Sycamore High School's Academic Quiz Team held its first practice of the year on Oct. 5, beginning months of preparation before Greater Miami Conference matches start in January.
Members meet Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 2:20 to 3:30 p.m. to run simulated matches, with Fridays reserved for buzzer drills, The Leaf, the school's student newspaper, reported. Players race to buzz in first and answer questions spanning science, history, sports and literature.
Coach Gerald Helsinger said the format demands more than book knowledge. "What a lot of people do not realize is that … you have to incorporate not only intelligence but composure and speed," he told The Leaf.
Co-captain Emma Leong, a senior, said the team welcomes newcomers at any experience level. JV member Kavya Agrawal, a junior, described the group as a close community.
The season runs through February. Match dates had not been posted to the Sycamore athletics schedule as of Oct. 15.
