Deaf Academic Bowl Team Takes 10th at Nationals

As she waited for the first round of the National Academic Bowl for Deaf and Hard of Hearing High School Students to start, Lauren Putz said her nerves nearly got the best of her. 

“Before it began, I was shaking,” the Hinsdale South freshman said of her first time competing at the national level.

Lauren may have felt anxious—but she didn’t need to.

Deaf Academic Bowl Team placed 10th in the nation March 10 after four days of intense competition at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. 

The Darien school competed among 88 schools from across the country, beating out all other schools in Illinois and coming in second in the Midwest. Adding to the team’s pride, they got their revenge on longtime rival, Hersey High School, which beat South this fall during the .

South came out of the gate strong at Nationals, beating its first round opponents, Cincinnati’s St. Rita School for the Deaf, 55-18.

“After the first round, you could see the adrenaline,” said junior Kyle Murbach.

Though South has participated in a large-scale regional Academic Bowl competition for just more than a decade, this was the team’s .

Most of the team members are somewhere on the hard of hearing spectrum rather than profoundly deaf, said Kathy Craig, who co-coaches the team with fellow Hinsdale South staff member Jamie Nick. South's Deaf and Hard of Hearing Department, which accommodates nearly 90 students from across the area through interpreters and other support services, sponsors the team.

For senior Dave Putz, Lauren’s older brother, making it to the Sweet Sixteen playoff round with his team was a rewarding way to cap off his four years at South.

The accomplishment was made all the more gratifying when judges named Dave one of 16 Academic Bowl All-Stars. 

“I knew there was going to be a top 16, so I thought it would they would pick one from each [Sweet Sixteen] team,” Dave said. “But then I saw them pick two people from the same team, and I felt even more accomplished.”

“I literally think he jumped up when they announced his name,” Craig added.

While Dave’s experience and leadership took the team far, Craig said collaboration among all four team members ultimately lead to South’s success. 

“We all have different interests and strengths, and we played on that,” Lauren said. 

Junior Ryan Sullivan said the friendships within the team also contributed to its achievement.

“I felt the team was at its best this year because everyone knew each other,” Sullivan said. “Everyone was used to each other.”

The team won 14 of the 18 rounds it played before getting knocked out in the first round of the Sweet Sixteen. 

But this year’s success just makes the team even more excited for next year.

“We set the bar high, and we want to beat it next year,” Kyle said.