A Judge's Perspective On The National Speech And Debate Tournament | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Student Life

A Judge's Perspective On The National Speech And Debate Tournament

From the other side

217
A Judge's Perspective On The National Speech And Debate Tournament
The Kansas City Star

Speech and Debate Nationals, the whole year has led up to this. You and thousands of other suit-wearing, wall-talking, sleep deprived high school students descend on one city for a week of the best debating and speaking in the nation. I recently judged at the NCFL National tournament in Louisville KY, and it is a very different experience then competing.

First, there is slim to no prep work for most judges, with the exception of coaches, if you are a hired or parent judge there is not much for you to do in advance. Thus, depending on your personal situation, there is little reason to arrive sleep deprived. While for the student competitors there is always more to do, more research, last minute tweaks to cases, and practice rounds, not to mention nationals usually lines up with final exams or large projects in school. Thus, most students arrive rather sleep deprived.

Upon arrival adrenaline usually kicks in for competitors and caries them through most of the weekend. This is not present for judges, they have little riding on the tournament. The stress of getting to your room, however, is still present for judges. If a judge does not show up to judge they will face a large fine. And moreover, there is always pressure for prompt beginnings of rounds and speedy ballot returns.

In the round, while considered rude for students to nod off during a competitors performance, it happens sometimes. After judging ten rounds in a day, it is sometimes all you can do to stay awake to anything, but you cannot lose attention of the round. A judge is expected not only determine the places in the round, but also give feedback to the speaker.

In a hard room speakers grumble about their chances of doing well. Judges grumble at the near impossible decision they need to make between a room full of extremely talented speakers. And writing meaningful, helpful comments gets rather difficult at such an advanced level.

The day is done and both competitors and judges are worn out, but it is all worth it when you see that you broke, or that a student who blew you, as a judge, out of the water broke.

It is an intense tiring tournament, usually book ended with a long plane ride, or and even longer car ride. But it is all worth it, because as hard and tiring as it is at the end of the day, we would not give it up for the world.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Adulting

18 Things I Want To Do Now That I'm 18

I'm technically an adult, so I'm legally required to live a little, right?

1259
Happy Birthday Cake

For the entirety of my high school career, I was always seen as the goody-two-shoes. I never got in trouble with a teacher, I kept stellar grades, and when I wasn't doing extracurricular activities, I was at home studying. Even when I did go out, it was usually with a bunch of fellow band geeks. The night would end before 11:00 PM and the only controversial activity would be a fight based on who unfairly won a round of Apples-to-Apples when someone else clearly had a better card (I promise I'm not still holding a grudge).

Now that I'm officially an adult, I want to pursue some new things. I want to experience life in a way that I never allowed myself to do prior to entering college. These are the years that I'm supposed to embark on a journey of self-discovery, so what better way to do that than to create a bucket list?

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics

The holiday classics that shaped my life

759
10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics
Flickr

The holiday season is full of stress, debt, and forced conversation. While we rush through the month of December, it's important to take a step back and enjoy the moments before they're gone. Most families love to watch Christmas movies, but these beloved films provide more than entertainment. Here are 10 life lessons that I've learned from the holiday classics we watch every year.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

199913
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

20693
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments