Puget Sound High School Tournament
2025 — Tacoma, WA/US
SPAR
Event Description:
How to Spar –
The debaters will flip a coin; winner chooses the topic (choice between two topics) the loser of the coin toss chooses affirmative or negative. The speakers will have one minute before speaking to prep. The first affirmative speaker will give a two-minute speech in favor of the resolution; immediately after that speech, the first negative speaker will refute the position in a two-minute constructive. Following the opening statements, there will be a five-minute open cross-examination. The pair should question each other, and should be prepared to take at least a few questions from the audience, other competitors, and even the judge. Two rebuttal speeches of the affirmative and negative respectively (2 minutes each) complete the round. Judges should time and provide timing signals for the competitors.
Times: Aff-2; Neg-2; CX-5; Aff-2; Neg-2.
If an odd number of students show up for the round, one student may give a repeat (unscored) additional performance. Answers by debaters to questions from the audience during the open CX period should be used in the scoring of the competitors who are actually debating, but should not be considered as relevant in the scoring of those who are merely asking questions, particularly since some students may be double-entered and will not have the opportunity to participate in the questioning process.