Debate During COVID

Debate during covid has not come to a screeching halt. Governor Herbert’s suspension of after-school extracurriculars has not affected the debate team’s daily practices. Over Zoom, debaters proceed to refine their technique with speaking drills and hash out fresh arguments with teammates. The daily grind hasn’t stopped. While debaters continue engaging in the same titillating game of contemplating nuclear wars and the great works of Baudrillard, instead of the usual in-person format, debate is held on a virtual platform. For debaters, it’s easy to dwell on the inherent disadvantages of conducting debate online. But in a similar sense, it’s important to see the silver lining. As many debaters like freshman Omar Alsolaiman came to see, “debating online can be a bummer, but it has its benefits.” He explains that despite the lack of traditional person-to-person interaction this new stage has a number of advantages.

Virtual debates take place over Zoom or a uniquely speech and debate program called Tabroom that operates similarly to Zoom. Regardless, virtual debate allows for better communication with a partner. Debaters like Harris Matheson and Omar keep a call running with their partner separate from Zoom or Tabroom. They do this to talk to their partner in-round. “We’re able to connect from anywhere,” Harris says. “I can prep out different things by talking to my partner. Communication is key.” Other debaters like Jagger Winkler and Omar agree that the virtual stage has allowed for more teamwork. “I think policy debate requires teamwork. You need to work as a team to win. It’s been easy to talk to my partner over a call, and it definitely helps,” Jagger says. “It’s that extra 20 seconds you take to tell your partner something quick that can make a difference. I’m able to communicate so freely with my partner over things like Discord and Slack.”

Part of debate is reading the judge’s expression to find certain arguments they understand or resonate with. A scrunched face or furrowed brow often indicates wariness or confusion. As debater Kate Demark says, “it’s probably best to glance at the judge and assess the situation.” In her debates, Kate realizes taking that second to look at the judge is important since it can show if she should elaborate on a point. During in-person debates, it’s often hard to read the judge’s facial expression. But on a virtual platform, the judge is only a mere glance away, and it takes a debater a split second to read the judge’s face. A scowl? A half-smile? A grin? In a few cases, those expressions might indicate who wins or loses. Like Omar recalls with a chuckle, “ One time my partner went for condo [special type of argument] in the 2ac [certain speech]. It was pretty wack, and by the judge’s expression, he didn’t like it. I think he grimaced for a second, to be honest.” The new virtual platform has made reading the judges’ expressions easier than ever. However, in fairness to the competitors, most judges try to keep a poker face, but even those judges may reveal tiny hints to a keen eye.

Virtual debates have allowed for debaters to attend more tournaments. In turn, that’s helped them hone their skills in debate and even accrue more wins. Jagger credits many of his wins to the experience he’s gained from tournaments: “I really think the practice I’ve gotten from all the tournaments is invaluable,” the freshman says. “At some point you just think and react quicker.” Many other debaters agree. The freshman cohort has seen a successful season, sweeping local tournaments and clutching wins nationally. They’ve attended tournaments like Young Lawyers and others out-of-state. Omar enjoys the time he’s had to dabble in tournaments and try out new strategies. As the debater says, “Sometimes I’ll try and go for different disads [special kind of argument] in the 2nr [certain speech]. Win or lose, I’m fortunate to have the chance to debate so often.”

Overall, it’s safe to say debate has been a different experience this year. The excitement of traveling to different tournaments across the country and the opportunity to make new friendships with fellow debaters across the country isn’t the same. While most Rowland Hall debaters prefer the traditional in-person format for its thrill, the virtual platform offers a number of benefits too. It’s the silver lining in the midst of it all that’s important to see, keeping a positive outlook and making the most of our current situation.