A game is played with two four-member Teams competing. If a team has been unable to seat a four member team, a minimum of three players will be permitted even if the opposing team has four players. Each team must have a designated Captain. An Alternate may take the place of a Player at the beginning of the game or at the half time. Substitutions at any other time may be made only with the approval of the MC in cases of emergency.
Notepads will be provided to Players during the game. No answers may be written except during playtime.
The game consists of two halves, each of which lasts 10 minutes or 15 Toss-Up Questions (whichever comes first). The halves are separated by a 5 minute break.
Play begins when the MC presents a Toss-up Question to both Teams. The first Player to activate the buzzer is recognized by the MC. The recognized Player must answer immediately. No conferring among Players regarding Toss-Up Questions is permitted. (If a Team is repeatedly warned on this point and refuses to stop, the Team or an individual Player may be disqualified.) If the response is correct, the Team receives 10 points and has the opportunity to answer a Bonus Question worth 10-20 points. Players may confer with each other on Bonus Questions. The MC will allow approximately 10 seconds, by which time the Captain must answer the Bonus Question for the Team.
When a Player buzzes in after the Toss-up Question has been read in its entirety, and then answers the question incorrectly, there is no penalty. Players on the opposing Team then have an opportunity to buzz in, be recognized, and answer the Toss-up Question; the Question is not repeated.
However, when a Player buzzes in before the MC has read the Toss-up Question in its entirety, and the Player answers incorrectly, 5 points are deducted from the score of that Player’s Team. The complete question is then re-read in its entirety to Players on the opposing Team, each of whom then has the opportunity to buzz in with the answer. If a Player on this second Team also buzzes in before the MC has read the Toss-up Question completely, and the Player answers incorrectly, 5 points are similarly deducted from the score of this Player’s Team. In the event this happens twice the question goes out of play with the MC reading the correct answer.
The MC reads each question only once, unless: 1) the MC determines that because of some error of his own (e.g. mispronunciation or poor inflection) the question should be repeated: or 2) a Player has interrupted a Toss-up Question, in which case the MC repeats it after an answer is offered by this player.
Answers must be given in question form. Answers not given in question form are considered incorrect; and in the case of a Toss-Up Question, Players on the opposing Team may then attempt to answer correctly-i.e., in question form.
Answers that involve facts of Catholicism commonly known by numbers (e.g., one of the Ten Commandments or a Station of the Cross) must be recited after the number is given, rather than given simply as a number.
If a Player gives an answer that is correct in part, the MC or the Judge has the option to require the Player to provide a more specific answer.
When the MC is in doubt as to the correctness of an answer, the Judge is asked to make the final decision. All decisions are final and are not to be questioned during a game. Only the Coaches on the competing Teams may question a Judge, and they may do so only after the conclusion of the game. If a Coach brings up a valid objection to a specific question or its answer, the RC Challenge Board’s Question Committee will consider changing them for future competitions.
If the bell signals the end of a half while a Toss-Up Question is being read, the question is discarded, and the half is over. If the bell rings after a Player has rung the bell or is answering a question, he or she may finish answering, and if the answer is correct, the Player’s Team is given the opportunity to answer the Bonus Question. If the bell rings while a Bonus Question is being read, the question is read completely, and the Team is given the opportunity to answer it.
The MC and the Timekeeper have the option of stopping the timer if there is a problem that is using up game time extensively.
DEFINITIONS
Alternate: A fifth team member used as a substitute and considered a playing team member.
Bonus Question: Any follow-up question offered to the Team that successfully answered the Toss-up Question and has the stated value of that question only.
Captain: Player designated at the time of registration to answer Bonus Questions for the Team. In the case of an emergency during competition and before a game starts a temporary team captain may be designated by the coach.
Coach: A Person registered with the Roman Catholic Challenge as a Coach, person designated as a substitute by the official Coach of the team or person designated as a Coach by the Roman Catholic Challenge officials. Person responsible for the Team(s) at all times.
Door Monitor: Person responsible for keeping doors closed during the games and opening them to our guests when there is no game in progress.
Judge: Person, usually a person versed in truths of the Faith, who has the final decision-making authority concerning the questions and answers, and who assists the MC in determining that the rules are observed.
MC (Master of Ceremonies):Person who asks questions.
Player: Person who is registered with a Team, has been picked up by a Team or has played any game or part of a game of the Roman Catholic Challenge.
Room Monitor: Person who has the room responsibility of the questions, presenting the picture questions, assisting the MC in determining that the rules are observed and is responsible for maintaining order during the games.
Scorekeepers: Person (two per game) responsible for keeping the score of the game both on paper and on the visual scoreboard, coordinating and agreeing on the current score and assisting the MC in ensuring that the rules are observed.
Team: Group of students, including alternates(s), who qualify by grade to play at the Roman Catholic Challenge.
Toss-Up Question: Any new question offered to both teams; has a value of ten points.
DECISIONS
The Judge of each game is the sole authority regarding the correctness or suitability of questions and answers within that game.
The Roman Catholic Challenge Board will make any other administrative decisions concerning the games.
SCORING
Each Toss-Up Question is worth 10 points. Bonus Questions carry their own value in integrals of 5 points, predetermined by the RC Challenge Board Question Committee. The team with the most points at the end of the game wins the game.
WINNERS
The games are played in double-elimination format. A Team must lose twice to be eliminated from the competition. The winning Team is the last Team not to have lost twice.
Prize amounts are determined each year by the Roman Catholic Challenge Board. In Division 1 and 2, a
single cash prize will be awarded to the Coach of each 1st or 2nd place Team for distribution to the
Players.
Awards:
Division 1 (Grades 5-6)
Division 2 (Grades -8)
QUALIFICATIONS
Division 1 Player: Any student in the 5th or 6th grade.
Division 2 Player: Any student in the 7th or 8th grade.
REGISTRATION
Teams must register by the established deadline with a Team name, Players’ and alternates’ names and the registration fee. No refunds will be given after the registration deadline.
Teams staying in the Helena area overnight without a parent for each Player are required for legal purposes to be attended by a chaperone of at least 25 years of age. This chaperone must stay with any Player unattended by a parent during the overnight stay.
An emergency/medical release form will be provided by the Roman Catholic Challenge. The Coach or chaperone must keep in his or her possession a copy of the signed release form for each player or Alternate during the competition.
VISITOR AND PLAYER ETIQUETTE
All Players and visitors are expected to conduct themselves with a Catholic attitude and good sportsmanship. If there is a breach of these expectations, the person(s) involved will be cautioned or asked to leave the games.
Dress Code: Dress must be modest and appropriate for the Christian occasion. School uniforms work nicely for team members but any modest dress certainly appropriate.
When a game is to begin, the Timekeeper will ring the bell, and the Door Monitor will close the room doors. No one is to enter or leave the room while a game is in progress. The doors will be opened at the half and at the end of the game. All audience members must wait for those times to enter or leave the room.
No recording, by any method, of questions or answers is permitted during RC Challenge games. No audio or video recoding equipment is permitted within the game rooms. No hand written lists of questions and answers by any member of the audience is permitted.
Coaches are responsible for all their Team’s members at all times during the games and while the Team is in their care-during the overnight stay, while traveling, etc.
Any audience member who answers the questions either vocally or mouthing the words will be warned once and, if there is a second offense, will be asked to leave the game. There are to be no audible sounds uttered or hand clapping during the game by members of the audience.
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