AGazine, February 2014

News and Notes

The Equations and On-Sets Judges Tests for 2013-14 are available. Those who have never been certified or those who were certified prior to 2009 should take either or both tests. Tests must be administered by March 7.

League administrators should use this link to order Equations and On-Sets tests from Brother Neal Golden and this link to order LinguiSHTIK tests from Ellen Bredeweg.

Nationals Pricing Policy

The 2014 AGLOA National Tournament will be held April 25-28 in Knoxville, TN.

• The primary hotels will be the Holiday Inn (primarily Elementary/Middle), Hilton (Junior/Senior), and the Crowne Plaza. The cost will be $125 per room per night for each hotel – maximum of four persons per room.
• All competitions and meetings will take place at the Convention Center, which is located next to the Holiday Inn (across a small side street).
• All meals will be served at the Convention Center. The cost is $150 per person, which includes three breakfasts, three lunches, and three dinners (no dinner Sunday night when groups are free to enjoy off-site activities). Those staying at a tournament hotel must take the tournament meal plan.
• All players and adults must have an ID badge in order to be admitted to the Convention Center.
• Registration cost is $110 for each coach and player and $55 for each non-coach adult.
• Sunday night, April 27, will be a free night with no tournament activities scheduled. Many free group activities have been planned with the Knoxville Visitors Bureau in the Market Square area near the Convention Center. Food will be available for purchase at kiosks and restaurants in the surrounding area.


Knoxville Convention Center

Events across the AGLOA leagues during the next month:

To see all of our of upcoming events, visit our Calendar page. If your league’s events are not listed, please send us your schedule.

50th Anniversary Activities

Since the first Academic Games national tournament took place in the spring of 1966, the 2014 AGLOA National Tournament will mark the start of our 50th anniversary celebration. An ambitious calendar of activities is planned, starting at the 2014 National Tournament this April in Knoxville.

• FatHappy Media of New Orleans is producing videos, the first of which will be shown at this year’s tournament. Filming began with interviews with the Board of Directors members at their meeting in Knoxville last summer. Footage has also been shot at several local league rounds in both cube and reading games.
• Local leagues have been asked to contact Academic Games alumni of their area to encourage them to submit their current information and Academic Games reflections.
• Local leagues will be given directions for having their own 50th celebrations during the 2014-15 school year.
• Other plans for the 2015 National Tournament in Orlando include:
  • Welcoming as many alumni as possible to the celebration
  • Commemorative memorabilia for all participants in the tournament.
  • Special guests and presentations at the opening meeting and the closing awards ceremonies.
  • An Alumni Anniversary Banquet on the Saturday night of the tournament.
  • An Alumni Tournament involving Equations, Presidents, and Propaganda.
  • Publication of a 50th anniversary book/magazin eon the history of Academic Games with emphasis on Hall of Fame players, coaches, and teams.

Down Memory Lane

It’s the 1972 National Academic Olympics at Waldenwoods Conference Center (MI).

In Junior Division (grades 7-9 until 1978), the team from Pinecrest School in Fort Lauderdale, FL, has only four players. Brother Martin High School of New Orleans has six qualifiers. So the extra player, Andrew Helis, joins the Pinecrest team.

Brother Martin and Pinecrest win their subdivisions in Equations and meet for the championship. Helis wins his match to help Pinecrest claim the crown.

Fast forward a year to the 1973 Nationals. Pinecrest again needs a fifth player to complete their Senior Division team. "Would Brother Martin be willing to loan us a player this year?" "Not on your life!"