The Rockbridge County Academic Team is one of the most successful programs that the school has to offer. Only two years ago, the team won the state championship, which is one of the highest honors that a high school team can accomplish.
As their regular season winds to a close, the team is hoping for another successful run in the postseason.
Senior Jesse Humston is an integral member of the Academic Team. Humston has been on the team since his sophomore year, and is the captain of the A Team this year.
“We are hoping for similar success this year as we have had in the past,” said Humston.
A team as successful as the Rockbridge Academic Team, must hone in on their craft in order to achieve such memorable accomplishments.
Mr. Christopher McGrath is one of the coaches of the team, as well as a Math teacher at RCHS.
“I love this incarnation of the Academic Team,” said McGrath. “It pairs well with this year having a much more competitive district than in the past.”
McGrath spoke about one of his favorite aspects of this year’s season.
“The distribution of questions per each of our members in our matches is great,” said McGrath.
This distribution shows off the team’s well-roundedness and ability to work together to perform at their best.
The Academic Team is a highly competitive atmosphere with multiple different teams, and members switching teams frequently based off of their performance. However, that competition does not make it any less of a team because everyone knows how crucial each member is to their overall success.
People who want to increase their knowledge as well as fuel their cravings for competition thrive on the Academic Team, but competing and being the best is not what it is all about.
Senior Lee Carter is the senior-most member of the Academic Team. Similar to Humston, Carter has been a member since their sophomore year, but joined the team earlier in the year than Humston.
Carter comments on what they love about the team, aside from the competitive aspects.
“From the beginning I was really excited to join because we have two amazing coaches,” said Carter. “I also was going into a program with a great sense of team spirit. We have so much fun, it is always a great time when we get to compete and answer trivia questions.”
Carter comments on one of the fun activities that the team partakes in away from practicing and competing.
“If the team gets every single question right in a round, which is 15 questions in a row,” said Carter, “then the team gets ice cream together to celebrate!”
The team partook in this celebratory incentive last Monday, Jan. 22. It is rare to get every question right in a round, so the team has found a fun way to reward themselves together, and incentivise themselves to keep working hard at the same time.
Academic Team does not only provide a fun and successful activity for students to compete in during their high school years. It also sparks a love for knowledge in its participants that will stick with them for the rest of their lives.
Humston, the A Team captain, spoke on the fields that he has grown interested in during his time on the team.
“Through the Academic Team, I have learned a lot more about literature,” said Humston. “I have also grown more confident in my knowledge of art. Going into it, I really did not know anything in these fields, and now I can confidently answer questions that I could not have before.”
Both Humston and Carter intend to take the skills that they have learned through their time on the Academic Team with them as they head off to college in the fall. Humston is going to Brown University and Carter is going to Vassar College. Their learned love for knowledge and enjoyment of advancing their skills will be major advantages to them at the next level, and even further advantages at any sort of trivia function.
The Academic Team currently has a record of 11-1 after securing the title of Valley District Co-Champions. The ‘Cats will go into the regional tournament as the number one seed. The regional tournament will take place at Wilson Memorial High School on Saturday Feb. 10.
