PF/LD Paradigms

I’m first and foremost an interp coach. Treat me like a lay judge who happens to know the rules (and yes- I know the rules). No spreading, clash is fine. If you really want to pick up my ballot, be sure to focus on cross-examination. I find that a strong, quality CX can illustrate your ability to communicate, prove your points, illustrate your knowledge and understanding of the debate and show your best engaged debate skills. Anyone can read a prepared card. Show me you know what to do with it.

On an aside, I do like debaters to keep it professional. I like it when people stand for cross-examination and are polite and supportive to their opponents before and after the round. I like it when I feel the teams are focused and paying attention not only to their opponents' speeches but also to their team member's speeches.

Congress Paradigms

I look for competitors who are prepared to speak on any topic - especially if they have prepared to speak on both sides of the topic. I look for quality speeches that add value to the debate; if we're four cycles in and you aren't bringing new information, crystallizing information we've heard, or providing a new rebuttal then it's easy for your speech to get lost amongst the masses. Activity in the chamber is good - I'm looking for you to be engaged in listening to other speeches, asking valuable questions, and working together to run a fair and efficient chamber.

Interp Paradigms

I was a high school competitor all four years - competing in all Interp events (DI, HI, OO, prose, poetry, Duo, Duet) and Congressional Debate. I competed on the Texas and National Circuits. Here's the big thing to know - you should never change your style, material, or story to try to get my 1. I will always respect the stories you choose to tell, the performance you're developing, and your courage to be you and share messages important to you. Just be you. My ballots may sound tough, but it comes out of a desire to help you improve. I've provided insight into what I'm looking for but none of it should force you to change your content.

For Interp Events, I'm looking for honest storytelling (talk to me like a person) and tech that helps enhance your story and not detract from it. I'm looking for clear, well-developed characters. I'm looking for an excellent intro that provides meaning and importance for your piece. I'm looking for excellent execution of pacing and incorporation of levels. Draw me into your story and leave me with something to take away. In addition, for all binder events, I'm a stickler for binder etiquette.

For Public Speaking Events (OO and INFO), I'm looking for topics that you are personally invested in. I'm looking for an engaging AGD, a clear vehicle, and well-defined points supported by a balance of ethos, pathos, and logos. Share your heart story and be honest with it. Most importantly, these are two events where you can really be yourself. Be your best self, sure. But don't feel like you have to put on a whole song and dance to get my one. I'm looking for an inspirational, conversational tone. INFO - I'm looking for creative visuals that are well-executed and add value to your speech without being a distraction.

For Extemp, I'm looking for a clear understanding of the question and a definitive answer with supporting analysis (cite those sources guys). Two points or three points are fine, depending on the question and your approach to answering the question. I just want your speech to have a clear sense of structure and organization. I'm also looking for strong presentation skills. Have vocal variety, adopt a conversational tone, know how to present in a way that is approachable for all audience types and not just those well-versed in current events and extemp. Don't be afraid to crack a joke, but don't rely purely on humor. Fluency breaks, circular speech (rehashing points and repeating yourself), and poor time management could affect your rank in round.

General note for everyone - I have a really bad thinking face and I'm going to look confused and upset. I'm not - don't take it personally! It's just my face and I don't really have a whole lot of control over that. Plenty of times I've had my own students tell me they were sure I hated what they were doing and then I was very complimentary of their work. So I promise you my face has nothing against you! It's just a grumpy face.

Priya Chaudhari:

Affiliation: Plano HS '18

Experience: Competed at Plano Senior HS 17-18. Judging since 2019.

Contact: priyachaudhari2018@gmail.com

A little about me:

She/He. I identify as a queer POC and transphobia, homophobia, and racism are not well received unless deemed narratively 'necessary.' I do not take these things lightly.

I recently graduated from UNT with a BA in Media Arts. I am a performer, and most of my experience is from years of theatre, films, and the IE sides of speech. I am, however, in no way a seasoned debater. That does not mean I will not judge debate, I will simply evaluate the manner in which the information was presented to me... but please do leave me out of congress and LD I will be lost.

I do not tolerate inappropriate room etiquette. Behavior such as being on your phone or laptop during a round (unless clarified to take notes of the performances), talking to other people in between performances or immediately after (where the judge is still present), eating or chewing gum, or just being disrespectful can greatly affect the performer as well as the judge. Failure to be a kind and respectful audience member will likely turn up on the ballot though I will never let it hinder the rank/score in the room unless there is a very specific circumstance. Treat other competitors the way you would like to be treated, please.

Pronouns: She/they. I don't tolerate transphobia, homophobia, xenophobia, and racism. If you have an issue with this, strike me.

Affiliation: Plano Senior High 19'

Graduated from Arizona State University Online, 2023

Contact: shreyachaudhari2001@gmail.com (please put me on the email chain)

I do IE Events only, I have no proper experience/knowledge to judge any debate events.

I have judged speech events for 3+ years and have no previous speech/debate experience. I am looking for clean delivery and clear arguments. If one team can successfully argue against their opponent with no rebuttals, I would give them the win. I am looking for those who will take their time to explain any points presented to further their argument without inadvertently or intentionally repeating their/other student's previous statements. I try not to read evidence. However, I will if I feel it is absolutely necessary to resolve the round. I will default to the speaker's interpretation of the evidence unless otherwise contested.

--Speech--

As far as extemp/oratory/informative, I look for a least some evidence to support their point or topic. However, these are speaking events so "speaking skills" are important to me (rate, diction and delivery).

When it comes to Interp, I am all about the story and the journey, regardless of humorous or dramatic. Introductions can be at the beginning or done as a teaser (whatever works). I have no specific issues with lots of technical blocking or no blocking at all...it all depends on the piece and how well it is executed. Some pieces require lots of tech and some are very simple and need almost nothing.

I am a Theatre Arts coach and a Interp Coach, so acting is the most important to me. And, I am a big fan of keeping with the author's intent. I am pretty liberal about mature material, however it has to be appropriate for the piece and needed, not just mature to get attention. I do not like it when an actor makes up things and adds to the script for no reason.

Sarah Lyngholm

Affiliation: Plano Senior High 2019

Experience: Competed at haggard middle school, Judged middle school events in high school, and I have been judging High school tournaments since 2021.

Contact: selyngholm@gmail.com

A little about me:

She/Her.

Transphobia, Homophobia, and Racism are not received well unless necessary to the piece.

I will always appreciate a warning about any sensitive content in a piece.

I will not stand for inappropriate etiquette within the tournaments. I encourage students to stay off of their phones (unless taking notes), stay quiet between speakers, and refrain from eating/chewing gum during rounds. Being disrespectful during rounds will end up on ballots, but will not affect the competitor's rank (unless absolutely necessary).

I am typically an I/E judge, so keep that in mind if putting me in a debate pool. I do not favor spreading during debate rounds, and I will judge based on how you present your piece or argument.

TREAT PEOPLE WITH KINDNESS AND RESPECT.

In PFD, I want to see organized cases with debaters directly clashing with opposing arguments. I want to hear sources with dates, in case I want to refer to them at some point in time. I would prefer to hear a few well-developed arguments instead of a dozen arguments that are only mentioned once in the debate. I don't think theory arguments are appropriate for this format. I expect final speakers to sum up why their side won the debate (voters). I expect all of the debaters to speak at a rate in which a normal human being could hear, process, and understand. I coached for a long time, and I really enjoy hearing sound, logical arguments.

--Speech--

What are your stylistic preferences for extemp? I enjoy the traditional format of extemp speeches, but prefer them to be as conversational as possible. if you're going to have a standard opener that you use religiously, be sure it makes sense. also be sure it isn't the exact same as every other person on your team. Use what YOU know and lean into that so that conversation flows naturally.

How much evidence do you prefer? quality over quantity for me. cite your sources with the date included, and use varied sources. at least 3 different ones! and make sure if you're bluffing that i can't tell you're bluffing.

Any preference for virtual delivery? acknowledge the camera if we're competing virtually! make sure you are in a space where you can be seen and heard.

What are your stylistic preferences for Oratory/Info? CONVERSATIONAL. Do not make it seem like this is the umteenth time you've competed with this piece. The beauty of oratory/info is that this is, or should be, your passion piece! YOU wrote every word. and if you're going to speak on something for 10 minutes over and over again, you should love it. And no matter how many times you've run it, it should feel like the first time every time. Your topic is near and dear to you and it's your job to make it near and dear to us. Universality is key. Though I may not be a part of the community or group or conversation, I need to understand why i MUST become a part of it or aware of it. Your passion and excitement for your speech should be palpable. Make it feel like the first time every time because for most people in the room it is the very first time we've gotten to hear this speech. and you have ten minutes to use this room as your platform and speak on what's important to you. make sure we leave this room talking about YOU! Your goal should be for us to be at our family dinner table telling everyone who will listen about this moment we took away from your speech. your gestures need to make sense and be natural. do not simply fall into gestures that you see being done just for the sake of doing them. if you wouldn't normally use particular hand gestures or vocal variations DONT DO IT for the sake of a round.

How much evidence do you prefer? I need enough statistics to not feel like you're just giving me your own personal think tank. back up what you're saying with multiple different credible sources. offer viewpoints that challenge yours, and then back them up with your facts.

Any unique thoughts on teasers? Your teaser sets the tone for the entire piece. Think about how you want to introduce us to the next ten minutes that we are going to watch!

Any unique thoughts on introductions for Interpretation events? Make them personal to YOU! Tell me why this piece matters to you while also telling me about the piece. What qualifies you to speak on this? Why should we listen and care? If you don't know who/what you're speaking on don't waste your time. oftentimes we are lifting up and bringing awareness to a community or an issue that is very delicate. use your intro to tell us why you're doing this and why it matters. Even in HI!!! i LOOOOVE a good tie in to real life. leave us talking about what we learned regardless of whether we are laughing, crying, or everything in between. take me on a JOURNEY.

Any preferences with respect to blocking, movement, etc: Make every movement a moment. I should be able to snap a photo of you and tell what you're doing and where you are. make movements and pantomimes intentional and thoughtful. break the mold! take me somewhere I've never been.

What are your thoughts on character work? you absolutely must BECOME your character. you need to study people who have experienced what your character has experienced. embody them wholly. whether it's in a humorous or serious way. do not halfway commit to something and expect us to buy in.

How do you feel about author's intent and appropriateness of a piece? For example: an HI of Miracle Worker (author's intent) or a student performing mature material or using curse words (appropriateness)? Author’s intent- doesn’t bother me too much. Appropriateness is BIG for me. You’re in HIGH SCHOOL- crude sexual humor and excessive cusswords just aren’t necessary. It’s also cheap comedy IMO. If you’re that “mature” aim higher for your content. A few innuendos are okay, but don't get crazy. There are far more ways to get laughs then to take it literally below the belt.

Interpret and public speaking, should leave a judge, wanting to know more answering questions I never thought of getting insight into a topic or character that is not just on the surface

All speech events:

For virtual, please stay in the camera frame. It is best if your hands are always in the frame as well; otherwise, gestures seem extreme when your hands suddenly enter the frame. Make sure you adhere to the constitution. For recorded (asynchronous) events, you are not allowed to edit the video.

Extemp/OO/Info:

I need a clear structure. You should have at least one source for each point. The biggest thing I look for is your explanation - you need to explain things in a way that makes it easy to understand without sounding condescending. Your examples and explanation should help me understand your ideas. Movements (5-point walk and gestures) should be smooth, helpful, and make sense. The constitution states you cannot be ranked first if you go over grace.

Interp:

Rankings most often are based on who creates the most believable moments and characters. There should be different levels to your characters and pieces—not everything should be intense, not everything should be quiet, not everything should be rapid, not everything should be slow, etc. If you use an accent for a character, then you need to be consistent with it. It is not necessary for you to have multiple characters; however, if you do, you need to create distinct characters. You should add meaning behind the lines through your voice, tone, and inflection. Cussing doesn’t bother me; I do prefer for it to make sense within your piece. I do not mind if you take a serious piece and put a humorous spin on it or a humorous piece being given a dramatic spin as long as it is not creating a caricature or making fun of a group of people. Movement should also make sense. Introductions should help clarify and set the scene; many events also require the author and title to be clearly stated in the introduction as well. The constitution states you cannot be ranked first if you go over grace..

For POI specifically: there are some judges who want to be able to tell a difference between the different pieces you use and will make a comment that your program “seems more like prose or poetry than POI”; I disagree with this—If we cannot tell a difference between your pieces, I think it shows how skilled you are at weaving your pieces together to create one coherent voice.