Menu
Students hone trivia skills via Scholar Bowl squad
While other students are busy engaged in athletic activities, or prepping for the next big Show Choir concert, a small contingent is gathered in the Nevada High media center sharpening their trivia brain via the Scholar Bowl team.
The NHS Scholar Bowl squad has had a rugged start to the season, with a 2-10 overall record, but remains in high spirits.
Paying a visit to the team for Thursday's practice was former Scholar Bowl standout Clara Haverstic, a 2019 Nevada High alum.
Haverstic, who currently attends Cornell College in Iowa, is back in town for Christmas Break.
Haverstic was the defacto coach Thursday, reading questions to the team, while sprinkling in helpful tips to be utilized in actual meets. There was one moment where a couple members of the team got sidetracked, to which Haverstic pointed out that she made the eight-hour drive from Iowa to be there, and expected their full attention.
Haverstic said she has many fond memories from her prep years on the NHS Scholar Bowl team.
"Just had a lot of good, fun joking about answers and questions," Haverstic told the Daily Mail. "The whole team dynamic is really a fun thing to be a part of."
With the team in a rebuilding-mode, Haverstic discussed the biggest challenges to building a successful program.
"You have to find people who are interested," Haverstic began. "Because this is a really niche activity, it's kind of hard to find people who want to be a part of it. Then, once people are a part of it, you actually do have to put in a lot of work."
Haverstic was a key component to Nevada's three-peat district championship teams her sophomore through senior years. Additionally, Haverstic helped NHS to Big 8 Conference championships in 2018 and '19, and a state tournament berth her junior year.
Haverstic also collected individual accolades at the conference and district tournaments. As a senior, Haverstic was the No. 1 ranked conference player, and No. 2 in district.
After gauging the team's acumen, Haverstic provided her thoughts on areas they need to improve upon.
"They need more exposure to content, that's the big thing," she said, adding that frequent reading is helpful. "Just being exposed to the subject can help ingrain stuff in your mind."
Haverstic said her time coaching the team up Thursday was a worthwhile experience.
"It's fun to see them interact," she said. "It's so fun to see a new generation, because you see a lot of the stuff you used to be a part of — it's a little nostalgic. I do miss my old teammates who graduated before me, and with me — and the teammates I left behind here when I graduated."
Summed up Haverstic: "It's a lot of fun. Sometimes you have to learn to enjoy it. But, when you're in the moment, and you're just firing off answers — and you're really living in that fast-paced moment, it's an incredible rush."
Weather pending, the team is set to compete in the Lakeland Invitational over the weekend, and then wraps its Big 8 Conference slate at Springfield Catholic Jan. 13.
First-year head coach Bryan Townsend said confidence is the key to success for his team moving forward.
"If you think know the answer, don't wait," he said. "Because the Scholar Bowl questions are constructed like a pyramid, where they give you a really obscure clue, and the clues get easier until the end. A lot of times the newer kids want to wait, but somebody more experienced has already buzzed in."
Added Townsend: "So, if you're pretty sure you know it, go for it. Developing a killer instinct is the challenge."