NSDA endorsed speech coach.

For speech: I view judging speech events the same way that I view casting a play or musical. I have a problem: determining who is the best competitor in the event. The competitors have the solution. Be confident. Make a choice - even if it's not a great one. Present the best of yourself and your skills in that moment. Much like theatre, I want to see a well rehearsed piece with the "illusion of the first time."

I will strive to provide you with positives and areas for improvement.

For debate, I am looking for a clear, logical argument and line of reasoning, well supported with unquestionable sources. Deliver with the skills and confidence of a speech competitor. Solid counterarguments and a good defense/response to questioning moves you ahead in the rankings.

I am a returning parent judge. I will provide constructive notes for students.

Here are a few notes for students:

1. Speak as clearly as possible.

2. Please signpost and frame your arguments in a logical flow.

3. Be courteous, polite and respectful to your opponents.

I am primarily a speech coach, so effective public speaking and rhetoric skills appeal to me. I prefer debates that stay centered on the topic to kritiks. Please no spreading. I don't mind fast-paced arguments, but I'd like to be able to flow what is happening effectively, and for that to happen, I don't want to be missing huge chunks of your argument because of speed. Thanks!

EXTEMP 6/3--

Lynn's Son: No speed. Like, zero, that will get a fat L for you. Communication is key, the strength of the argument is equally as important as the way in which it is delivered. Big ideas will win, but that doesn't mean you get to be nebulous or vague. Be respectful, go at a good pace, and you should be fine.

Read the PF paradigm for extra insights.

PF--

My mom has told me repeatedly that she “hates PF” because of the speed, blippy arguments and jargon. She is as lay as they come, which means you should be using well warranted arguments and should slow down for your speeches. My mom will be very sad if you use lots of debate jargon like delink, turn or non unique. She will also be very sad if you use any form of prog debate.

please debate lay and you will be fine

» Completed Cultural Competence Course «

- - - - -

I have judged speech and debate events for more than 15 years, and have been a coach for about 10. I primarily coach interp and public speaking events, but I've also judged Public Forum Debate for years, and assist with coaching PFD. I have judged final rounds of PFD and DUO, as well as many break rounds, at the National Tournament.

I do not judge LD, WSD or Policy.

General thoughts

No matter what event I judge, I will do my best to be as prepared, professional and fair as possible. I expect no less from competitors. If you are unprepared, exhibit unprofessional behavior, are sloppy or waste my time (or another competitor's time), you won't be rewarded. Be professional. Be present. Be courteous. You will not be rewarded for being rude.

Public Forum Debate

My approach to PFD is pretty traditional. Be clear! Convince me you should win. Because of my speech background, I value presentation. Yes, I want your words and arguments to bring me to your side, but how you say those things is important (vocal variety, emphasis, eye contact, gestures). As you present your case, you've got to convince me your arguments are the right arguments, and guide me through your case. Your presentation skills — or lack thereof — play a big role in this process. I also expect you to be professional in every aspect of the round; you should look and play the part. Abusive or overly aggressive language or attitudes will not be rewarded. And, if you never look up from your laptop, tablet or pad, you're missing an opportunity to sell me on your case.

I've heard PFD was never designed to be Policy. It started out as Ted Turner Debate. Extreme speed or arcane debate jargon or argumentation theory won't win points with me. I am looking for persuasive and logical arguments that are clear and accessible. If you speak so fast that I can’t flow your argument, then how can it be on my flow?

While your analysis needs to be solid, I do want good information. Support your arguments. Cite your facts; I want to know where your information comes from. Good information is important, and I don't like teams that cite only one or two sources over and over — or rarely cite arcane sources. Solid warrants and citations will be rewarded, assuming you link everything together.

I try to intervene as little as possible, and I will not discount an argument because I strongly disagree with it — as long as you can support it and I understand it. I value facts and will judge a debate based on the information presented — not my opinions. How well do you support your contentions? Do you have sufficient warranting? Clear impacts? Do you understand the resolution beyond what is in your cases? That's the information that will help you deliver solid blocks and control cross. Some judges discount cross; I don't. If you don't know the subject, this is where it will show.

Time yourself (and your opponent, if you want), but I will also keep time using a dedicated app. I'm not a stickler for time — if you go a few seconds over time to finish a thought or respond during cross, that is OK. Just don't abuse it. And keep those off-time roadmaps super brief.

Interp/speech

I realize I don't need a paradigm for speech events, but since competitors do occasionally ask, why not? Here are a few general thoughts:

» Delivery: Clear, fluid delivery, whether you're presenting an oratory or doing a character in a DI, is a must. If I can't hear or understand you, or clearly identify your characters, that's an issue.

» Oratories, Expos, Info: I look for an interesting topic, clear points, effective and persuasive speech, good support and fluid movement/gestures. For an Info, a clear, effective prop need not be complex or consist of 50 things. Sometimes, simple is best. Does it add to the speech? Does it help the audience understand the speech better? If it controls you, then it's not effective. Do not neglect eye contact with me and the rest of the audience. If you don't connect with me, how can I connect with your speech? Finally, why do I care? Why should the audience care? Bring it back to the audience and let us know why we should care. In an OO, you are likely advocating for something. Tell me why I should care, or at least listen. In an info or an expository, what's the impact? For example, if the extinction of a little bug will cause a bigger bug to also become extinct, that's impact. But it's not necessarily the final impact to the audience. Bring it to us: The extinction of this little bug will cause a larger bug to become extinct, potentially impacting our food supply. An informative should tell me more than how to do something; it should tell me something (or an angle on something) I didn't know. And then, it should explain to me why I (the audience) care.

» DI/HI/DUO/POI: A good piece that is cut tightly and effectively is a great start (don't underestimate the cutting). From there, I look for good, clear, distinct and effective characterizations (TIP: focal points may be somewhat ignored these days, but I'm one of those judges who still look for them, and I like good eye contact with the audience during narration), effective blocking and purposeful movement. Tech is OK, if it doesn't overpower the presentation but rather enhances the piece. For DUOs, tight cue pickup, distinct characterizations and creative blocking are rewarded. In POI, do the pieces continually support your argument or thesis?

A note about POI: Per the NSDA, "The use of a manuscript during the performance is required." I expect you to refer to your binder, turn pages and — if you wish — use it as a prop. Never turning the pages or looking at the binder is not what I am hoping to see.

» EXT: I look for clear structure, good support, good facts, fluid delivery. Answer the extemp question you received: Pivoting to some other angle of your preference won't be rewarded. Be sure, too, that I know your answer: be clear! Canned intros can work, but they need to be pertinent, and many are not. Sourcing is important; if you have (for example) three points, I'll look for two reputable sources per point. Varied sources work best and help support your overall argument. Do not neglect eye contact with me and the rest of the audience (if any). If you don't connect with me, how can I connect with your speech?

Final thoughts

Don't read too much into any of this. It's my opinion and opinions are cheap. At the end of the day, the most important thing is that your experience is fun and rewarding, and that we both learn something. If that happens, we were both winners.

Stay focused, and good luck!

I have over twenty years experience working for the NC Department of Public Safety. I teach a Law and Justice elective at Cuthbertson HS. I enjoyed working in the criminal court system and appreciate those of you that have the skills to make good oral arguments. I place a value on respecting other opinions and proper decorum. It is much harder to make a good point about an unpopular opinion, therefore I take notice the level of difficulty. Lastly, I feel it is very important to be able to adapt to the current debate.

I am a parent judge from Carolina Day School and have been judging speech events at the local, state, and national level for 2 years. My background in journalism, pubic speaking, and theater helps inform my judging style & scoring. I am an engaged listener and I want each student to feel comfortable and confident when presenting. I want to see all students grow in their experience & my feedback is usually succinct where I outline areas of strength and areas for improvement.

When I judge interpretation events it is important for me to see you showcase your storytelling ability & confidence with the material. Pace, rhythm, and tone are critical to help bring the piece to life. While I enjoy "voices/ charachtures" - I believe those should be natural and not forced. All action & character choices should feel connected to the piece and serve a purpose when communicating the story and not just act as a gimmick.

My judging focus for public address speech events is on clarity of message and a deep understanding of the material you are presenting. There should be an effortless flow and confidence in a more structured/memorized presentation. With impromptu - the speeches should have a clear narrative direction and the student should feel confident in their delivery.

I love judging speech and my goal is to celebrate each student's hard work & talent!

I am a parent judge with little experience judging PF, LD or Speech events.

Hello, my name is Armando Sanchez and I am honored to be your judge.

I look for dictation and articulated speaking

Greetings: My husband has coached in the Carolina West District for approximately 10 years. As we are a very small school, we struggle with having enough judges, so I have been volunteered. I am a former high school English and Drama instructor (10 years experience), so I am familiar with Speech, and I look forward to growing my knowledge of other categories.

IEs: The first presentation I see is in first place of that round until someone beats them and so on down the line. I look for all literary elements, appropriate use of: hands/body/posture, facial expressions, and vocal variety as the piece dictates. As OI, POI, Novice Reading, or Children's Lit do not require memorization, nor do I. I neither reward students who have memorized, nor penalize students who haven't. My personal favorite events are: Extemp and Informative Speaking.

I do NOT disclose my decisions and I do NOT share oral critiques in the room. I will gladly answer student's questions with their coaches permission to speak with me. I will generally challenge all Extempers with short questions following their speech.

I am an experienced speech judge from Asheville High School. While I was never a competitor, I am a highly trained educator and former university professor with a Master’s degree in Education and Bachelor’s and Doctoral degrees in Physical Therapy. I only judge Speech events, given that my children have both participated in Congressional Debate and wanted me nowhere near their chambers. Clarity and enunciation are important to me within the context of the speech style. I appreciate it when you adjust your speaking voice to project in rooms that have noisy HVAC systems. While the pandemic is pretty much over, you may see me in a mask and I may request space, given that my full-time job includes caring for critically ill, often immunocompromised patients, who cannot afford to have the health professionals they trust bringing them iatrogenic infections. I will also support any student, who still feels more comfortable wearing a mask for myriad reasons and am happy to make accommodations as needed, such as spacing out the audience, leaving the door open if the hallway is quiet, opening a window, etc. While it is a competition, I appreciate competitors, who are kind, thoughtful and supportive of each other and of me. Ultimately, the skills gained from Speech and Debate will only serve a competitor well later in life if he/ she/ they learn how to make humanconnections.