by Amanda McPhetridge | Apr 25, 2022 | From Advanced to National-Class, Negative, Speaking, Technique
(Pixabay, Skitterphoto) Have you ever witnessed a round where you can practically feel the mic-drop potential after the last speech? That’s what every single round should be like. You should be able to step away and say with a confident smile, “I rest my case.” ...
by Amanda McPhetridge | Mar 14, 2022 | Coaching a Club, Debate Partnerships, From Advanced to National-Class, Technique
(Foodess.com, Jennifer Pallian) Last weekend I made a beautiful chocolatey cake. Quite honestly it was fantastic, so my roommates and I ate most of it, then left the rest of it out on the counter. After a few days of the last bit sitting out, it got stale on the...
by Amanda McPhetridge | Feb 14, 2022 | Debate Rounds, From Novice to Intermediate, Negative, Team Policy
The year- 2020. The tournament- A Regional District Qualifier(the last one before our season catapulted into nothingness.) The round- Finals. In the hours leading up to debate breaks for finals, the new National Research Labs case was in the forefront of my mind. If...
by Amanda McPhetridge | Jan 7, 2022 | From Novice to Intermediate, Negative, Thinking Strategically, Uncategorized
(Shutterstock, cvm) When preparing for a big game, there is one thing all football players are required to know. The game plan. Various plays prepared beforehand to use during the game. What is your debate game plan? What will you say if the Negative team...
by Amanda McPhetridge | Nov 23, 2021 | Communication/Rhetoric, From Intermediate to Advanced
(Pixabay, Pexels) During my years in the league, I’ve heard a LOT of complaining, and been a part of more than I’d care to admit. It’s easy to see a problem when the tournament runs behind, when there are kids all over the hallways, or when your judge simply refuses...
