Optimist Brain Bowl tournaments are all-day events held on Saturdays during January and February. Teams play five rounds in the morning to accumulate points. The eight teams in each level with the highest scores move to the play-off rounds in the afternoon to determine 1st-4th place winners.
Optimist Brain Bowl rounds consist of general knowledge questions in math, science, technology, history, geography, literature and the arts. The difficulty of questions range from easy to challenging for middle school students. The questions are academic in nature and do not include tabloid trivia. There is no obligation to purchase practice questions to participate in the Optimist Brain Bowl. Questions for practice may be obtained through Question Authorities. They may be also obtained through your own internet search.
Teams preparing for the Optimist Brain Bowl should first download a copy of the Competition Rules. Teams should also become familiar with the Protest Procedures. Coaches should print a copy of Coach Evaluation form and Protest Resolution Sheet for each team to have on tournament day.
Team Formation
Teams may have 2-6 team members. Schools may register up to 9 teams.
Teams compete by level: 6th, 7th and 8th Grades. Sixth grade teams may have only 6th grade students. Seventh Grade teams may have 6th and 7th grade students. Eighth Grade teams may
have 6th, 7th and 8th grade students. No students below 6th grade or above 8th grade may participate in this tournament.
All the teams from a school should have a designated Head Coach who will communicate with the tournament directors prior to the tournament. On tournament day, each team will be required to have a predesignated adult “Room Coach” to lodge protests and otherwise act on behalf of the team. The Head Coach may be a Room Coach but for only one team.
Competition
The competition starts with five morning rounds in which teams play four team-to-team rounds and one written round. Each of the team-to-team rounds consists of 30 questions in which teams buzz-in to answer and gain points. The written round consists of 60 multiple choice questions and teams are allowed to work together to fill out the answer sheet. The points from the four team-to-team rounds and the correct answers from the written round are added together to determine the total points for the morning tournament play.
The top eight teams in each grade level return in the afternoon for the playoff rounds which will determine the tournament winners. The top four teams in each level will receive medals and the winning team in each level will receive a plaque for their school’s trophy case.
Practice is fun and does not need to take up a lot time. Schools that are new to the Optimist Brain Bowl are encouraged to work out a practice plan that works best for the teams, teachers and parents. There is no set way to practice. Some schools create Brain Bowl clubs, some allot time during activity periods, some teams meet once a week for brown-bag lunch and Brain Bowl practice. Many schools recruit parent volunteers to help.
Team Planning Schedule
7:45 – 7:55 Team Check-In
8:00 – 8:15 Mandatory Meeting for Teams / Supporters
Morning Rounds
(teams are scheduled 4 team-to-team rounds and one written)
8:30 – 9:00 Round One
9:10 – 9:35 Round Two
9:45 – 10:10 Round Three
10:20 – 10:45 Round Four
10:55 – 11:20 Round Five
11:20 – 12:30 Lunch
12:30 – Scores announced and posted
Afternoon Rounds
12:45 – 1:10 1st Elimination (Top 8 teams per grade)
1:15 – 1:40 2nd Elimination (Winners from 1st Elimination)
1:45 – 2:10 Championship and Consolation Rounds
Awards will be given for 1st – 4th Place in all levels so teams should advance to the awards venue immediately upon completion of this round