"So much fun. You can definitely tell when I'm playing, I think you'll notice in the game tonight, I'm having a lot of fun while I'm there,” says Roach.
Roach, a tutor, will be facing off against a high school social studies teacher and a government contractor. She says categories like political science and geography are typically her strengths.
"I was hoping to not see the U.S. Civil War or football,” says Roach.
Ahead of her Jeopardy! debut, Roach’s family is showing their support in what she describes as “extreme Cape Breton behavior.” Her relatives in Marion Bridge, N.S., have added “Good luck Mattea” to the sign on their grocery store.
"We couldn't figure out a way to express our wish to support her and I thought, 'Well, we have a board where we advertise our goods in our grocery store. Why not advertise super talent?’” says Carol Church, Roach’s great aunt.
Roach has a strong connection to Cape Breton, as both sides of her family are from the island.
"My mom's family is from Ingonish and her parents still live there. My dad's family was from New Waterford originally," she says.
"If somebody accomplishes something, the whole town's going to know about it right? So yeah, it's a classic Cape Breton thing. And it's been kind of funny seeing Americans in my Twitter mentions, reminiscing about the one time they visited Cape Breton and they're like, 'Oh yeah, that really does seem like people there would do that sort of thing.'"
A group of Roach’s relatives will be gathering for a watch party Tuesday night at a sports bar owned by a family friend.
"It means a lot to me and I'm so, so happy and proud that people are so excited and so into it," says Roach.
Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston is also wishing Roach luck on social media, along with Sacred Heart in Halifax, the school from which she graduated in 2015.
“An extraordinary student and outstanding debater during her time here, she is sure to impress,” the school tweeted Monday.
