The Carleton College Academic Quiz Team is pleased to announce the sixth annual Carleton Academic Tournament (Snow CAT) to be held on January 31, 2009 on the Carleton College campus. The top finishers will qualify for the NAQT High School National Championship Tournament (HS NCT) to be held in June 2009.
Location:
The tournament will be held in Olin Hall and nearby buildings (depending on the size of the field) on the Carleton campus in Northfield, Minnesota. Maps are available on the college website. The introductory meeting (and check-in) will be in Olin 149. It is recommended that teams park in the lot next to Nourse Hall or on First Street between Winona and Maple.
Schedule:
Teams may check in between 8:15 and 8:45 on Saturday, January 31, in Olin 149. At this time they will pay and receive a copy of the rules (also available online on the NAQT website), a copy of their schedule for the day, and other pertinent information about the tournament. Scratch paper for computation questions will be provided, but pencils will not be.
At 8:45 there will be a short introductory meeting (also in Olin 149) to go over the rules, format, and schedule. Teams are also encouraged to ask questions in advance, over e-mail, to make the meeting go as smoothly as possible.
In the morning each team will play six preliminary rounds, followed by a lunch break. The teams with the best overall records will advance to single-elimination playoff games following lunch. Teams not making the playoffs would be free to depart at lunchtime, if they wish, though they are also invited to stay to watch the playoffs, scrimmage against one another, or explore the campus. The championship final is likely to take place at about 3 pm, following which there will be a brief awards presentation in Olin 149.
Eligibility and Qualification:
This tournament will be run according to NAQT's High School Eligibility Rules. Essentially, all high schools (public, private, magnet, charter, religious, etc.) are eligible to compete in this event and no prior qualification is necessary. Teams from home school collectives are also welcome. If you have a special situation, feel free to
e-mail the eligibility committee in advance for a ruling.
Schools are encouraged to enter multiple teams, but please note that players must play for the same team throughout the tournament.
Staffing:
The tournament will be staffed entirely by current players on the Carleton academic quiz team, alumni/ae, or other quizbowl-experienced staff lined up by the tournament director. Coaches will not be required to assist with the running of the tournament and will be able to watch their team(s) throughout the event.
Format:
The precise format of the tournament will be determined by the number of teams that register, but all participants are guaranteed at least six games.
Registration:
Please e-mail Eric Hillemann if you are interested in registering a team or teams for this tournament.
The base registration fee is $80 per team. There is a $10 discount for a bringing a working lockout system. The registration fee includes one printed copy of the questions used at the tournament. Please note that the questions will not be distributed until the conclusion of the tournament; teams that opt to leave early may pay to have their sets shipped to them.
Teams will pay when they check in at the tournament site. Please make checks out to "Carleton Academic Quiz Team."
Prizes:
The top four teams overall will receive team trophies, and the members of the winning team will receive individual trophies. The top team from a small school (non-selective admission policy and fewer than 500 total students in grades 10-12) will receive a trophy. The top eight individual scorers will receive All-Star awards as will the top freshman and sophomore scorers.
Question Security:
This tournament will use questions provided by National Academic Quiz Tournaments, LLC. We are using Invitational Series #81. It is the responsibility of participating teams to make sure that they have not attended (and do not plan to attend) another tournament anywhere in the country that is using the same packet set. Teams can find explanations of their responsibility in maintaining question security on NAQT's website. Teams can also look up the sets assigned to past and future tournaments. Teams with questions about question security should contact NAQT.
Further Questions:
If you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to contact Eric Hillemann.
