by Brennan Herring | Jun 3, 2016 | Strategy, Technique
They stick in our minds. They range from anecdotes that bore the life out of us to epics that capture the imagination of generations. They are the paintbrush of the rhetorician, painting a more tangible picture of ideas and concepts that previously only existed in the...
by Abbey Lovett | May 10, 2016 | Coaching, Strategy, Tournaments
If you’re headed to a national championship or want to take your skills to the national level next year, Isaiah has a few things you can work on. In this vlog, Isaiah tackles the question of what makes a national-class debater. Adopt these 4 traits into your...
by Harrison Durland | Apr 28, 2016 | Disadvantages, Guest Posts, Strategy, Technique, Thinking Strategically
As has been noted before, impact calculus it is a fantastic tool for both aff and neg, but it is terribly underused. I totally understand; it can certainly get complicated, especially as you get into the long list of (admittedly over complicated) factors like...
by Abbey Lovett | Feb 15, 2016 | Strategy, Tournaments
Last year I decided to do an experiment. I was curious to see what impact healthy eating/fitness had on my success and energy levels at tournaments. The results were pretty crazy. I found that eating lean and healthy keeps me energized, optimistic, and “on my game” at...
by Isaiah McPeak | Jan 20, 2016 | Parliamentary, Strategy
Here is an example of making a generic argument on the fly. I’ve had two requests for coaching sessions this week on that topic. There are only two things you need to be able to do it, and it’s the most powerful kind of arguments, so you should be focusing...
by Emily Rose | Nov 16, 2015 | Coaching, Research Tips, Strategy, Technique, Thinking Strategically
Before every tournament, my partner took me outside the registration building and had a pow-wow. He wanted to go through each of our briefs and make a strategy out of them, card by card. These two-hour meetings were stressful. As we watched other debaters enjoy...
