8 March 2005
8 March 2005| News from Vermont Debate AKA The Voice of Edwin is the weekly newsletter of the Edwin Lawrence Debate Union at the University of Vermont, an endowed co-curricular program which trains students in debating and sponsors national competition and community events. The newsletter is published every Tuesday during the school year and infrequently at other times. Alfred C. Snider is the Director. 802-656-0097 voice, 802-238-8345 mobile, 802-656-4275 fax, alfred.snider@uvm.edu email, and http://debate.uvm.edu/ldu.html web site. |
| Jason Hitchcock & Jake Meany pose with championship cup after final round
|
It was being called the greatest
day in Vermont debate since UVM won the National Debate Tournament in
1950. It was a dream that seemed impossible, yet it came true with a
sure swiftness that surprised everyone including Vermont debaters, coaches
and the rest of the American debate community. Some things just do not
happen. Here are some of the stunning aspects of UVM's double win of
the Novice and Junior Varsity USA Debate Championships.
* The team racked up 38 national sweepstakes points, the most ever, moving
UVM from #17 to #5 in the year-long race. Standings now are: 1. Berkeley,
2. Harvard, 3. Liberty, 4. Emory, 5. Vermont, 6. Northwestern, 7. West
Point, 8. Dartmouth, 9. Mary Washington, 10. Wayne State.
* The team had a 14-1 record in elimination rounds. Having that number
of elimination round debates at one tournament is almost impossible,
and the 14-1 record was beyond impossible, as in the elimination rounds
you debate the best teams.
* Brady Fletcher and Stephanie Kimerer ruled the day, winning 19 straight
ballots, including being 7-0 in prelims and winning 12 straight ballots
in elimination debates.
* The JV National Championship is a "threepeat" for UVM, having won it
three years in a row. Nick Landsman-Ross
* UVM didn't just win the Novice National Championship, they closed it
out, as UVM won both semifinals and when they met in finals just took
the trophies and began the celebration as Jason & Jake prepared to win
JV Nationals.
* UVM won TWO national championships in one weekend, something never
done before.
* The squad record surged above 50%, and we hope it stays there!
| Justin Green of Georgetown presents national championship to Leslie, Megan,
Stephanie, Brady |
"We knew who we had to beat and we aggressively prepared to beat them," remarked LDU Director Snider. "Liberty, Oklahoma, Binghamton, Mary Washington, Rochester, and others have excellent teams and we were worried about them. The keys to victory seem to have been the extremely hard work of the students, the incredible talents of the student, strong strategies built on a vast assortment of arguments so that we could appeal to any panel and keep the opposition guessing, and a superb coaching job by Helen & Justin Morgan Parmett along with varsity debaters Nick Landsman-Roos and Sheila Limprevil. I just kept saying 'Continue with the program' all weekend long since we were in such a smooth groove."
Hitchcock & Meany Defeated: |
Fletcher & Kimerer Defeated: |
Keller & Harlow Defeated: |
|---|---|---|
Mary
Washington University |
Western Connecticut |
University of Rochester |
Liberty University |
New York University |
Mary
Washington University |
West Point |
Florida State University |
Mary
Washington University |
Southwest Missouri State |
Liberty University |
Florida State University |
Mary
Washington University |
University of Oklahoma |
Liberty University |
University of Rochester |
Mary
Washington University |
University of Rochester |
Kansas State University |
Mary
Washington University |
Mary
Washington University |
Binghamton University |
West Virginia University |
Liberty University |
Oklahoma/SE Louisiana |
University of Oklahoma |
New York University |
Binghamton University |
In speaker awards Jake Meany was #5 in JV along with Emily Sanders who was #19. In novice Brady Fletcher was #3, Megan Harlow was #8 and Stephanie Kimerer was #20. Carlos Varela received a special award for judging based on ballots cast by all of the students at the tournament. Over 340 debaters and coaches were in attendance at Georgetown.
| Snapshots of preparation for late elimination round debates |
Other teams had excellent performances. Shane Clark and Chase Whiting were 6-1 in prelims, met another UVM team (Julia Benjamin & Matt Silverman, who were 4-3), and advanced before losing a disputed 2-1 octafinal decision to Binghamton. In JV Mike McMahan & Ethan Nelson were 2-5, Emily Sanders and Aimee Rosato were 3-4. Matt Mantone & Bill Ottman, just learning how to debate after joining the squad late, filled in for Matt Jokajtys & Paul Schaefer who could not attend, and had a 1-6 record.
Accolades from supporters and opponents alike have been flooding in. Sam Nelson, coach at Rochester, said, "I am speechless. I never imagined that anyone could do what Vermont did this last weekend." Brett O'Donnell from Liberty said, "Tell your kids congratulations on an incredible performance and we'll see them next year." Neil Berch of West Virginia said, "Congratulations to you and your squad! What a fantastic showing, and a well-deserved one! I hope you arrive home soon and in one piece."
The performance would not have been possible if not for the volunteer judging of two LDU alums, Lindsey Melander and Eric Mates. Long-time supporter Sallie Chafer provided moral support and freshly baked pastries to keep spirits high. Sallie also hosted the group on their return as they needed a place to shelter from the snowstorm that swept the East Monday night and Tuesday morning. The team arrived back in Burlington at about 2:30 AM Wednesday morning. They were tired but victorious.
The squad record was 46-26 for the weekend.
<=== | Helen with Lindsey Melander in 2003 after winning top speaker at novice
nationals. Lindsey held a cocktail party in DC last week and raised $250
|
There are many deserving
LDU debaters who are going to go to CEDA Nationals in March, they
have been working hard. They have received your support. Pledges have come in
and some checks have actually been received. We know those other checks are
"in the mail."
Current response
to this plea has been excellent: Matt Byrne and Erynne Ross $1000, Paula
Skowron 2 tickets, Laura Ellingson 1 ticket, Glenn Ellingson 1 ticket, Paul
Kerr 1/2 ticket, Claudia Greenman 1/2 ticket. Please send those checks in
soon! Mike Calore and Mimi Supernaw also chipped in. Lindsey Melander is
hosted a cocktail party fundraiser for the LDU last Wednesday night down
in Washington, DC and raised over $250. Chuck Morton sent $500.
Meanwhile, West Coast
alums are gearing up to host and support. Laura and Glenn Ellingson will
be hosting the team at their house on Friday and Saturday night as the tournament
begins, saving many hundreds of dollars in hotel fees. Abigail Trebilcock
and Teresa Hill will be judging for the team, also saving many hundreds of
dollars. Mike Calore is working on a social calendar and rare music shopping
spree.
Now with the NDT to
attend new financial burdens present themselves. Already on the west coast
for CEDA nationals, the existing tickets can be changed and fairly inexpensive
tickets can be purchased from the SF Bay area to Washington, either Spokane
or Seattle. There is a Red Lion Inn that isn't too expensive, and with one
team a modest rental car will suffice. Alum and former coach Gordie Miller,
now with Rochester, will be there and will volunteer his judging services,
saving a lot of money. Alumna Jillian Marty, now at Alabama, has offered
to attend as coach and judge just for the cost of a connecting flight from
SFBay to Spokane. The trip is being priced as the newsletter goes out.
Send
your donation check, payable to "Lawrence Debate" to 475 Main, UVM,
Burlington, VT 05405. You will get a personal note from the student you sponsor
and also a report after the tournament. All donations will be tax deductible
through UVM. We will also honor donors here in the newsletter.
COLLEGE
SPORTS TELEVISION TO FOCUS ON UVM DEBATE College Sports
Television did a special broadcast of the events surrounding the National
Debate Tournament, an event sponsored by the American Forensic Association
that is the equivalent of the NCAA playoffs for college policy debate. The
other national tournament is the Cross Examination Association nationals
with a policy of open entry. Teams must go through a rigorous qualification
process, winning regional tournaments. UVM's Jason Hitchcock & Nick Landsman-Roos
won the qualifying tournament for New England and New York state with a 10-2
record on the last weekend in February. This year College Sports Television
plans expanded coverage of the NDT and has asked for permission to follow
the UVM team through their tournament experience. Nick and Jason, two sophomores,
indicated that they were excited about the prospect. CSTV
said they were interested in following UVM because they have a tradition
of training new debaters instead of relying on proven high school stars.
"We have been talking and they seem very excited," said LDU Director Snider.
"We look forward to the publicity and hope we do not disappoint." Stay tuned
for more information in the weeks to come.
NEWS AND NOTES OF THE LDU FAMILY
WRITE
TO US AND TELL US HOW YOU ARE DOING! SEND A PICTURE!
| SEMESTER ONE | SEMESTER TWO |
| 10/2 Buffalo
47-40 10/16 Rochester 37-42 10/30 Harvard 2-6 10/30 West Point 34-35 11/6 Oklahoma 2-4 11/20 Wake Forest 3-5 12/4 U Mass 16-8 |
1/4-6 North
Texas 8-16 1/8-10 Texas at Dallas 9-17 1/29 Cornell 20-31 2/5 Northwestern 4-4 2/12 Binghamton 39-29 2/26 CEDA East/District 8 (Vermont) 41-34 3/5 JV/Novice Nats at Georgetown 46-26 3/19 CEDA Nats at San Francisco State 3/25-28 NDT Nats at Gonzaga, Spokane, Washington |
Watch Flashpoint
from your computer screen whenever you want! You will need RealPlayer installed
on your computer to become a part of our growing audience. Here are some
recent programs now available at http://debate.uvm.edu/flashpoint.html.
Watch on Burlington Channel 15 Wednesday 12:30 PM, Thursday 10 PM, Saturday
1 PM.
The next taping will be in March.
NOTES FROM MONDAY NIGHT'S 6 PM MEETING:
NO MEETING WAS HELD MONDAY NIGHT!
THE LDU BANQUET IS BEING PLANNED FOR APRIL 9. JASON WILL COORDINATE.
DRIVER TRAINING: Fletcher, Keller, Landsman-Roos, Cardan, Clark, Hitchcock, Whiting, Schaefer. Instructions have been sent, please get training soon. Sanders needs to get her license checked! PLEASE GO NOW!
The LDU has committed to a major initiative to begin debate programs in middle schools all over Vermont. Stay tuned for this organized and state wide affair.
CEDA NATIONALS: Teams with tickets include Nick & Jason, Leslie & Megan, Shane & Chase, Brady & Jake, Emily & Aimee.
Brady and Karen announced that their L&L residential group S.P.E.A.K.S. was approved for next year. They invite people to join them and move in.
Poetry Slam Wed 3/9 8 PM Fireplace Lounge, L&L
Charlie announced that a new UVM group, Men Advocating Change, meets every Tuesday at 7 PM in Christy-Wright-Patterson.
LDU 2005 Sweatshirts - Order forms out on the listserv. Return them quickly.
Leslie Keller is organizing an effort to plant trees to make up for all the paper we use. More info to come in the spring.
SQUAD
MEETS AT 6 PM EACH MONDAY NIGHT, 475 MAIN STREET, ALL WELCOME!UVM DEBATE IS CURRENTLY #17
IN THE CEDA NATIONAL SWEEPSTAKES FOR 2004-2005
UVM DEBATE WAS #10 IN THE
CEDA NATIONAL SWEEPSTAKES FOR 2002-2003.
UVM DEBATE WAS #18 IN THE CEDA NATIONAL SWEEPSTAKES FOR 2003-2004.
OUR RECORD |
WINS |
LOSSES |
PERCENTAGE |
PREVIOUSLY |
261 |
270 |
|
JV/NOVICE
NATS |
46 |
26 |
|
2004-2005 RECORD |
307 |
296 |
50.9% |
2003-2004 RECORD |
315 |
374 |
45.7% |
2002-2003 RECORD |
334 |
384 |
46.5% |
HUBER HOUSE!