This is my first year as an Assistant Speech and Debate coach for Bettendorf High School. My background in debate comes from my time as a student at Muscatine High School where I competed in both Policy and LD debate with a preference towards Policy.

1. Speed is just fine with me so long as you read clearly and at an appropriate volume. I prefer speakers don’t sacrifice expression for the sake of speed- please add emphasis to your arguments by slowing down during your contentions, sources, and key points. If your opponent is struggling to understand your speed I expect you to be a good sport and slow down.
2. Debate is meant to be FUN as well as challenging. I enjoy hearing creative interpretations and arguments so long as you show me you understand the argument you are making inside and out and that they are presented in a well supported manner. K’s are welcome.
3. I expect speakers to treat their competitors and judges with respect. While expressing passion during the debate is appreciated, I expect participants to interact with each other calmly and kindly before, during, and after the round.

I am a lay judge. Persuasion and adaptation is the key to win my ballot.

Have a good round everyone!

Please send all speech docs to icwestdebate@googlegroups.com. Please also send the speech doc to cooper.john@iowacityschools.org. Please label each email with the round number, the partnership code, and the side. Example: "R1 Duchesne BB AFF v. Iowa City West KE."

Resources

I have compiled some resources to get better at debate here!

TLDR

Always tell me "Prefer my evidence/argument because." Meaningful and intentional extensions of uniqueness + link + internal link + impact (don't forget warrants) in combination with weighing will win you the round. NOTE: I am a PF traditionalist. Spreading will not get you far in rounds with me.

Experience

I attended Theodore Roosevelt High School in Des Moines, Iowa and debated with Ellie Konfrst (Roosevelt GK). I was a two time state champion when competing. I broke at the TOC and placed ninth at NSDA nationals my senior year (2018). I have also coached at NDF the following years: 2018, 2019, 2020. I am currently a 3L law student at the University of Iowa. I am the current varsity PF coach at Iowa City West. I have coached two teams (Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart BB and Iowa City West KE) to qualifying to the gold TOC.

What you should expect of me

It is my obligation to be familiar with the topic. I am also a very emotive judge, if I look confused please break down your argument. It is my obligation to provide for you a clear reason why my ballot was cast and to ensure that you and your coach are able to understand my decision. However, it is not my job to weigh impacts against each other / evaluate competing frameworks. I am always open to discuss the round afterwards.

Flowing

I love off time road maps and they help me flow, please give them! What is on my flow at the end of the round will make my decision for me and I will do my best to make my reasoning clear either on my ballot or orally at the end of the round. If you are organized, clean, clear and extending good argumentation well, you will do well. One thing that I find particularly valuable is having a strong and clear advocacy and a narrative on the flow. This narrative will help you shape responses and create a comparative world that will let you break down and weigh the round in the Final Focus. I also appreciate language that directly relates to the flow (tell me where to put your overview, tell me what to circle, tell me what to cross out).

Extensions

It’s important to note that to get an argument through to the final focus the team must extend the uniqueness+links+impacts. If a single piece is missing, then it significantly weakens the point’s weight in the round. If an argument is dropped at any time, it will not be extended and you’d be better off spending your time elsewhere. Extensions are the backbones of debate, a high-level debater should be able to allocate time and extend their offense and defense effectively.

Framework / Overviews

Framework

If a framework is essential for you to win the round / to your case it should be in constructive. I want to see your intention and round visions early on, squirrel-y argumentation through frameworks muddles the whole round. Only drop the framework if everyone agrees on it. If there is no agreement by summary, win under both.

Overviews

There are two types of overviews in my mind.

1: An overall response to their case.

Good idea.

2: Weighing overviews.

GREAT IDEA

I prefer overviews to be in rebuttal.

The Rebuttal

Extend framework if you want me to use it in order to weigh in the summary and final focus. I also have a soft spot for weighing overviews and usually find them incredibly valuable if done and extended correctly.

If extended and weighed properly, turns are enough to win a round, but if you double turn yourself and muddle the debate you wasted critical time that could have been spent on mitigation/de-linking/non-uniques.

My preference is that the entire first rebuttal is spent on the opponent’s side of the flow. For both teams, I like to see layered responses and very clear road-mapping and sign-posting. The refutations should cover both the entire contention and also examine specific warrants and impacts. The second rebuttal should engage both the opponent’s case as well as the opponent’s responses. Ideally, the time split should be between 3:1 and 2:2.

Summary

I believe the job of the summary speaker (especially for first speaking teams) is the hardest in the round and can easily lose a debate. Extending framework/overviews (if applicable), front lining, and weighing are the three necessary components of any narrative in summary.

Structure:

1. Case extensions (uniqueness, link, internal link, impact)
2. Frontlining
3. Defense/Turn extensions
4. Weighing (this can be put anywhere among the other three above).

Frontlining =/= narrative extension.

Defense in the first summary. Make smart strategic decisions. If the defense is being blown up - or mentioned - in final focus it needs to be in summary.

Final Focus

This should be the exact same as your summary with more weighing and less frontlining. It is okay to extend less arguments if you make up for it with weighing.

Speed

Clarity is critical when speaking quickly. My wpm is about 200, going faster than this is risking an incomplete flow on my ballot. If I miss something because of speed, there was an error in judge adaptation.

Organization through all speeches is essential and especially paramount in summary. Make sure I know exactly where you are so that I can help you get as much ink on the flow as possible. Tell me where to flow overviews otherwise I'll just make a judgement call on where to put it on the flow.

Progressive Arguments

I'm fine with Theory / Ks / role of the ballot though you always should "dumb them down" to language used in PF and you must clearly articulate why there is value in rejecting a traditional approach to the topic. Theory / Ks / role of the ballot will also need to be slowed down in terms of speed. Also, you need to read theory right after the violation happens. If you read it as a spike to throw the other team off, I will not evaluate the argument.

I value teams taking daring strategic decisions (EX: drop case and go fully for turns EX2: non-uniquing / severing contentions to avoid opponents turns) and will reward you smart and effective risk-taking with speaker points. That being said, if you do it poorly I will still drop you.

Cross

I like to see strong engagement of the issues in CX and appreciate a deeper analysis than simple clarifying questions. Please be polite and civil and it is everyone’s responsibility to de-escalate the situation as much as possible when it grows too extreme (some jokes are always preferred). Issues in CX will not be weighed in the round unless brought up in a following speech. Making jokes in grand cross to liven up the debate is always good for your speaker points (but don't be that person who tries too hard please).

Speaking

30: Excellent job, you demonstrate stand-out organizational skills and speaking abilities. Ability to use creative analytical skills and humor to simplify and clarify the round.

29: Very strong ability. Good eloquence, analysis, and organization. A couple minor stumbles or drops.

28: Above average. Good speaking ability. May have made a larger drop or flaw in argumentation but speaking skills compensate. Or, very strong analysis but weaker speaking skills.

27: About average. Ability to function well in the round, however analysis may be lacking. Some errors made.

26: Is struggling to function efficiently within the round. Either lacking speaking skills or analytical skills. May have made a more important error.

25: Having difficulties following the round. May have a hard time filling the time for speeches. Large error.

Below: Extreme difficulty functioning. Very large difficulty filling time or offensive or rude behavior.

Hello Debaters, I debated four years of public forum at Eagan High School in Minnesota. Now I'm a coach for Iowa City West High School. During my time debating, I was both of first and second speaker, but enjoyed being second the most.

I don't want a messy round, and you don't want me to have to find a winner once the round is over, so here is how I want rounds to go:

As a broad overview, I strongly believe that the heart of PF debate is a round in which a random person should be able to come off the street, judge, and be able to provide a decent explanation of who won and why. As a result of that, I will attempt to judge that style as much as I can. I want to see clear linkchains read throughout the round and explained counterargs to what the other team says. Taking the time to slow down and explain your args and how they impact the round overall will be a lot better then just card dumping and seeing what sticks.

Overall, lean closer to lay appeal than tech, and drive home the 2-3 key points you need to win. As for some other random stuff here's this:

Cross-Fire

I absolutely think cross-fire is the most undervalued and unappreciated part of the round. I love cross-fire. If you use it to good effect and carry it throughout the round, it could be a deciding factor for me.

Evidence

If key evidence is contested throughout the round or one of the teams ask that I review it, I may call to see it at the end of round.

If we are online, use kelleybrendanw@gmail.com for email chains: I'll only look at it if there is an issue post-round, but let's have someone set one up before round in case it's needed.

Flowing

I will flow whatever you say. Run whatever you want, and I will weigh it in round. One thing to note, I have never been able to flow sources well, so please don't just say the name of the card, remind me what the card or block says. If you are dropping an arg/contention/etc, clearly let me know so I know you are trying to make a strategic decision and not just forgetting about it. Don't try to drop a something to get out of a turn though, that's still offense for the other team.

Speed

If I catch it, I will flow it. One thing to note, I'm not that fast of a writer, so if you spread, I will not catch it.

Weighing

Like I mentioned above, I want to see clear linkchains. Ideally, you have a super logical linkchain that's flowed throughout the round. I'm far more likely to pick a clean linkchain with a small impact then a linkchain that requires a lot of steps to get to nuclear war.

Speaks

I'm sure you have heard it all before, so not much to say, only that cross will be the fastest way to gain or lose points on my watch.

Progressive Args

Like I said before, I will flow whatever you say. Be warned though that I don't like them and I have a super low bar that your opponents need to clear to beat it. The only thing I'm a lot more understanding for is in-round evidence issues or clear rule violations.

Random Stuff

If you are confused by what the other team is saying, assume I am also confused, so ask them about it.

Please do an off-time roadmap

I do plan on disclosing at the end of round

I am the worse with technology, so give me a second, then maybe one more :)

If we are online, and there is an issue with hearing your opponents, please speak up

Please time yourself

If you have any questions just ask. Good luck, have fun and make some good memories.

I'm more of a traditional judge if anything, but if you run something wild, and it's done well and you outweigh your opponent, I have a good chance of running with it. It's highly unlikely that I'll vote on a kritik, PIC, or genuinely most forms of theory, but if you execute it well, go for it. I will *not* vote on the multiverse/alternate reality argument.

Don't be rude. Avoid interrupting speeches, cross examinations, insulting people, disrespecting pronouns, or just disrespecting people in general. It's not cool and it won't do you any favors.

Voters and weighing are very important to me, it makes or breaks a round. Speak clearly and enunciate, I don't care of you spread, but if I don't understand you, I don't understand you. If you confuse your judge along with your opponent, it's not a benefit. Make sure you remember to extend your points and signpost.

Good luck and make sure you have fun :)

Greetings All,

I am a debate coach of over 19 years. I have coached Policy, Public Forum, Congress and Lincoln-Douglas Debate. I have judged at Nationals, my teams have placed in the top 100 and have watched some of the best debaters in the country debate the issues. The best ones don't cram a bunch of junk into the round and expect me to figure out what you want. You need to walk me through your argument, evidence and tell me how to weigh it (impact).

If you prepared a good case, defend it, respect your opponent (don't be rude) and can counter your opponent you have a strong chance of winning the round.

I expect a value (LD Debate), the means to measure it and contentions (main arguments). PF debate you don't have to be able to respond to every little outcome, but you need to be reasonable with your arguments and outcomes.

I DO NOT LIKE CRITIQUES! All your opponent has to do in the round in my book is to call you out for it and your opponent will get the win.

I expect you to be able to explain your points and defend them in CX and flow your arguments into your rebuttal. You can bring in evidence here to explain your point, but this is not the time to bring in new arguments.

Give me examples or context, so you can apply your case to the resolution. I need you to show me that you comprehend the resolution and how to apply values to it. The more you explain or give me context, the more convinced I am of your comprehension of your case and it will increase the chance of a winning ballot.

I strongly suggest that you pull your value (LD DEBATE) through at every turn you can (within each contention), try to bring it into CX and of course the rebuttal. You can drop your value and value criteria if you accept your opponent, but this is risky and not recommended. At the end of your constructive and rebuttal summarize why you won!

DO NOT SPREAD! If I can hear you breathe you have likely already lost the round!

I have been teaching public speaking and coaching debate for over 19 years. There are few careers that benefit from SPREADING! I make it a point to remind students of this!

I will always encourage you to stand when speaking, this will put you in an assertive position and will help with your nonverbals (you are more likely to slow down your breathing by standing up and letting air into your lungs).