Questions & Answers

Questions & Answers

Do members of the debate team have to go to every tournament during the year?

No. Some students go to 5-6, and others go to 10-15. Some students also participate only for one semester out of the year.

Do students have to choose only one event (type of debate)?

No. Some students choose only one or two, but you can try as many as you like. Typically students will double enter in Speech events (like POI and OO) but debate is limited to just LD or PF. .

Can students who participate in other activities be on the debate team?

Yes. Some students play a sport or two and participate in debate during their off-season. Debate is flexible in that you choose how often you attend tournaments. Every student does not have to attend every tournament.

What is a tournament like?

Most tournaments are on Saturday only but some are Friday/Saturday. The first round is usually 8:30 AM and we may have to travel up to 2 hours to get to the tournament. You perform your event in 4-7 different rounds in front of judge(s). You are being compared to other students throughout the day, and at the end, the results are calculated and the best students win trophies and earn more NSDA points. After the awards ceremony, we all eat together at a restaurant.

What do students wear at tournaments?

Boys wear suits and ties, or slacks, a jacket and a tie. Girls wear pants suits, dresses, etc. The clothes should be professional and appropriate for a job interview or workplace.

Where are tournaments?

Most of the tournaments are within 100 miles of Lassiter. A current list of the tournaments we are planning on attending this year can be found here: Calendar 2017 - 2018

Nationals are in different cities each year: We have sent students to nationals in Dallas, Philadelphia, and Birmingham recently. This year Nationals are in Fort Lauderdale and Washington DC.

Are all students eligible to go to all tournaments?

No. Some of the nationally tournaments are highly competitive and even require applications for acceptance into the tournament. Nationally competitive tournaments (Emory, Wake Forest, etc.) are reserved for the team members who consistently perform well at practice, are reliable and well prepared, and do well at tournaments. These tournaments are usually held on college campuses.

Does it cost money to be on the team?

Students must pay for tournament registration costs and hotels.

What happens when I cancel going on a tournament AFTER the sign-up deadline?

When you drop out of a tournament, many things are affected: the number of hotel rooms, chaperones, drivers, vans, and judges needed will be affected and it is unfair to ask other students to pay for your cancellation when the trip cost has already been determined. Also, we have to notify the tournament host of the cancellation and because of the difficulties involved in changing schedules, judges, rooms and tournament logistics, we have to pay drop fees and nuisance fees to the tournament as well. The drop fees usually range from $50 to $100 per individual. If you do drop out of our trip after the deadline, you are responsible for both the original cost of the trip and the drop fees and nuisance fees. A great deal of planning, paperwork, and preparation must be done before every single tournament. To avoid adding to that for your coach and captains, please do not drop out on any tournaments. In the VERY rare event that you must cancel, you must see Dr. Cotter personally to tell him.

How do I join the team?

See Dr. Cotter the first week of school to pick up permission forms, etc.

How do I sign up to go on a tournament?

Soon we will be able to use Tabroom to sign up for tournaments.

But not yet. So sign up in the tournament list in the "Tournament Sign-up Book" in Dr. Cotter's room 10 days before the tournament (which is always the Wednesday of the week before). For Public Forum and Lincoln Douglas debate, students need to have their cases written before they sign up. For Interpretation and Original Oratory, students need to have their work already memorized before signing up.

What is the difference between Public Forum debate and Lincoln Douglas debate?

Public Forum debate is a tag-team style debate with two two-person teams facing off against each other. The topic changes monthly, and usually has to do with current events, or topics that the public hears about often or recently. A pair of students works together to prepare a pro case and a con case (4 minute written speeches about the topic), and then they use those cases for an entire month, revising and fine-tuning them as the month progresses. The cases should sound persuasive and professional.

Lincoln Douglas debate is a more formal style of debate. The student works alone and faces off against other individual students. The case is 7 minutes long, and the topics change every two months. Topics are usually more philosophical and logiical. The way students write these cases is similar to an outline- very structured in a set format, with specific jargon in the case.

How do I choose a piece?

A piece is an excerpt of literature (a play, a novel, or something in print) that you can perform for humorous, dramatic, or duo interpretation. We are currently building our library of pieces, and the coach or captains can work with you to find something from it. You can also use a book you have read before if it is appropriate. Good peices can capture the audience's attention from the start and keep it for the entire ten minutes. They should appeal to a wide range of people, evoke an emotional response, and fit the actor's personality and ability. Pieces can require actors to speak in one voice for one character, or to speak in multiple voices for several characters. A great resource is www.findaplay.com