Knowledge Bowl team saved when coach steps in
After unsuccessful attempted to find a coach, leaving the Minneota Knowledge Bowl program in jeopardy, Sara Fier promptly stepped up.
“I contacted Jason Myhre at the beginning of January because my son (Reid) hadn't heard anything about Knowledge Bowl,” said Fier.
“The students wouldn't have been able to participate in Knowledge Bowl this year without a coach.” Miranda Gravley coached the team last year, but is no longer with the school district.
“Both of my sons have really enjoyed Knowledge Bowl,” said Fier, a psychologist, sport psychologist and professor at Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall.
“I thought it was something I could do, so I asked Jason if it would be an option for me to coach. I wasn't okay with Knowledge Bowl not happening if I could do something about it.”
Minneota has been performing admirably in its three competitions so far. Minneota place fifth out of 36 teams at Marshall, third out of 24 teams at Canby, and fourth out of nine teams at a recent home meet.
“One meet has been canceled,” said Fier. “There was another in Slayton that we didn't attend because the roads were icy.”
Fier is a Minneota graduate, but Knowledge Bowl wasn't offered when she was in high school. “If it had been, I would have participated,” she acknowledged.
With many of the Knowledge Bowl students involved in so many other activities, Fier set practices to one morning per week. “The weather has gotten in the way of a lot of them,” she noted.
“I have access to Knowledge Bowl questions from past years, so that is what we focus on.” When asked how she is able to find time during her busy SMSU schedule to coach the Knowledge Bowl students, Fier responded, “Good time management.”
Minneota competes next on March 1 in Jackson.
The teams that place in the top half at that competition will advance to the regionals on March 12 at SMSU. The top three teams at the region meet advance to the state competition on April 10-11 in Brainerd.
Students on the Knowledge Bowl team this year are seniors Trevor Belaen, Jaymes Moon and Cole VanOverbeke; sophomore Reid Fier; and freshman Alyssa Engels.