The New Haven Scholar Bowl teams are starting another season off right. Returning scholars, as well as the newer athletes, have their hopes set high this year-- everyone is hoping to meet the standards last year’s members left.
Dalton Gerdes, senior, said, “[The varsity team] looks good coming into the season.”
Kallie Stubblefield made a similar comment about both teams this year. “The season is going pretty well so far, but there is always room for improvement.”
Many of the newer teammates just started this year. Cece Malone commented, “...We have a lot of new players, so we're really trying to adapt to that. We don't really have that many Varsity players so that's a real challenge. But I think we'll get through it!”
Freshman Alyssa Sidwell also had something to say about this season. She stated, “This season has been fun and I think we are improving.”
The varsity team this year at Washington placed 27th out of 48 teams. The varsity team finished with a record of 5-4.
Mr. Pruessner, coach since 2010, voiced his opinion on how the Washington tournament went. He commented, “Overall, I was very happy with how they did. We beat several much larger schools, including Pacific, Parkway North, and Oakville. In addition, we were very close to how we finished last year and finished one place behind Hermann, one of our main competitors in the Four Rivers Conference. I hope that is a good sign for the rest of the season.”
Mr. Pruessner had this to say about an earlier tournament: “At the Hermann tournament, we were actually able to play two separate teams. It was the first tournament for all but one of our nine players that day, and I think it was a good learning experience for everyone.”
He continued: “Even though the freshmen team didn't win any games, they had some close ones against more experienced players. It was a good start, and I know if we study and continue to work, we'll be where we need to be.”
Mr. Pruessner went on to say, “The sophomore team was able to win 3 games, led by John Hughes. He also placed third individually among all players, earning himself a medal. It was definitely a group effort for both teams though, and it was good to see everyone contribute.”
Whether they like history, literature, math, science, etc., these scholars have enjoyed their time participating in the meets.
“I love Scholar Bowl! Personally, I believe that joining the team has made me a more reliable, responsible, and leaderly person,” Kallie commented.
Vanessa Vallejo, junior, said, “[Scholar Bowl] is fun and is a great experience. It also looks good on college applications.”
“I love Scholar Bowl,” said Cece. “It's one of the few activities that I enjoy that's a part of the school. Mainly because I can excel at it!”
Kallie and Cece both recommended that students reach out and join the Scholar Bowl team in later seasons.
Cece said, “You don't have to be at the top of the class to be in Scholar Bowl. It's for everyone, really.”
Kallie added, “Scholar Bowl is honestly a lot of fun! People usually don't join though, because they think they're not smart enough. I can tell you from experience that this just isn't true! Scholar Bowl covers a vast amount of subjects, and you learn a lot from your time on the team. Just like in sports, you get better as you gain more experience and knowledge. Don't be afraid to join Scholar Bowl!”
According to these athletes, Scholar Bowl is a great activity that opens opportunities for students who want an alternative sport to participate in. The Shamrocks are just getting started and will be sure to dominate the rest of the season.