The Activity’s Foundation: Local Circuit Debate

Frequently, discussions about debate online gravitate towards the “national circuit” exclusively, which is unfortunate, because local circuit debate is the venue through which the vast, vast majority of Lincoln-Douglas debaters experience the activity. Indeed, local circuit debate is the foundation of the entire activity. Previous attempts to solicit regular columnists for VBD to focus on local debate–or, on the same token, to solicit columnists who are local circuit coaches or were exclusively local circuit debaters–have met with only mixed results. I’m still trying, though, and I’m still interested in adding such community members to our web site staff. Please contact me if interested.

In the meantime, though, here in this week’s “Off the Flow,” I’d like to talk about facilitating local debate. My team competes very actively both locally and nationally. I myself was a local circuit debater in the truest sense: aside from the state competition and trips to Yale and Harvard at the end of my career, all of my tournaments took place on Long Island. Local circuit tournaments and the styles of debate often promoted by them foster skills that serve debaters well not only on the “highest levels” of competition, but also in life.

Based on the anecdotal evidence on the 300+ post discussion on theory debate, which correlates with the recent growth of Public Forum Debate, many are afraid for the future of local circuit tournaments, leagues, and growth. What can we do to contribute to the growth of your local circuit competition? What have you done?

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Register Now for the Lexington Winter Classic!

LEXINGTON, MA - The Lexington Winter Classic–scheduled for January 13 and 14, 2006–is filling up more quickly than usual. Lynne Coyne is encouraging coaches to register as soon as possible to ensure spots in the tournament. Nominations for the Lexington Round Robin are also being accepted and should be e-mailed directly to Coyne.

UPDATE: The tournament is now just a few entries shy of its cap at 130. Be sure to register immediately! Additionally, a conversation has started right here regarding who will be attending. Let everyone know if you’ll be making the trip to Massachusetts this January.

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Dowling Catholic Round Robin Participants Revealed

WEST DES MOINES, IA - Steve Schappaugh today released the names of the twelve competitors in this year’s inaugural Dowling Catholic Round Robin. The event will take place on the two days following the Dowling Catholic Paradigm. Congratulations to those invited!

“Each Round Robin is structured differently and at our Round Robin we are trying something a bit new. To our knowledge, it’s never been done,” explained Schappaugh. “We will have two pods with six debaters in each pod; however, instead of just debating each one in the pod once members of the pod will debate twice: a chance to affirm and negate against everyone in the pod.”

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VBT is Filling Quickly

SANTA MONICA, CA - The VBT@Archer is filling quickly. As of today we already have 45 entries representing 6 states. Because of the size of our facilities, we can only take 120 entries. VBD readers should also note that we haven’t even sent out our invitation yet. We anticipate we will fill up even quicker once this is sent out later this week.

Here is a quick note from our hosts at the Holiday Inn Santa Monica:

Your attendees can make reservations one of three ways:

1. They can log on to www.holiday-inn.com/santamonicaca
Enter in the dates they are coming and underneath where it says group booking code they can enter VBT

2. Your guests can call the hotel directly at 310-451-0676 and ask for reservations. They will need to let reservations know that they are with the Victory Briefs, LLC or group code VBT in order to get the group rate.

3. Your guests can call 1-800-Holiday for reservations. They will need to let reservations know that they are the Victory Briefs, LLC or group code VBT in order to get the group rate.

Your guests have until 12/21/05 to make reservations, after this date they can still contact the hotel for reservations, however the group rate will no longer be available your guests reservations will be subject to availability and the prevailing rate.

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Come to the Dowling Catholic Paradigm

WEST DES MOINES, IA - “We are looking forward to the biggest and best Paradigm ever and are excited about all of those who have decided to join us,” noted Steve Schappaugh, assistant director of forensics at Dowling Catholic High School, today. “We have fifty-five schools from nine states registered for this year’s event and registration does not close until December 5.”

Guest judges at this year’s Paradigm include Tim Case, Derek Green, Paul Schiano, Ranjeet Sidhu, Tara Tedrow, Dan Widis, and Peter Zhou. Registration can be found at Joy of Tournaments; questions can be sent to Steve Schappaugh or Tim Sheaff.

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Theorizing LD Theory: The Resolution

For better or for worse–and that’s an ongoing discussion, the longest in VBD history–theory debate in Lincoln-Douglas is an emerging and evolving zone for argumentation. Adopting a suggestion from Lexy Green of the College Preparatory School, VBD will feature regular discussions on theory. “This would allow those who want to understand LD theory to ask questions and read more about it,” notes Green, “and also allow those who are developing positions on the theoretical issues facing LD to work out where they stand through discussion with others.”

So, today, we ask: what is the role of the resolution in Lincoln-Douglas Debate? Is it a truth statement that the affirmative must prove? A boundary on the debate within which the affirmative must position her advocacy? How does our view of the role of the resolution determine the burdens that we believe the affirmative and/or negative must meet?

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BACDL Announces Second Tournament

PALO ALTO, CA - The Bay Area Competitive Debate League, through Dave McGinnis, announced today its second competition. It will be held on Saturday, January 21, 2006 at Palo Alto High School. Details are available here.

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