Last changed on
Sun September 27, 2020 at 2:36 PM EDT
Experience: I debated Policy and competed in OI and DI in high school back in the dark ages, coached a team in New York at Rome Free Academy in the late 80s, judged for Cary High School in NC for 3 years, and then founded my own team at Research Triangle High School, where I was the coach since the school opened in 2012 until I left to become a principal in 2019. I'm not currently coaching, but I enjoy the opportunity to stay connected to Speech & Debate by judging. Pronouns: she/her
PF and LD In Rounds: Do not bore me and do not confuse me. I’m comfortable with speed and will raise my hand or put down my pen if you’re going too fast-- If I can’t find your argument because of your speed, I can’t flow it and it won’t exist in the round. I like storytelling and analogies that show you understand and can communicate complex topics, not just read lots & lots of cards. I find a framework and definitions at the top of the case useful, especially if you continue to clearly link to your framework all the way through to FF. Roadmaps and signposts are helpful. Sometimes concessions are a good thing-- please do not continue to argue points you have clearly lost; support what you can win and don't keep beating a dead horse. Don’t take up valuable time in a round with minor or side arguments that are not linked to your impacts-- I will admire speakers who can stop chasing a unicorn and bring the round back to the main contentions. Despite my experience and the fact that I flow rounds, my style is more of a lay judge-- I will know the topic well but will be a tabula rasa for the round, so convince me.
Decision: I am looking to give a W to the team that can concisely compare both sides of the argument and explain why your side outweighs based on clear links to your framework, can deliver clear voters in the Final Focus and can cleanly extend through summary and FF. I want to be able to succinctly defend my RFD to both you and the opposing team, so clear claim-warrant-impact for the pro world or the con world is important to me.
Speaker Points: I have a strong IE background, too, so I value speakers who make excellent eye contact and speak with clarity & expression. However, I will reward good thinking-on-your-feet in the rounds more than just a well-delivered 1C. Your courtesy and professional demeanor will also play into speaker points. Do not talk over your opponent. You can be reasonably aggressive, just be courteous to your opponents' need to question you and don’t wander into rudeness. Discourtesy will result in deducted speaker points. Do not play dirty, take cheap shots, make faces or talk while your opponents are speaking. Keep your cool and remember this is a conversation, a communication event, and a sport. Professionalism and control will win you more speaks than angry tirades and emotional outrage or complaints about your opponent. Be excellent, or at least be striving for excellence.
Speech Events: I look for a presentation that makes me forget I'm judging and takes me directly into your scene or your argument.
*For interp events (OI, DI, DUO, POI, DEC, etc), I look for a structured cutting from a piece that is worth our time-- that has a message or a storyline that has literary, entertainment and/or social merit, whether classical or contemporary, serious or light hearted. I reward fully developed single characters more than multiple characters attempted without as much polish. Cross gender casting is fine; however I am not a fan of cultural appropriation so be respectful in the selection of your cuttings-- a mixture is fine but be sure to give credit where it's due and choose material that works for you. Accents should make sense for the character and not just be an artificial way to distinguish your characters. I look for a solid performance arc-- what is the climax of your presentation, and how do you build to take us to that emotional moment? Use the physical space and all the elements in your toolbox-- vocal, facial expressions, gestures or movement as allowed by your category. Do not illustrate-- not every word or phrase in your selection requires a gesture-- be natural. In deciding between otherwise equally impressive presentations, I look at the source material and who had the heavier lifting to bring the selection to life-- who really had to excel at original interpretations of the selection.
*For platform events (Extemp, OO, Info, etc) I look for structure: a creative, attention getting hook for your intro, good signposts so I can follow your argument, well placed and tagged evidence to back up your thesis, and a conclusion that ties everything together. I reward fresh insights into topics more than lots and lots of quotes and warrants.
*For Congress, I reward speeches that have a creative hook or analogy that shows your understanding of the topic, especially when it is extended throughout your speaking time. I look for arguments that move the debate along with fresh insights rather than rehashing points that have already made in the round. I give higher points to speakers who can use eye contact and sound fresh rather than reading directly from their notes, and who can refer to arguments already on the floor in ways that either concede good points or help refute what previous competitors have said. I will place speakers higher who ask insightful, cutting questions rather than those who just rise to speak at every turn; think quality vs quality in your participation in a round.