by Isaiah McPeak | Oct 9, 2015 | Coaching a Club, Communication/Rhetoric, From Intermediate to Advanced, From Novice to Intermediate, Soapbox, Technique
For a skill that hinges on unblurred communication, debating can be brutally muddled. Thank unexplained debate jargon, thrown around in every speech. In the 20th century, cultivated primarily by guides who experienced debate as debaters rather than audience, debate...
by Isaiah McPeak | Sep 22, 2015 | Technique
My fellow Americans, in the GREAT COUNTRY OF AMERICA… It’s debate season again. No, not your debate season, the presidential primary debate season. Two Ethos coaches volunteered to take notes and report back with what we hoped would be analysis of the candidates...
by Emily Rose | Sep 17, 2015 | Coaching, Technique, Top Drills
Not to be ornery, but when a dentist pokes a drill into my mouth and assures “this will only hurt a bit”, I cringe. And then I grip the chair, inhale deeply, and try to find that inner happy place of dental bliss. I know his use of the drill is going to improve my...
by Ty Humphrey | Sep 2, 2015 | Technique
The 21st century is an amazing place that gave us the disastrous, candy-coated train wreck that was the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards. The awards show aired last night for two painful hours, at the end of which Kanye West was awarded the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard...
by Clare Downing | Aug 24, 2015 | Coaching, Technique
Dear Aggressive Female Debater (Katherine), Unfortunately the battle you have ahead of you will take a bigger armory than just verbal ethos. You need to have non-verbal credibility on your side as well. Debate rounds are won and lost in the margins. Oftentimes there...
by Clare Downing | Aug 14, 2015 | Coaching, Technique
Dear Aggressive Female Debater (Katherine), I was you once. The frustration of being perceived as angry, bitter, or mean is one that I am familiar with. You are a round peg in a square hole. Chances are, you’ve tried to soften your image and have received ballot...
