Teacher and Quiz Bowl Coach

Manning started the stories about

the academic activitiy.

Manning said, “You get a

chance to get that answer quickly

with a buzzer. The subjects that

questions are asked about include

such things as geography and

Greek gods. Many of the team

members are in GT, but that is not

required. These are just very aca-

demically talented students with a

lot of dedication to teamwork and

researching pertinent subjects.”

Manning said the Quiz

Bowlers have specialty subjects

by which they are particularly tal-

ented in answering the questions.

She said they feed off of each

other’s response speed, quick

wits and talents.

Quiz Bowlers can join up as

early as the fourth grade in

Gurdon. The Gurdon crew

received second place in the state

this year, competing in state and

All-State contests.

“Last year we went to nation-

al competition in Florida. This

year we will fly to Atlanta,

Georgia. Excitement is high

among our Quiz Bowl competi-

tors,” she said.

One of the 9th grade girls

offered her Quiz Bowl history.

“I signed up two years ago. I

was in GT but felt awkward and

wanted to make friends. This Quiz

Bowl challenge and the team

work helped me to do that.”

Kyle Radford, a football play-

er and also a Quiz Bowl team

member, said, “I have been

involved in Quiz Bowl for four

years.

“It has given me a real aca-

demic challenge and a sense of

belonging to a team that works

hard to win.

“Being an athlete, you get

that sports image. But this is ‘tally

down.’ Just being in an academic

setting where you get to use what

you know in some enjoyable com-

petition really keeps me going.”

Radford said in addition to

being a quick responder, Quiz

Bowl competition teaches you

how to be enthusiastic but to con-

trol your emotions.

He talked of team members

being coached to give “a lot of

respect.”

Just one team presented a

real victory over Gurdon and was

a big challenge that was noted.

They were from a private school

called Hoss Hog, near

Fayettteville.

Superintendent Allen

Blackwell, who attended the

Rotary meeting to hear the Quiz

Bowler comments, said, “Hoss

Hog is a very competitive bunch

in a lot of areas.”

Coach Manning said Parkers

Chapel also had an excellent

team.

“They were the only other

team that beat us. It was really an

even match. They had a talented

group of boys,” she said.

Quiz Bowler Dacastat

described the contest participation

as being like Family Freud.

He said he enjoys getting to

display what he knows. Math, he

said, is an unpopular category but

doable.

Coach Manning said, “It is

hard whenever you lose, but it is

still fun for the people involved.

“We are very thankful for the

support of our Gurdon School

District and to others who have

helped up with Quiz Bowl.”

The teams are from 4th to

6th grade, 7th to 9th is considered

junior high school and then high

school Quiz Bowlers are in

grades 10 through 12. Saturday

practice starts at 7 a.m. “which

means integrity must go with their

intelligence and competitive spir-

it.”

THE TAILGATE NEWS, southernarkansastailgatenews.com * MARCH 13, 20202

(Continued from page 1)

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Gurdon’s Academically gifted Quiz Bowl team excels

GURDON QUIZ BOWL STAR

- Kyle Radford, Gurdon 9th

grade Quiz Bowl enthusiast and

football player, explained how

the quick wit required in the con-

tests “is just fun and presents

something besides sports to excel

in.” (John Nelson photo)