New Quiz Bowl Coach

By Jeffrey Cheng

After accepting the leadership of the CHS Quiz Bowl team, Meg Flach had one thing to say, “Never play me in Trivial Pursuit.  I will destroy you.”

At the end of each year, every club at CHS surrenders its most experienced participants to the process known as graduation.  Last graduation was no exception, and the Quiz Bowl “Grey Matter Hounds” in particular have a heavier burden this year: English teacher Adam Dunsker decided to retire from his position as Quiz Bowl coach.

Senior Carly Beard, who has been involved with Quiz Bowl since freshman year, played a large role in the reorganization of the club this year.  Having had Dunsker as a coach for three years, Beard has mixed feelings about his decision to step down as coach.

“Finding out that Mr. Dunsker had retired from being Quiz Bowl coach was bittersweet,” Beard said. “On one hand, Mr. Dunsker was such a wonderful Quiz Bowl coach; from his never-ending wit to his mad question-reading skills to his “go-with-the-flow” attitude to his references to his college band, hanging out with Mr. Dunsker was a highlight of Quiz Bowl practices and tournaments.  But, on the other hand, I understood that Mr. Dunsker was simply prioritizing his responsibilities and I only think more highly of him for doing so.”

The Quiz Bowl team, renowned for its speed, acted quickly to implement a selective coach selection process.

“We employed the advice of veteran coach Mr. Dunsker and student activities director Mr. Nelke,” Beard said. “Working with Mr. Nelke, we tried to find a CHS teacher or staff member who would not only be willing to dedicate time to weekly practice and weekend tournaments, but who also had a genuine interest in knowledge and a great sense of humor.”

At the end of the process, Educational Technology Intern Meg Flach emerged as a clear choice for the new position.

Her past experience with knowledge-based competitions was one of many positive qualities she exhibited.

“Mr. Nelke approached me with the opportunity because since we’ve started playing three years ago, my team has consistently dominated the Junior Class Trivia Night here at CHS,” Flach said. “I think he wanted me to use my incredible trivia powers for good.”

Although Flach has never been a part of a Quiz Bowl team before, she has had experience as a reader at tournaments.

She is excited about coaching the team and particularly anticipates the team’s improvement over the coming year.

“I’m looking forward to watching students grow as competitors and teammates,” Flach said. “It’s not just about knowledge, it’s also about having a balanced team whose knowledge compliments each other.  I’m excited to see those teams form and succeed.”

Flach is not the only one excited about the new year; the entire team looks forward to testing its academic capabilities.

“The team is hyped to begin a new chapter with Ms, Flach as our sponsor,” Beard said. “Whether an underclassman or an upperclassman, every student with quick recall and a competitive edge should come try out Quiz Bowl.”