Hey guys! I've got one heck of a treat for you today, which has been in the works for a couple months now... A Question & Answer session, with TWO individual first place national placings, and THREE Regional Team first place championships. Mike will end up having one of the most impressive quizzing resumes I've ever seen. But even better than that, he's a super nice, and humble, person as well. So let's jump into this Q&A with Mike Basko, a member of the reigning champs, the Eastern Field! 1) What is one of your favorite ways to study? M: "Because I am such a social person, I struggle a lot to study by myself. So usually I will memorize with my mom. She will read verses to me and I will repeat it until I get the verse down. One other thing I like to do is listen to the audio in the shower. For me, you might as well, because it really is a good time to absorb the materiel because your mind isn’t that occupied. This is what I always tell people that I know are really busy. Everyone can take a few minutes during their shower to listen to the material, especially because the chapters are so easy to listen to this year due to their length." 2) Have you struggled with procrastination? How have habits regarding this affected your quizzing? M: "Not really, to be honest. I have a habit of studying pretty much every day consistently. I also have a personality that I feel guilty if I haven’t studied for a day lol. For me, consistent study is a huge help. Other things that can help is getting a study buddy (a sibling or friend who you enjoy studying with) to keep you accountable in your studying. Another thing to think about is considering where you want to be at the end of the year and using that as a form of motivation." 3) What is one of your favorite quizzing moments? M: "Probably the second national championship we won at Q2018. We had gone 7-7 through the prelims and had our fair share of problems throughout them (including being blown out twice by the same team). However, due to a 5-way tie, we ended up being the second seed by some miracle, worked our way through the playoffs, took down the number one seed and ended up winning it all! It was such a surprise and a super amazing end to the best week of my life. (By the way, if you’re reading this and wondering if you should go to Q this year, you should go. You will not regret it!)" --- Save the link for info on Q2020! Info will be posted by the admin. ---www.nazquizzing.org/blog_posts/485-q2020 4) Who is a quizzer you have looked up to as you have gotten more competitive and why? M: "Calvin and Josiah Reedy. They were seniors in my first year in varsity and really welcomed me into the main quizzing group. They taught me so much and really helped me fall in love with quizzing. I was lucky enough to be on their team for my first nationals and helped them win their first national championship in their senior year. Without them, I would not be the quizzer I am today." 5) What advice would you give to an up-and-coming quizzer, who wants to be more competitive? M: "Set good goals and stick to them. Make sure you know where you want to be by the end of the year. Finding a coach or another quizzer to help you and give you tips (or even to just keep you on track with your quiz goals) can help immensely. Try to go to lots of invitationals so you can compete with some other quizzers. Iron sharpens iron, and quizzing is no exception to that. Getting experience against stronger and more experienced quizzers can really help." 6) How has Teen Bible quizzing positively affected you over the years? M: "I have made so many friends through it, and found that there are great people who will accept you no matter what. It is also super cool how much of the Bible I have learned and memorized, and it helps me to find verses to contribute to discussions or just to think about in my everyday life. In addition, I have been able to travel all over the country and experience all of those places with an amazing group of people. It is the perfect activity for me and my family, and I’m so glad that I have been introduced to it!" 7) What are your favorite things about quizzing? M: "Definitely all the friends I’ve made. All the quizzing people I’ve met have been amazing, nice people who accept you no matter what. There aren’t many environments that are like that and are devoid of stupid cliques. Friends make anything better, and that includes quizzing. I love the atmosphere and people who are in quizzing and they really make quizzing what it is. The competition is cool too, and it is great to get to know a different part of the Scripture every year. It really is the perfect activity in my opinion, and I’m so thankful that God has introduced it to me." Dang, that was awesome.
HUGE, HUGE, HUGE thank you to Mike for taking the time out to write these great answers! I hope this quizzing season for you (somehow) beats all the others you've had, and that the Lord abundantly blesses you for your hard work, and your humble heart. You know, one of the greatest quizzers I looked up to back in 2015, graduated that year. And I remember him thanking God in prayer before the championship round with our team, that "the future of quizzing is in good hands." How cool is that? And the thing I also found cool, when I was in my last round at Nationals this past summer, was that I knew quizzing was in good hands when I stepped out of it, as well. God is so good. Amazing, how that He so passionately pursues each one of us, even to the point of bringing each of us into this blessed thing called Bible quizzing. I can't count how many testimonies I've heard from current and past quizzers, about how Quizzing changed, or straight-up saved their lives. Praise God for His love for us, huh? Guys, I love you, but God loves you way more. I hope you're having a good quiz season so far, and that it just keeps getting better! Remember, you are completely capable of accomplishing any goal that you have, and you have conquering grace. Have an amazing week my friends, and until I see you again, keep quizzing and living VICTORIOUSLY!!!!! Keep calm and quiz on (and out)! Your fellow (decades) quizzer, Mallory
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Trending Posts:Author:Mallory is a graduated Teen Bible Quizzer originally from the Southern region, moved to the Northwest, coaching quizzing over the book of Matthew. Check out our
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