When “competitive”, “team”, and “tournament” show up in the same sentence as “Saint Viator”, it’s typically the sports teams that are being recognized, but what about the other teams? The ones that sneak by, often unnoticed? Well one of those teams is the Scholastic Bowl team. With a varsity and junior varsity squad, this club faces several competitions each year, hosts middle school tournaments, and grows in knowledge about every topic from sports to government to geography to literature to pop culture.
Coached by English teacher Ms. Jamey Miller, the team features 24 students, ranging from grades nine through twelve. The freshmen and sophomores make up the junior varsity team and the juniors and seniors make up the varsity team. The team meets one to two times a week, practicing toss-ups and bonuses, as well as just working as a team.
Scholastic bowl is a well known competition nationwide, but at Saint Viator it would not be possible without the coach and captains. Ms. Miller has been with the program for six seasons. Her dedication has shown over the years, ultimately culminating in many wins and growth experiences for her team.
“While we may not always win at tournaments, the players have a lot of fun,” says Miller. “Most of my players are heavily involved in sports, theater, Viator Voice, and other activities around school, so they are…making the most of their high school experience.”
Any dedicated coach pushes their players to perform their best, and Ms. Miller is no exception.
“What I love about scholastic bowl is that Ms. Miller expects the most out of me, just like any other coach I have,” says junior Alexis Horn. “She creates a fun, competitive environment.”
Alongside coach Ms. Miller are three senior captains, PJ McLeod, Bridget Martin, and Grace Stauder. Being captain is an important part of keeping the team running smoothly.
“We take attendance during practice, volunteer in tournaments at Viator, and organize parties,” says Martin.
So far this year, the Scholastic Bowl team has played in a few tournaments, starting off at Barrington where they finished with a record of 5-3.
“The competition, especially against the public schools, has always been a challenge,” says Miller, “so we definitely do our best, and we have a ton of fun in the process.”
Next up for the team is the regional competition where they will face off against Glenbrook South in a one round elimination tournament.
