look for those words and phrases in the concordance.

4. Use examples. I like to use analogies and comparisons to make my point. Often, being funny can help as well, as it breaks tension. I've used examples of supermodels, food, and sports to support my ideas. The rules can be somewhat abstract, so it helps to relate to something familiar for the officials.

5. Keep it brief. Just because the rules give you three minutes doesn't mean you have to use all the time. Make your point and shut your mouth. Repeating the same thing 50 times is not likely to win you favor with the officials, and it just slows the tempo of the game. Brevity is valued by most officials.

These are my five contesting tips. Do you have anything you would add to the list? Leave a comment.