From Novice to Intermediate
Impromptu Mechanics
Last year, Ben wrote a superb piece on impromptu with a takeaway you should immediately incorporate into your Nationals prep regimen: strategically accumulate potential speech material related to adversity and personal relationships. I hope to expand this analysis...
Mindset Change: Learning Above Winning
We all enjoy getting trophies. We all enjoy the recognition. We all enjoy a job well done. Does speech and debate have more to offer? All it takes is one quick internet search to find that speech and debate offers infinite value to all ages. Additionally, you do...
Don’t Be Afraid To Learn From and Teach Your Peers
A few weeks ago, I got the opportunity to watch a movie with my family about a young woman with Tourette's syndrome who had the dream of becoming a teacher but had very frequent audible and motory tics. She applied to job after job and the schools would always be very...
Your Impromptu Neg How-To
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...
How Much Evidence is Too Much?
Debaters don’t (usually) assert dominance with expensive sneakers or long, bushy beards. Instead, the token we typically rely on is the amount of evidence in our boxes, briefcases, or what have you. Evidence is power, and more evidence means more dedication to debate....
Storytelling: Case Theses in Value Debate
(Image Credit: Pixabay) Our hero breathes heavily, fending off blow after blow with what remains of his strength. He digs deep within himself for one last swing and lands a solid hit to his opponent’s jaw. His opponent staggers as our hero lands a second hit, and a...
Platform Perfection: Standing Out
We hear coaches (and judges) discuss the need to “stand out from the competition.” Point well taken. Just one question: What does this mean for writing, blocking, and performing our platforms? If you have ever asked or thought of a similar question, you are not alone....
Make your Playbook
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 attacks the credibility of your...
You Need To Be Taking All Your Prep Time
We’ve all had those rounds. Your opponents brought up predictable arguments that you’ve heard a thousand times before, and you know exactly how to respond. Before the opposing speaker even begins wrapping up, you have all your responses written down complete with tags...
Do You REALLY Need That Much Neg Research?
I’ll keep this brief: There is decidedly a correlation between quantity of negative research and competitive success in Team Policy. Look at the list of the top eight teams at both NCFCA and Stoa nationals last year. Almost every one of them has a...
Building Trusses: Why Your Arguments Need a Thesis
(Image Credit: Pixabay) I had finally done it. I had concocted the perfect case, the unstoppable juggernaut that will surely strike fear into the hearts of all who face it. The applications were poignant. The rhetoric was nigh-on legendary. The framework was...
Who Is Jesus?
Whenever we address the topic of theology or apologetics, we must ask ourselves who Jesus is. If this question tends you a little bit that's fine, it confuses most theologians too. This question really has two tenets, how Jesus was Revealed (and what we learn), and...
Yes, And
(Image Credit: Pixabay) “Yes, and…” is one of the most crucial debate phrases you can ever learn. The phrase, “Yes, and…” is one that is highly encouraged in improvisational skits. The principle is one of cooperation and team-building. The idea is that one person...
The Sweet Spot of Appeal
What to Do when Your Rankings are Consistently the Highest or Lowest in the Room Imagine coming out of a tournament, eagerly waiting for ballots, opening your envelope and seeing the cursed rankings… 1-8-8 in every single room. Your soul is crushed… The speech you...
Why Worse Plans Make for Better Cases
What makes a good affirmative case? Aside from one that wins, most debaters look for policies that they believe should be implemented in the real world, and more specifically, ones that create the most benefits. For instance, if one course of action would...
