UW Winter Classic (hosted by UW, online!) - 2/10/24

[hayleenw]

Howdy, friends!

The Quizbowl team at the University of Washington is excited to announce our Winter Classic tournament! The tournament will occur on Saturday, February 10th over Discord and Zoom. I, Haylee Weisner, will be the tournament director and I can be contacted at [email protected].

Question Set + Rules
This will be a regular high school tournament using the set IS-227a. There will be 2 divisions, one varsity and one junior varsity. Both divisions will play the same set, however, teams will only play others in their division. There is a soft cap of 12 teams total. Once 12 teams are reached, more teams will be admitted according to our staffing capabilities. If one division does not have enough sign ups, the fields will be merged.

We will be using modified NAQT rules. Rounds will not be timed, they will consist of 20 power-marked tossup/bonus cycles. This tournament in the varsity division is a qualifier for HSNCT & SSNCT.

Eligibility
This tournament is open to all high schools in the "Northwest" region (WA, OR, ID, CO, British Columbia, and Alberta). Middle school players/teams who would like to play should contact the TD ([email protected]) and will be added based on availability.

Teams will be capped at 6 players with 4 players playing at any given time. Schools are welcome to register more than one team.

Date, Time, Location
The tournament will take place on Saturday, February 10th of 2024. A general players' meeting will occur at 8:45am, and play will begin at 9:00am (PST).

Primary communication will occur in the tournament discord (link will be given to registered teams) and play will occur over zoom.

Fees
Base cost: $75
Staffer Discount: -$10 per experienced (i.e., not brand new) staffer with laptop (Staffer may not be a high schooler)
New to quizbowl discount: -$10
Minimum Cost: $0

If cost is a barrier to play, please reach out!

Discounts will be awarded first-come first-served (in regards to staffers). Teams will be notified of their final discount status the Sunday before the tournament (February 4th). Invoices are sent by the Quizbowl team at the UW and should be paid on (or before) Monday, February 12th by PayPal or check/mail. If this is not possible for you for whatever reason, please contact TD ([email protected])

Misconduct
We are committed to making this tournament and quizbowl a safe and welcoming place. To that end, we expect that everyone - players, coaches, and staff, follow the PACE Code of Conduct. If for any reason anyone makes you feel uncomfortable at this tournament, and you would like to report it, you may do so using the Misconduct Reporting Form here. The form is completely anonymous.

Additionally, players are prohibited from using any outside material (such as the internet or notes) during the tournament. Violations of this rule constitute cheating, and players that engage in such behavior (as well as any behavior that violates the code of conduct) will be banned from the tournament. We reserve the right to contact any and all other quiz bowl organizations, as well as school coaches, regarding cheating and/or other violations of the code of conduct.

If you have any further questions regarding the tournament, or regarding quiz bowl in general, feel free to email me ([email protected]).

Registration
Registration is open and you can register via NAQT's website here. Registration will be considered final on the Sunday before the tournament, February 4th. If you would like to register after that date, please contact TD ([email protected]).

Why Virtual?
Quizbowl in the Northwest region is pretty sparse! We want to make sure quizbowl is accessible to as many schools as possible and part of that is offering low cost and low barrier opportunities to play. For schools outside of King County, traveling to UW Seattle campus can be cost prohibitive. Additionally, it is a much lower barrier for entry for new players, as they don't have to commit travel time/cost. We do plan on hosting an in-person tournament in the spring, so keep an eye out for that!

We look forward to seeing you at the tournament!
Haylee Weisner
UW '26