Missouri Quizbowl Alliance

Missouri Quizbowl Alliance (MOQBA) is an organization that promotes the proliferation of good quizbowl in the state of Missouri.

Formation (2008-2009)

MOQBA was founded in September 2008 to unify the efforts of good quizbowl advocates in and near Missouri to improve Missouri quizbowl. The organization was publicly announced on October 31, 2008.

High school quizbowl in Missouri has not kept up with the national trend; questions are still mostly one-liners and generally written poorly. Additionally, restrictions imposed by MSHSAA significantly limit teams from becoming part of the national circuit.

MOQBA's objective is to finally advance the status of quizbowl in Missouri. In its first year, MOQBA has focused on increasing awareness of good quizbowl formats and promoting tournaments that adhere to the principles of good quizbowl.

MOQBA certified six tournaments in the 2008-2009 season: the Missouri Fall Academic Tournament, Missouri S&T Fall Tournament, Tiger Bowl, WUHSAC XI, the NAQT Missouri Qualifier, and the Missouri S&T Spring Tournament.

2009-2010

In the 2009-2010 season, the number of MOQBA certified events doubled, adding a Kansas City area mirror of the Dunbar Academic Fall Tournament at Liberty, a third tournament at Missouri-Columbia, two tournaments at Missouri State, and St. Louis area tournaments at Parkway Central and Villa Duchesne. Additionally, MOQBA helped to organize a mirror of the 2009 Fall Novice set at North Kansas City. The 2010 NAQT Missouri Qualifier was the first tournament formally hosted by MOQBA, on March 20 at the University of Missouri-Columbia.

MOQBA hosted the MOQBA Pre-Nationals Tournament a week before HSNCT; unfortunately, due to the organization's understanding of a new MSHSAA rule at the time the tournament was planned and announced, participation by Missouri teams was limited to those that had qualified for a national tournament during the regular season. It was discovered in the weeks before the tournament that the applicable rule (Section 4-C of the 2009-2010 Academic Competition Manual) appears to allow any team to participate in a single non-MSHSAA-hosted tournament between Districts and Memorial Day weekend [1], so future iterations of the tournament may not have this restriction.

MOQBA sponsored Missouri's team at the 2010 NASAT, which consisted of Sabrina Fritz, Grant Gates, Ikshu Neithalath, and Nick Rupel, and was coached by Paul Nelson. The team finished 12th of 16 teams with a record of 5-11.

Throughout this season, MOQBA emphasized increased Missouri participation at HSNCT and NSC through its website, a national bids thread on the Missouri Academic Competition Message Board recognizing teams that qualified for these tournaments, and increased exposure at MOQBA certified events. Thirteen Missouri teams attended the 2010 HSNCT, while Holden was the only Missouri representative at NSC.

Members

• Jeffrey Hill, President & Webmaster
• Alex Dzurick, Secretary
• Matt Chadbourne
• Charles Dees
• Spencer Fish
• Phil George
• Charles Hang
• Jason Loy
• Paul Nelson
• Sean Phillips

Website

Missouri Quizbowl Alliance