11. Closing
There is a lot to involved in coaching: keeping score, mentally adding up points,
figuring out possible outcomes, watching your quizzers for signs of stress and
watching the other quizzers for jumping speed, all while the quiz progresses,
changing rapidly. Coaching takes a lot of work. Coaching takes practice. Strategy
takes practice. Strategies can’t be taught all at once. Other coaches are a great
resource, talk with them!
Western Canadian District Bible Quizzing
Both our wonderful District Coordinator and our very knowledgeable Registrar
have a wealth of information to help you. They will also know of some
individuals in your area that may have more, or different, ideas to help you in
whatever areas you need. Our website is continually being updated with new
information, be sure to check back often.
• [email protected]
• [email protected]
• www.wcdquizzing.org
Coaching Information
Information, strategies and tips to help coaches
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Table of Contents
1. Overview
2. Scorekeeping
2.1. Correct Answers
2.2. Errors
2.3. Team Jumping Bonuses
2.4. Fouls
2.5. Challenges
2.6. Multiple Person Bonuses
2.7. Overtime
3. Tournament Talk
4. Question Count for Legal Quizzes
5. Syllable Tracking
6. Time-outs
7. Strategy
8. Tournament Organization
9. Strategic Team Procedures
9.1. Team Jumping Bonuses
9.2. Challenging
10.Each Individual
11.Closing
10. Each Individual
Possibly the most important thing a coach can do is encourage and guide their
team, to help them grow and preform to the best of their ability. You will need
many of the skills previously mentioned to know how to effectively work with
your team and encourage them.
Tip: each quizzer responds to encouragement and pressure in a
unique way. Get to know your quizzers so that you can build them up.
Quizzing can be stressful and stress can make it difficult to quiz well. Stress can
come from normal quizzing, pressure to jump, pressure to quiz out, from
receiving an error or because of the competition and stakes (finals are generally
more stressful than prelims). A coach should know their quizzers well, to know
how pressure affects them, they should also watch for miniscule signs of stress
and call time-outs to help relieve pressure and guide the quizzers. Simply calling
a time-out just to dance around and goof off may help to relieve tension. You
might need to encourage a quizzer who made an error that that they did their
best and tried. You will also need to know how to best influence each quizzer to
jump faster or slower, depending on what is needed. Encourage each quizzer to
do their best, using the manner of encouragement best for them.
To do this, the coach must know how pressures affect them. One coach had a
quizzer that stated they hated it when the coach put pressure on them to jump.
However, that same coach noticed the only time this quizzer jumped was on
question 20, when the coach had said that they would lose the quiz if the
quizzer didn’t get a jump for a third person bonus. The quizzer said they hated
being pressured, but the coach realized that they preformed well under
pressure and needed the push. Another quizzer, on the same team actually,
quizzed out in almost every quiz during the tournament. But then during the
eliminations, when the team either had to be 1st, or get eliminated, this quizzer
would error out. After a couple tournaments with the same pattern, the coach
recognized that the pressure of needing to win, rather than having a second
chance, caused this quizzer to become stressed, jump too fast and error. A
quizzer’s mental state can make all the difference in their jumping, thought
process and answer. Know your quizzers to deal with them and harness their
energy in the way suited for them.
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9. Strategic Team Procedures
1. Overview
A further strategy you may wish to utilize is to have specific team procedures
for certain events. Not only will this give quizzers confidence as there is a set
rule to follow, but it can also improve team relationships.
A coach’s main jobs are strategy and encouragement. Strategy requires keeping
score to know what questions types are left and how many points are between
teams, to plan the best route to success. Encouragement is accomplished by
knowing the quizzers and how to meet each quizzer’s needs.
9.1 Team Jumping Bonuses
Errors on a team jumping bonus never count against the team, but there are
some steps you can take to ensure that they count for your team. A helpful idea
is to guarantee that your team sits for the entire question. Make it your team’s
standard routine to eliminate pre-jumps on bonuses by having the team sit
back on their seats, with their hands on their knees. This also gives you a visual
cue that they realize it is a bonus. Quizzers have five seconds to jump after the
question is finished, so to further your chances, you may recommend that
everyone thinks about the answer, to be sure of it, for one second. If they are
100% sure of the answer by the second moment, they can jump, otherwise stay
sitting. On the third second, if they are reasonably sure of the answer, and it is
their specialty question type, they can jump. By the fourth second, if no one
else has jumped, the team captain (who generally knows the most) takes it.
9.2 Challenging
Another thing to consider is who brings challenges and when. Both the captain
and co-captain are allowed to challenge, so having a procedure for why they
challenge, who initiates challenges and who responds to them, will avoid
uncertainty and the possibility of communication between team members,
which is punishable by a foul. One obvious rule is that anyone who challenges
must have read the Rulebook, been trained in challenging and know a
significant portion of the text. If your captain and co-captain both specialize in
different types of questions, you may recommend that they challenge and
respond to challenges within their specialty. A reference quizzer will know how
references work to challenge on those, and will also know the verses well
enough to challenge on quote questions. An interrogative quizzer will be more
in tune to key words and phrases to challenge on MA or INT questions. In what
instances does your team feel it is fair and beneficial to challenge? Do they
challenge to get more points, or because something is unfair, even if that
means challenging against a teammate? Some quizzers feel very strongly that
they should challenge to make things fair, even if it is against their team, but
others don’t and this can cause conflict on a team.
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2. Scorekeeping
A coach must be able to keep score without difficulty, so that they can quickly
adjust their tactic to the ongoing quiz. A coach’s accurate records also help
verify the Scorekeeper’s calculations. The basics of keeping the team’s score are
outlined on the following pages. Please refer to the Rulebook for more details.
Please be aware that team score and a quizzer’s individual score are different.
Team score is tallied during the quiz. A quizzer’s individual score is the sum of
their right and wrong answers at the end of the quiz, minus their one free error.
Team bonus points, including both team jumping bonuses and multiple person
bonuses, are not included in a quizzer’s individual score. If you have further
questions about this, please ask Glenn or Julie Brooks: [email protected].
Score sheets designed for official use at the table have space to record when
the quiz took place, in what room, who the Quiz Master was and who the
Scorekeeper was, along with other factors about the quiz. Those crafted for
coaches have room to record jumping speed, reasons for errors and other
ongoing factors, they may also include reminders about scorekeeping and
question types. Electronic scoresheets are also available; download the latest
version at https://quizforchrist.wordpress.com/score-sheet/.
There are 20 questions in a regular three-team quiz. Please see the Rulebook
for details about other quiz types. Each team starts the quiz with 20 points, if
all members of the team are on time.
2.1 Correct Answers
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Each correct answer awards the individual, and thus the team, 20 points.
Each quizzer may only answer four questions correctly, after which time
they “quiz out”. This is a good thing, and should promote teamwork.
▪ When a quizzer quizzes out without any errors, they are awarded 10
bonus points. These additional 10 points are for individual score (and
thus team score), are added to the 20 points for each regular question
and are marked as 30 points.
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2.2 Errors
Strategy cont.
Generally, each error deducts 10 points from the score, but there are a few
irregularities about when errors count.
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Each team gets two free errors, as long as they are incurred by different
quizzers. Every error after this deducts 10 points.
▪ In other words, the first two quizzers to answer incorrectly get one free
team error each.
Each individual may only get three errors, after which they “error out”.
This is a sad thing and the quizzer must step down from the bench for the
remainder of the quiz, including overtime.
The question after an error is a toss up for the other two teams.
An error on a toss up makes the next question a team jumping bonus.
Question 16
▪ Every error after question 16 deducts 10 points, even if it is the team’s
first or second error.
▪ From question 16 and on, all toss ups are sub-question A.
▪ From question 16 onward, team jumping bonuses are sub-question B.
Errors on team jumping bonuses never deduct points.
2.3 Team Jumping Bonuses
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Team jumping bonus questions answered correctly before question 16
earn the team 20 points.
Team jumping bonuses after question 16 only award the team 10 points.
Team bonus question points are not calculated into an individual’s score.
Tip: Always jump on team jumping bonuses.
Wait for the whole question. Give it your best shot!
2.4 Fouls
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10 points are deducted from the team’s score for every three team fouls.
2.5 Challenges
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10 points are deducted from the team’s score for the second challenge a
team makes that is overruled, and every overruled challenge thereafter.
Another example: on question 20, the score is 130 for Red, 120 for White
and your team has 110 on Blue.
▪ In this case, you need to push a quizzer who hasn’t correctly answered
a question yet, to jump, in order to get a multiple person bonus for
third, fourth or fifth quizzer in.
▪ Another way to win is to have a quizzer quiz out with out error and
get 10 bonus points that way.
▪ A third, but risky, way to win is to slow down and allow team Red to
error. Then your team jumps on the toss up and wins. You would need
to accurately gauge both teams to know if this will work.
• Other strategies can be determined by doing math then figuring out
possible outcomes and weighing the risks to decide the best choice.
• Combine some of the ideas previously outlined to create new strategies.
8. Tournament Organization
Each WCD district tournament starts with three preliminary quizzes for every
team. The team’s placement and scores are used to create team points for each
quiz; see the Rulebook for details. The sum of points after the three prelims
determine the team’s preliminary placement. The top teams automatically go
into the Championship bracket. The bottom teams automatically go into the
Consolation bracket. The middle teams quiz in the W, X, Y and Z quizzes, to
determine their brackets. Generally, a whiteboard is updated with the team’s
points and ranking. The remaining quizzes in the eliminations section are
determined by placement. The tournament schedule shows how teams
advance, based on placement.
In a sense your strategy, to get as many points as possible, remains the same in
both prelims and eliminations, yet, the extent you are willing to risk errors
changes slightly. For example, the score may be 200 for you on Red, 100 for
White and 90 for Blue. In the prelims, you want as many points as possible and
might jump competitively, even risking an error, to try and get a better score so
that your team gets more points. If this was an eliminations quiz, there is no
chance of the other teams passing you, so you may slow down to reduce your
chances of an error and let the other teams compete for their positions. Also
note that in similar situations when the score is close and your team’s
placement is solidified, it is courteous to sit back to allow the other teams to
break a close score without overtime. Strategy involves so many factors!
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7. Strategy
2.6 Multiple Person Bonuses
Strategizing can happen before a quiz, but will need to be adjusted during timeouts. Some strategies include:
• Always jump your speed, but refine and adjust to the quiz.
▪ If they are pre-jumping and getting errors, slow them down.
▪ If they aren’t getting many jumps, recommend they speed up.
(A specific word or syllable number to jump on will give them a goal.)
• Tell the team how many free errors are left.
If multiple teammates correctly answer a question, the team gets a bonus.
• When the third quizzer answers a question correctly, 10 bonus points are
added to the team’s score.
• When the fourth quizzer answers a question correctly, another 10 bonus
points are awarded.
• When the fifth quizzer answers a question correctly, yet another 10 bonus
points are earned.
• Each bonus only occurs once per quiz, on the first question which the
additional quizzer answers correctly.
• Normal questions and toss up questions qualify for multiple person
bonuses. Team jumping bonus questions do not qualify.
• Multiple person bonus points are not calculated into the individual’s score.
• Multiple person bonuses are marked on the score sheet as 20+10.
Tip: don’t be afraid to use your free errors; they are free!
Free errors can also encourage hesitant jumpers to take a risk.
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Let quizzers know how many of each question type are left.
▪ Towards the end of a quiz, you will know which questions need to be
included (see item 4 on question count).
▪ This will encourage specific quizzers and strategically plan who jumps
on which questions. Try combining this idea with the two ideas below.
Get specific quizzer(s) to jump, in order to get multiple person bonuses.
Sometimes those extra 10 points make all the difference!
Encourage a specific quizzer to answer, in order to get a bonus for quizzing
out without error.
▪ Both preceding scenarios may involve slowing others down, to give
their teammates the best chance to gain a bonus to help the team.
Sub quizzers in or out for multiple person bonuses.
Sub quizzers according to remaining question types.
Tell quizzers the score, so they can know if a specific placement is possible.
Also, help them work out the possible outcomes.
▪ On question 20, the score is 120 for Red, 80 for White and you have
70 on Blue. You know you can’t get 1st, but can get 2nd. In this type of
situation, your team has three options.
• Sit and have no chance of getting a question right to gain 20 or 30
points.
• Jump and get it wrong, in which case you will lose 10 points, but
will still be 3rd and will not have lost your ranking.
• Jump and get it right, in which case you will get 2nd.
▪ You have nothing to lose, so encourage your team to jump very
quickly and at least give it a shot.
Please note that in this case, “third”, “fourth” and “fifth” refer to the order in
which the quizzers correctly answered questions, not their seat order nor
when they jumped. Also, note that there are no “multiple person bonuses” for
the first or second quizzers to answer correctly.
2.7 Overtime
To an extent, overtime follows the same scorekeeping rules as normal quizzing.
Correct answers still add 20 points to a team’s score. Errors, as they are after
question 16, subtract 10 points from the team’s score. However, when one
team errors in a two-team overtime, the next question is question A, which is a
bonus. The bonus is still worth 10 points.
A team may achieve multiple person bonuses during overtime. A quizzer may
quiz out or error out during overtime; normal rules apply for either remaining
seated until a team jumping bonus occurs or leaving the platform, respectively.
Quizzers who have quizzed out during the normal quiz do not get “reinstated”
for overtime; they may still answer team jumping bonuses. The overtime
questions are purely used to break a tie during eliminations. None of the points
achieved in overtime count for an individual’s personal average, although they
make a quizzer either quiz out or error out. If the tie is not broken after three
questions, additional sets of three questions will be added until the tie is
broken.
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3. Tournament Talk
4. Question Count for Legal Quizzes
At the beginning of each tournament, it is wise to have a meeting with the team
you are coaching. Discuss what your goals are as a team and each individual’s
goals. Avoid vague objectives, such as “I want to do well.” Make the targets
measurable. Do they want to quiz out in three of their quizzes? Do they want to
get an answer correct in every quiz? Do they want at least one jump in the
whole tournament? Each individual is different and will have different abilities
and goals. Together figure out the best way to achieve the aspirations. Be
content with who each individual is, yet always push them to be better.
Each quiz must have a specific number of each question type. To ensure that
the quiz is legal, coaches and scorekeepers should track the questions, to know
how many of each type have been used. A legal quiz consists of:
Discuss what factors are important to focus on as a team and for each
individual. Perhaps the team had many errors at the last tournament because
of jumping too fast. In that case, remind them to jump with control. Maybe
some team members got errors because they spat out the wrong answer to a
question they actually knew. Remind them to count to three and take a breath
before answering. Perhaps a few quizzers need to be pushed to jump faster, so
they can get more questions. Find solutions to the issues hindering your team.
Look at your schedule to see which teams you are playing. Consider your team’s
strengths and weaknesses. Figure out the best strategy for each of the three
preliminary quizzes, based on who you are competing against.
Make sure the team members know who the captain and co-captain are.
Remind them of any rules that are important or they frequently confuse. You
can also give them reminders about your team’s procedures for taking team
jumping bonus questions, challenging and more (see item 9).
Team meetings are also great times to remind them to drink water. Water is
essential to a great performance. One coach rewards his quizzers with a juice
box or a small chocolate bar for every 500 ml of water they drink.
Tip: you could have rewards for things such as getting jumps,
achieving a quiz out, or even erroring out.
Ask members of your team to arrive at the quiz room several minutes prior to
their quiz. They should listen to the Quiz Master to get used to their cadence
and style. It also helps the team get mentally focused on quizzing and prevents
any frantic last minute searches for a quizzer who isn’t in the room. Have a
prayer time and discuss goals, strategy and reminders for this specific quiz.
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8-12 Interrogative questions
2-7 Multiple Answer questions (can be MA, CRMA or CVRMA)
3-5 Reference questions (can be CR, CVR, CRMA, or CVRMA)
2-3 Finish questions (can be FTV, F2V, FT or FTN)
1-2 Quote questions (can be Q or Q2)
2-4 Situation questions (during years that Sits are used)
Note that CVRMA and CRMA questions count as both a REF and a MA question.
Some score sheets have a question tracker as a reminder of how many of each
type there should be. Towards the end of a quiz, if you have correctly tracked
questions, you will be able to predict what types are coming and inform your
quizzers to plan a strategy that works with their favorite question type.
5. Syllable Tracking
A coach may also want to track syllables or other factors. If you record the
number of syllables before a quizzer jumps, it can help your team know how to
adjust their jumping speed. If the quizzers have been trained at practice to
adjust their speed to a specific syllable count, they will be able to adjust to this
specific quiz’s speed. Counting syllables eliminates vague terms of “faster” or
“slower” and gives a consistent and measurable jumping speed.
You could also record the words of each question, the reference, the reason for
an error or if the question started with a dreaded “W” (ask an experience coach
or quizzer to explain what jumping on a “W” means). Use the notes to adjust
your practices to strengthen the weakest factors of the team’s quizzing.
6. Time-outs
Each team is allowed two one-minute time-outs during a single quiz. Before the
quiz started, you may have already set and informed your quizzers of the
strategy for this quiz. You can adjust strategy during time-outs, encourage the
quizzers and help them deal with the pressures of the quiz. Only the coach or
acting captain may call a time-out. Only one time-out can be after question 18.
Don’t be afraid to use both time-outs before question 18, but remember that
you may want to some a time-out to strategize later, possibly during overtime.
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