WHAT IS IT?

The PCC Brainiacs is the college's official academic quiz team.  You may also hear the team referred to as the Brain Bowl team.  Academic quiz teams compete in head to head play in a team format similar to the Jeopardy TV game show and [for those old enough to remember] the College Bowl TV competition.  Typically, four players compete on a team against another community college or four year college team in one and two day tournaments.  Individual team members "buzz in" to answer toss-up questions.  If correct, then the team can earn extra points by answering bonus questions.  Trophies are awarded to the top teams and to high scorers at the tournament. 

We participate in tournaments which are sanctioned by NAQT and ACF.  We also participate in the Florida Community College Activities Association Brain Bowl tournament series.  Tournaments are held throughout Florida and Georgia during the season (usually September - April).  In the past, we've played in tournaments at the University of Florida, Panama City, Tallahassee, Orlando, West Palm Beach, Bradenton, Avon Park, and Destin.  Tournaments are usually held on Saturday with some tournaments lasting two days.  The team's budget pays for travel expenses and provides each student with a meal allowance.  And, each team member gets an official team T-shirt.

Academic quiz team competitions are fun and provide players opportunities to visit new places, meet new people, and make new friends.  It is a fact as well that competing in academic quiz team competitions and practices leads to improved academic performance overall.  Sometimes, playing can even be lucrative.  Just ask Ken Jennings who holds the record for the most money won on Jeopardy.  Jennings played on his college's academic quiz team.  So, if you enjoy traveling, meeting new people and making new friends, and playing games like Trivial Pursuit or Jeopardy then The PCC Brainiacs may be just your cup of tea.  For more information, contact any of the coaches listed above and below this section.

HOW DO I JOIN?

Easy, just show up at one of the general interest meetings noted above.  You can also contact one of the coaches or just show up at a practice session.  We expect to have space for 6 or 7 players on the team. 

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THE COACHES

	Dorothy Dunlap ddunlap@polk.edu 863-297-1040
	BILL FOEGE bfoege@polk.edu 863-297-1042
	SARAH JOHNSON sarahjohnson@polk.edu 863-297-1040

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PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE

Practically every endeavor in life is enhanced by practice.  It makes sense!  The more you do something, the better you get at it.  The better you get at it, the higher the level of competition.  Thus, if competing to win is important then PRACTICE is the key.  That is why The Brainiacs practice three times per week, once at Lakeland and twice at Winter Haven.  While we don't expect players to make all  practices, we do expect that players will attend at least one practice per week with a minimal number of missed weeks.  Attendance at practices will be one of the criteria for receiving a tuition waiver award.  Players should sign in at practice attended.  Practices are conducted as follows:

Lakeland:  Each Tuesday afternoon at 2:00 @ the library

Winter Haven:  Each Tuesday afternoon at 3:00 PM @ the library

"YOU GOTTA TO KNOW"

Most of the good teams use the "You gotta know" process to improve.  It works like this.  You take a subject that comes up all of the time in competition.  One person on the team takes ownership of that subject and finds out everything there is to know about it and writes up a synopsis for the other team members.  For examples, see http://www.naqt.com/YouGottaKnow/index.html.

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TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE, RESULTS & NEWS

Delta Burke Invitational, Valencia CC, Orlando, November 4-5

Won 3 Lost 8

Sunshine State Invitational and Steve Spurrier Trash Fest, University of Florida, January 13-15

We went, we saw, we semi-conquered.  A 5 win 2 loss record in our division and a strong tournament for us.  BTW, we got bageled the following day in the so-called trash tournament where we went up against some of the most frivolous minds in Florida.  (As academic team coach, I took Saturday and Sunday as a good sign for our team.)

2006 FCCAA Brain Bowl Region 5 Qualifying Tournament, Valencia CC, Orlando, February 4

A fourth place finish in this event means that we stay at home while the regional winners and runner's up (plus the two wildcards) go the the State championship tournament.  This year's State Championship ring goes to our friends at Valencia CC of Orlando.  Congratulations to the champions and coaches at VCC.

NAQT Sectional, Valencia CC, February 11

We went to this one, but I don't have the outcome.

Sun & Fun Invitational, University of South Florida, Tampa, April 1

A fun, but not well attended tournament.  We went 4 and 4 with a fifth place finish overall.  The tournament was won by the University of Florida A team.

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Updated: 10/10/2005
Comments to:  bfoege@polk.edu
© 2004