I did LD for 2 years and coached for another two at Pittsburgh Central Catholic. I am now coaching debate at Oakland Catholic High School, and this is my first year back in a few years.

I'll vote on anything. However, if you're going to go for something, it must be extended in each speech. You should try and write my ballot for me at the end of the round by giving me 2-3 of your best arguments and going for them. If I look confused it is because I am confused, so try to not do that. I pay attention to cross x, but I don't flow it.

Be confident but don't be rude, there's a big big difference. I prefer that you have more offensive (your flow) than defensive arguments (your opponents flow), but you need to have both in order to win the round.

I will let you know if you are going too fast.

If you have any specific questions let me know and I'll be sure to answer them before the round.

It is the responsibility of any judge to set aside personal biases, which I strive to do in full during any round of debate.  When I state that I am a traditional lay judge from an area that debates slower, I do not mean to imply that particular cases will be immediately discounted for their criticality or theoretical examinations of the event.  Rather, it is the responsibility of the debaters within the round to convince me of the superiority of their argument.  In determining a round, it should be considered that the entirety of the argument must be coherent and open to discussion on both sides.  In other words: please do not spread in a round without disclosing your case to myself and your opponent.  Debate is not particularly educational at excessive speaking speeds.

For deliberation, I look toward the flow of the debate itself.  While I expect that debaters are capable of tracking arguments and defending their cases, personal remarks or excessively abusive language may have an impact on deliberation.

Email:

beckman@mtsd.org

I am a fairly traditional judge with three years of experience (mainly LD, but also Congress and some PF). I do not like overly aggressive spreading. I can handle any debate jargon you throw at me, but I don't appreciate it when people speak lightning fast to try and jam up their opponents.

I am a historian by training, so I expect the contentions to be based in some degree of reality. I can accept that open borders will cause a nation's sovereignty to erode somewhat, for example, but I cannot accept that open borders will lead to a nuclear conflict between two countries. Make sure your contentions are plausible.

Current School Affiliation

Chair, Depart of English, Elkins High School

Education Entrepreneurship Graduate Student, University of Pennsylvania, Graduate School of Education

Speech & Debate Program Coordinator, Randolph County Schools

Elkins High School (Elkins, WV)

2016-present

Elkins Middle School (Elkins, WV)

2019-present

Experience as a Competitor

I did not participate in speech and debate activities until I was in college. The program at Davis & Elkins College was primarily focused on public debates and less so on competitive speech and debate. My time at D&E lead me to see the value of debate to shape and improve public discourse. Additional details about my experience are below.

Davis & Elkins College (2013-2016)

Public Debate (debates on campus and in the community, Madison Cup @ James Madison University, iDebate Rwanda)

College Forensics Association (Lincoln-Douglas Debate, Parliamentary Debate, Poetry Interpretation, Prose Interpretation, Communication Analysis, Informative Speaking, After Dinner Speaking, Extemporaneous Speaking, Impromptu Speaking)

Lincoln-Douglas Philosophy

Overview I'm a traditional coach in a traditional circuit that has a general knowledge of progressive LD. However, I am willing to accept CPs, DAs, and Ks, but please be mindful of your opponents/judges ability to adapt. However, I am not likely to vote on theory arguments unless the violation is very abusive.

Speed I'm cool with speed, but be aware of how technology impacts how you are heard.

TL;DR I vote on impact. I want to hear why your argument matters. I will give preference to the debater that does the best job of showing the impact of negating or affirming the resolution.

General Debate Philosophy

1. I judge on impact. Tell me why your argument matters.

2. Create strong links between your claims and your evidence.

I have done LD (both as a competitor and judge) for multiple years. When judging a round, I first evaluate which framework is left standing, and then I evaluate all impacts in the round under that framework. If you don't explicitly link the impact to the framework, then I won't do it for you. You will win the round if you can directly link your impacts to the winning framework and clearly show me, and tell me why, your impacts are better than your opponents.

If something is dropped, you have to tell me that it was dropped, and only then will I actually extend it. If you say something was dropped and it wasn't, I will not extend it, so don't make up drops. I can handle speed, but I prefer you speak at a conversational pace and definitely do not spread. If you do talk fast, make sure you are clear enough that I can actually follow along.

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"Nah, I'd win"

I am an Oakland Catholic parent volunteer judge.

I prefer clear and organized cases. I do not mind speed as long as I am able to understand your argument. If I cannot understand your case, I cannot flow your argument. I prefer that debaters argue in the order of their flow. In rebuttal I do like to hear why a debater feels they won the round and why I should vote for them.

I do expect that debaters treat each other with respect. I will deduct points for rudeness or disrespecting your debate opponent.

Traditional judge
Speak clearly and convince me of your side of the case

Hi! I'm Matt (He/Him). I did LD for 3 years as my main event but I also did PA Parliamentary and World Schools. I am familiar with PF, but I am admittedly bad at it. I have been the LD Coach at Pgh Central Catholic HS since 2021. I've judged 162 rounds of LD, PF, Parli, and congress over the past 3 years on both the Pittsburgh-circuit level as well as State and National level break rounds.

Upper St. Clair '20 / Pitt '24

email: Matthew.hornak@gmail.com

TLDR: play nice, have fun, run whatever you want. I hate drops, think theory is usually unnecessary, want a strong framework debate, and won't buy impacts in LD that belong in PF/Policy.

NOTES ON DEBATE / CASES:

1. Framework. I understand dropping your frameworks when they are similar and debating them would just waste time. HOWEVER, framework is the heart of LD and what sets it apart from the other debates. Maintain that.

2. I like APPLICABLE philosophy.By all means run out of the ordinary things like Anarchy, AfroPess, Buddhist ethics, whatever you can think of. Just give me convincing reason to care about you bringing it up. Creativity in the framework is only gonna help you if you use it to weigh your impacts and extend it through the round. As for progressive stuff, run a K / theory if you think it'll actually lead to a substantive debate (don't steamroll some poor novice).

3.Evidence Ethics. Use scholarly and reputable sources. Don't expect a singular dropped card to win you a round. That being said, try and directly rebut line-by-line as much as possible. I prefer line-by-line to thematic, overarching arguments. If your opponent calls for evidence, you've got one minute to produce it -- I will heavily consider dropping you full stop for not being able to do so. I don't need you guys to do email chains but I also don't mind them, so do what you want.

4. Extinction/unweighted Impacts. I do not buy extinction impacts. they are inherently unweighable: how will causing or preventing infinite deaths ever be comparable to issues of inequality, justice, and morality? those arguments, if you chose to make them, need to be so excruciatingly clear and logical. After all, LD is rarely talking about the extreme ends of slippery slopes, but the grey area between both sides.

5. Cross-Apply. If you are going to say cross-apply a contention, you need to say more about why I prefer your contention over your opponent. I simply won't flow it and treat it as a drop if you just say "cross-apply" and leave it at that.

NOTES ON SPEECHES / SPEAKING:

1. Speed. I prefer slower, traditional style debate. If you need need need to spread, I can make it work for you, but I'd prefer you avoided it.

2. Speak respectfully. Debate is a space to explore and test ideas. Respect that ability for your competitor as well. Police your speech a little and try and avoid tropes that are easily misconstrued toward offensiveness. Before you come to a tournament, genuinely consider what positions you advocating; even if you are running "main arguments" of the topic, consider how your rhetoric may be implicitly xenophobic, racist, sexist, etc. ((in 2023, I heard "migrants will bring disease and copious amounts of crime" more times than I can count)). If your opponent is being rude and offensive, handle it professionally and if it is a genuine cause of concern for you, let me know privately post round / let tab know.

3. Drops are the necessary evil of debate, but they do not decide my rounds. If your final speech consists entirely of drops, I'm 90% sure I will not pick you up; your arguments are all why your opponent is bad, not why their arguments are bad or yours are any better. I still respect drops because those are the rules, but please don't hinge my decision on that.

OVERALL:

Have fun. not just as in "be happy when you win and remember its all learning Kiddos!!11!" I mean, crack some jokes, make me and your opponent smile! this isn't life or death it's 3 to 5 people sitting in a room way to early on a weekend. make this more bearable pleaseeeeee.

shanepk10@gmail.com

Overview

I'm currently a sophomore at Emory University majoring in Economics and Philosophy. I did debate 10th-12th grade in high school mostly in LD but some Policy. Because I really can't understand quick spreading and I am sure this will be even more the case given this year is online. Really don't care how fast you read what you send to me and your opponent but slow down on anything thats not sent to me or your opponent. Anyway, I did both traditional and circuit debate throughout high school. Really enjoyed running Agamben K's and K Affs, so extra speaker points if you write a good one thats topical (I dont care how topical it is). As far as things in round go: make sure to extend everything and anything you want me to vote on, even if it's dropped. The threshold for what a solid extension is depends on the offense thats on it tho. If its cold conceded you can just tell me the author name a quick summary and extend, otherwise youre gna have to do more work for me. Also, extra speaks for good cross ex. Finally, don't be a dick, its simple.

PHIL

I enjoy hearing these cases when theyre explained well. Don't read a Kant case and expect me to know exactly what youre talking about because I dont think anyone really knows what hes talking about. Basically, just explain your case if its dense, Ill vote on anything.

LARP

I'm prob not the best judge to hear a util vs util card dump but ill do my best to evaluate it. Love to see unique DAs and CPs tho. If ur gna go for this just make sure you weigh.

K's

Loved K's and K affs in high school. Like I said I love to see Agamben, but I really don't care what you read. If its super dense just make sure you explain it well. Also, if your links aren't case specific I am prob gna be bored. Don't run non-T K affs, Ill still vote for you but you wont like your speaks. K affs can be nominally T tho, those can be fun.

Theory Spikes

Really don't wanna see a ton a theory spikes hidden throughout your case and extended in the next speech, I don't find them persuasive. If its in an underview numbered then its fine but I still probably wont find it super persuasive.

Theory

Theory can be fun but explain it; I was never very good at it. Ill evaluate friv theory, if you win you win, but your getting low speaks for wasting my time. If you run disclosure theory on a team that doesn't have a page on the wiki, I'll drop you.

Performance

I'm probably not the best judge to run a performance case in front of, but as with everything else, I'll vote on it if it wins. Not opposed to these kinds of cases just don't think I know how to evaluate them that well.

Hi, I'm Sophie! (she/her)

I'm currently a freshman at the University of Pittsburgh studying Finance and Business Analytics. I did LD at North Allegheny for 4 years in high school, mostly on the local circuit. With that said, my experience is in traditional debate and I think local tournaments should be accessible to all levels of debaters, so while I understand basic progressive arguments, run them/spread at your own risk.

I judge based on what's on my flow at the end of the round, evaluate the framework debate first and then consider the impacts under the winning FW - pretty standard stuff.

Keep in mind that since I've been out of debate I will not be as up to date with the topics.

Lastly, debate should be first and foremost a fun and educational space. Any disrespectful behavior towards your opponent will not be taken kindly and I won't hesitate to tank your speaks as a result.

Have fun and if you have any questions ask before the round!

I am a big believer in the traditional goal and values of Lincoln-Douglas debate. One v. one debate of values, not policy and not fact debates unless they advance the overarching value debate. I competed in the event from 2003-2006. I went to both CFL and NSDA (then called NFL) nationals multiple years and debated on the circuit. I am currently an attorney who works in a prosecutor's office. I only provide this so that you might know the kind of experiences that inform my everyday life and thus what may or may not strike me as important.

In terms of the round, I do not flow cross-ex. If you believe your opponent made an important concession during cross you must raise it in your next speech. Otherwise, I enjoy clean but aggressive debating. Timing yourself is preferred but I will keep official time.

I debated Lincoln Douglas for 3 years in high school, and have coached for the past two years with novice debaters. Most of my experience was in western Pennsylvania on a local level, but I did compete occasionally on the national circuit.

My judge paradigm is limited only by what I can understand, because I don't really have any preferences concerning how students should debate or how the round should play out. If you take sufficient time explain your arguments then you can do whatever your want. I'm fine with theory or k's or any other off args, but am not used to evaluating them based on the level of debate I usually judge nowadays. Speed is fine as long as I can flow (can follow the slower end of what is considered "spreading" but not ridiculous speeds). Still debaters should preference clarity over speed. If a point is especially important, slow down. 

I am a traditional LD judge. I do not approve of theories or any other critiques. Please use simple language and while I can follow most spreading, if I cannot listen to you, it is your loss. I enjoy framework debating so try your best to weight under both frameworks. Lack of evidence is not a real rebuttal.