Tag Team Spar (Friday Night)

Theme: Issues Facing Future Utah Voters

***This is designed to be a civic debate with the rules of spar to govern the round***

You and your partner will debate current event issues facing Utah in fast-paced, engaging rounds. This event will be moderated by former high school debaters and trained judges.

Same rules as normal Spar

Debate Topics by Round

• Round One: Utah’s High Cost of Living
• Round Two: Utah’s Environment
• Round Three: Personal Freedoms & Civics in the State of Utah
• Final Round: Wild Card topic

1. Teams & Roles

• 2 students per side: Team Affirmative vs. Team Negative.
• Teams can divide speaking roles however they choose — but every member must speak at least once.

2. Topic Selection

• Moderator presents two possible resolutions.
• Coin toss:
• Winner chooses side (Aff/Neg) OR topic.
• Loser chooses the remaining option.

3. Preparation

• 3–5 minutes prep time.
• Teams may use notes, but no internet or phones unless specifically allowed.
• Build a quick case with 2–3 strong arguments.

4. Debate Format (16–20 min sample round)

1. Affirmative Constructive – 2 min
2. Negative Constructive – 2 min
3. Crossfire – 2 min
4. Affirmative Rebuttal – 2 min
5. Negative Rebuttal – 2 min
6. Team Grand Crossfire – 2 min
7. Final Affirmative – 1 min
8. Final Negative – 1 min

Time may be shortened (1–2 min speeches) for larger groups or tighter schedules.

5. Speaker Expectations

• Every teammate must speak.
• Arguments should be clear, concise, and persuasive.
• Engage directly with opposing points.
• Support your partner and work as a cohesive team.

6. Judging Criteria

Clarity: Are the arguments understandable and well-organized?

Clash: Did the team respond directly to opposing points?

Teamwork: Did both partners participate and support each other?

Persuasion: Did they make a compelling case to win over the judge?