The thought that one has to answer difficult questions to attain success may have originally applied to politics. On Saturday at Ohio University Southern it applied to teams from the Kentucky Collegiate Quick Recall League (KCQRL).

The Ohio University Southern Campus Academic Team (OUSCAT) hosted a tournament that marked the last of five league matches of the 2013-2014 season.

“Everything is going smoothly and as nicely as possible,” Ernie G. Anderson, High-Q host and tournament moderator, said. “So far there have been no protests. It amazes me what these students know and it floors me what they don’t know.”

Sixteen teams comprise the league and OUS, Louisville, the University of the Cumberlands, Eastern Kentucky University, the University of Pikeville, Murray State University, Big Sandy Community and Technical College (Pikeville, Ky.) and Jefferson Community and Technical College (Louisville, Ky.) competed in Saturday’s tournament.

The purpose of the KCQRL is promoting amiable competition within an academic setting. Through the academic tournament process the KCQRL provides a forum in which academic excellence is rewarded.

“It’s really funny how we all keep in touch,” Tim Adkins, former OUS academic team member and tournament moderator, said. “We really form bonds with people from other schools and this is more than just answering questions. We root for each other and form great friendships.”

OUS Student Services Specialist and academic team coach Nina Queen started on the team as a student in 2000 and served as its first president and team captain.

“I sponsor the Queen-Utsinger Scholarship,” she said. “It goes to a member of the academic team who has a grade point average of 3.0 or better.”

Senior history major Danny Millhouse has been an OUS academic team member for three years and he said losing a lot of seniors to graduation has it in a rebuilding phase.

“Right now we are just training for next year,” Millhouse said. “We’re performing a lot better but the main thing is to get these young people some experience.”

Psychology major RachelLee Banfield is this year’s team captain. Other team members are Thomas Billing, Caleb Blackburn, Rachel McWharter, Mo Lutz and Emily Kerns.

Louisville won both the Division I (juniors and seniors) and Division II (freshmen and sophomores) league trophies.

University of Pikeville English instructor Amanda Runyon serves as KCQRL’s 2013-2014 president.