Pictured are, left to right, Dylan Vasey, Matt Cameron, Chuhern Hwang, Wo Chan; standing - Bob Blackburn. Visit the Photo Place

JM team wins VHSL Scholastic Bowl state title

Veteran coach finds good time to step away from quiz show competition in year of state title

Date published: 3/12/2009

By Rob Hedelt

WHEN James Monroe High School world history teacher Bob Blackburn started working with academic quiz teams some 32 years ago, the after-school coaching job was a lot different.

"We would start in September, practice for a few weeks, go to one or two 'Battle of the Brains' tapings in Richmond and be done for the year," said the quiz team veteran who has worked with students in Henrico, North Stafford and, for the past 21 years, at JM.

This year, Blackburn's 17-member JM squad started tryouts in September.

They practiced and competed through the district, regional and state finals of the VHSL Scholastic Bowl, taking top honors recently at William & Mary as state AA champs.

But that isn't all for Blackburn's students, who cram on their own to master as many details and facts as they can in math, science, literature and history.

The JM team is still alive in the "Battle of the Brains" TV quiz show on Richmond's WTVR. They compete against local high schools such as Massaponax and Colonial Forge, both still in the running, as well as schools from other parts of the state.

And if that isn't enough, the JM squad will continue to practice and prepare through the spring, getting ready to take on 50 other schools in a national tournament at George Mason University on Memorial Day.

"We're ranked somewhere in the 30s right now nationally," Blackburn said. "We'd love to do well at the tournament and break into the Top 10."

It would be a fitting way to step away from coaching, which is what Blackburn will do at the end of this year, turning over the program to Cathy Brown, who teaches science at JM.

"I've loved doing this, especially with this year's team, which has been the hardest-working I've ever had," said Blackburn, whose 2005 team won a state Scholastic Bowl championship.

But he said the extension of various competitions across the whole school year has taken a toll, as have Saturday mornings when he and team members roll out at 4:30 to head to tournaments.

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Date published: 3/12/2009

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