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PACE NSC 2007 preliminary announcement

Posted: Thu Aug 10, 2006 9:46 pm
by First Chairman
The Partnership for Academic Competition Excellence announces its intention to run the 2007 National Scholastics Championship on June 16-17 at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

We are in the process of gauging the hotel situation. We are aware it may coincide with a big race weekend, so we are checking on the feasibility and deadlines to securing hotel rooms for the event.

It is also our intention to run the 2008 NSC in the Washington DC metro area.

Posted: Fri Aug 11, 2006 12:12 pm
by quizbowllee
Does Ann Arbor have a major airport? I tried looking at flights into Ann Arbor, but there were none, though there is an Ann Arbor Municipal Airport. What airport would you suggest?

This is all assuming we'll be able to attend this year. Ann Arbor might be out of our reach...

Posted: Fri Aug 11, 2006 12:31 pm
by sabine01
Hello, Lee!

Detroit (Metropolitan/Wayne) is ~ 30 miles to the east of Ann Arbor. It's is the closest major airport to Ann Arbor and the airport I often go in and out of when heading to Michigan.

Any other suggestions from the peanut gallery?

Best,
Tricia

Field size

Posted: Fri Aug 11, 2006 1:08 pm
by bigtrain
"Hosting PACE in such active regions as Michigan and then "Washimore" may necessitate an increase in the field size."

We'll see about increasing field size if it becomes a consistent problem. We have never reached our upper limit of 48 yet. And before we think about the field size, we'd have to make sure we had the staff to go along with it. Can't go faster than our logistics allows.

Posted: Fri Aug 11, 2006 2:09 pm
by alkrav112
This could be helpful:

http://www.umich.edu/~info/inside.html? ... ation.html

Detroit-Metro Airport is probably the best way to fly into Ann Arbor.

Looking forward to hosting such a prestigious event and seeing all sorts of talented teams!

Posted: Fri Aug 11, 2006 4:11 pm
by David Riley
Yes, make sure you don't fly into the Detroit city airport.

Posted: Fri Aug 11, 2006 4:43 pm
by sabine01
bigtrain wrote:"Hosting PACE in such active regions as Michigan and then "Washimore" may necessitate an increase in the field size."
Whoever quipped that (if not Bigtrain -- I make this designation because of the quotes...):

Remember that PACE has hosted the NSC in Balt./Wash. twice before: GWU in 2002 and Maryland in 2004. Neither of those NSCs reached our current upper threshold of 48 teams...

We'll see what happens, and I take it we'll adjust if necessary.

~TS~
not speaking officially

Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2006 5:00 am
by Sen. Estes Kefauver (D-TN)
Will there be a list somewhere of all the PACE qualifying tournaments when all of that is worked out?
Also, if we or any other Missouri team happen to qualify in a tournament, is there a way you can reserve a wild-card slot for us because we aren't allowed to use the automatic qualifier?

Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2006 8:54 am
by First Chairman
I'm working on such a list (for the first time in a while since I've done it), though. I do have a lot of work so it may just be easier to have people post their tournaments in a separate thread.

I know it's lazy of me to do this, but it is better than have everyone wait with baited breath. Besides, I also know how busy I am going to be in the next month (and trying to update the PACE website too).

If you are hosting a PACE-networked tournament this year, please post on the appropriate thread.

Posted: Thu Nov 02, 2006 11:41 am
by quizbowllee
I don't suppose that PACE might move the tournament up a week or two in response to NAQT's May date so as to keep the tournament from falling on Father's Day... With a newborn due in April, this is probably a deal breaker for us this year. I'm all about quiz bowl, but family comes first.

Posted: Sun Nov 05, 2006 11:29 am
by First Chairman
Well, family does come first, so I'm sure we'll understand about that.

There are other considerations we take into account when it comes to scheduling the NSC, but I don't think we can move our announced dates up a couple of weeks without clearing it with Michigan, our writing timelines, and our own vacation schedules.

Posted: Sun Nov 05, 2006 7:22 pm
by jbarnes112358
Moving the date would certainly make my life less complicated due to our graduation. Please consider it. I know you have made the announcement, but if there are no objections...

Posted: Tue Nov 07, 2006 12:55 pm
by First Chairman
I'll check with Michigan to see about moving the date up. I can certainly understand the need to attend graduations, but then again, someone's graduation hits on a weekend in June.

Posted: Tue Nov 07, 2006 12:56 pm
by quizbowllee
E.T. Chuck wrote:I'll check with Michigan to see about moving the date up. I can certainly understand the need to attend graduations, but then again, someone's graduation hits on a weekend in June.
If you move this date up, I will send you a bouqet of flowers.

Posted: Tue Nov 07, 2006 1:01 pm
by Magister Ludi
Gonzaga's graduation is on the first weekend in June. I think whatever weekend you choose in June there will be conflicts with some school's graduation.

Posted: Tue Nov 07, 2006 1:42 pm
by quizbowllee
I'm for the 2nd weekend. Not all graduations can be avoided, but Father's Day certainly is. I know I'm harping on this a lot, but like I said, if PACE always has the tournament on Father's Day weekend, that will keep me from coming until my kid is on the team...

Posted: Tue Nov 14, 2006 11:40 am
by jbarnes112358
I would also vote for the second weekend in June. We have qualified two teams with many seniors. The currently scheduled date may be difficult for us due to our Friday evening graduation ceremonies on June 15. Getting a late flight from RIC to Detroit will be problematic and maybe impossible even.

Are threre any teams out there who have qualified or hope to qualify who have a problem with June 9-10?

Posted: Tue Nov 14, 2006 12:14 pm
by First Chairman
Well, personally I don't mind. I have to use up some of my annual leave days which I may not be able to recycle for the next fiscal year before the June 20s. :)

Posted: Tue Nov 14, 2006 9:28 pm
by jbarnes112358
Well, the first and second weekends of June compete with :chip: . So, does the last weekend in May. But, I highly doubt that anyone thinking of going to PACE would care.

Posted: Wed Nov 15, 2006 8:34 am
by bigmac
I believe that RM's graduation is on or near the second weekend of June.

Posted: Wed Nov 15, 2006 6:54 pm
by jbarnes112358
Richard Montgomery High School graduation:

Thursday, June 7, 2007
7:00 p.m.
DAR Constitution Hall

from link on RM's Website. So, you would still have time for after graduation parties, etc.

Posted: Wed Nov 15, 2006 7:54 pm
by quizbowllee
Also, Panasonic isn't until late June this year.

Posted: Wed Nov 15, 2006 8:06 pm
by bigmac
Richard Montgomery High School graduation:

Thursday, June 7, 2007
7:00 p.m.
DAR Constitution Hall
Yes, but that announcement is a bit premature; the graduation committee and administrators are still discussing that date and time. The alternative proposal is June 10 on Sunday afternoon.

Posted: Thu Dec 21, 2006 9:55 am
by First Chairman
[Sent to the quizbowl and hsqbnet Yahoogroups.]

Congratulations to the teams listed beneath these announcements for qualifying to the 2007 PACE National Scholastics Championship, which will be held at the University of Michigan in June 2007. We intend to hold the tournament on the weekend of June 9-10 rather than our originally announced date of June 16-17 (NASCAR race weekend there), and we hope to have information from our hosts at Michigan sent out in the near future. I am also waiting for our updated website to go up soon.

Acceptances of automatic bids can be declared by email to Dr. Chuck beginning immediately with a preferred due date of April 15, 2007. The entry fee for the tournament has yet to be decided, though with the larger number of anticipated awards for three- and four-year players, we are looking to expand our budget in a way that is not a deterrent to participating teams. We are striving to have a robust and competitive field of 28 to 48 teams.

If your school is not on our Honor Roll, your school can still qualify for the 2007 NSC up until the end of April 2007. Also, because we have changed our automatic bid system, any school that finishes one playoff level below automatic qualification is strongly encouraged to request a wild-card bid. Wild-card bids are being accepted now by Dr. Chuck and I intend to notify you as soon as verification of your results is posted.

In addition, nominations for the 2007 Benjamin Cooper Academic Ambassador Award (http://www.pace-nsc.org/cooper.html) for service to the high school quiz bowl community are being accepted by Tricia Southard.

Have a great holiday season, and again... congratulations to these schools: Any omissions from this list and broken links are unintentional. Any tournament directors who want to affiliate their competitions (including those that have already run in the fall semester) should notify me as soon as possible.

Posted: Thu Dec 21, 2006 7:00 pm
by AKKOLADE
There is no list of teams :(

Posted: Thu Dec 21, 2006 7:28 pm
by Matt Weiner
Here is the master list of qualifiers as of December 21. Follow the link to the "honor roll" in the above post to see the updated list after each affiliated tournament.

Blake (MD)
Bloomington (IL)
Brindlee Mountain (AL) 2 teams
Carbondale (IL)
Cave Spring (VA)
Charter School of Wilmington (DE)
Chattahoochee (GA)
Centennial (MD)
Collegiate (VA)
Eastside (FL)
Episcopal Collegiate (AR)
Georgetown Day (DC)
Gonzaga (DC)
Hunter College HS (NY)
Indian Springs (AL)
Lincoln (FL)
Maggie Walker (VA) 2 teams
Mansfield (CT)
Martin Luther King Magnet (TN) 2 teams
Oak Park River Forest (IL)
Parkview (AR)
Paul Dorman (SC)
Pensacola (FL)
Princess Anne (VA)
Quince Orchard (MD)
Raleigh Charter (NC) 2 teams
Richard Montgomery (MD) 2 teams
State College (PA)
Seton Hall (NJ)
St. Andrew's Episcopal (MS)
St. Mary's (Raleigh NC)
Stuyvesant 2 teams (NY)
Thomas Jefferson (VA) 2 teams
Walt Whitman (MD)
Walter Johnson (MD)
Wheaton North (IL)
Woodson (VA)

Posted: Tue Jan 09, 2007 10:16 pm
by OP_Huskies
eh ... dunno if it makes a difference, but Oak Park/River Forest's graduation is on June 10 ... and since 5 of our top 6 players are on track to be valedictorians and will speak, there's probably no way we can make the 10th.

JB

Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2007 9:24 am
by Sen. Estes Kefauver (D-TN)
A lot of those teams that are listed won't actually go to PACE. They're listed partially for recognition.

Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2007 10:24 am
by First Chairman
Charlie's right: the list is an automatic bid list and for recognition purposes. If you don't use it, oh well. Not everyone who has an automatic bids uses it, which is why we also allow for wildcard bids.

Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 8:16 pm
by olsb25
Where could I find some sample PACE questions? My team is trying to decide whether to go to the NAQT HSNCT or PACE NSC (we only have the money for one), and we only have NAQT-style experience.

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 12:14 am
by First Chairman
Send me an email, and I'll send you questions from our last 8 tournaments. The set from last year only gets released to registrants for this year's tournament in May.

Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 12:52 am
by First Chairman
This is a second call for teams and volunteers.

We are seeking volunteers who are experienced in tossup/bonus format (not necessarily with PACE NSC format) who are willing to help out at the NSC this year. In the past we have tried to compensate travelers for road mileage or air mileage (whichever is less expensive), though the budget depends on the number of teams attending the event. Housing is not guaranteed for reimbursement unless we hit our desired critical number of teams (somewhere between 36-48 teams).

If you would like to volunteer, please email me at your earliest convenience so I can start my list of volunteers. We need everyone who is interested in helping out, whether it is as a reader or a scorekeeper.

Furthermore, this is a call for teams to pre-register their intent to participate at the 2007 NSC. Communications should be sent to both David Bykowski and me for all questions on bids (automatic and at-large). We welcome teams from all geographic parts of the country and strongly encourage participation by students from underprivileged backgrounds.

Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 8:11 pm
by Frater Taciturnus
Any chance of a hotel deal where we get a cheap rate for a certain hotel, and/or are there any REALLY close to the site?