22 October 2002
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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, asnider@zoo.uvm.edu
email, and http://debate.uvm.edu/ldu.html
web site. |
For a variety of reasons the trip to Washington, DC and the "Capital City Debates" was a different sort of experience for the LDU, and if new experience builds character then this was a valuable trip.
The only vehicle available for the weekend was a "white van," and anyone following news knows about the problems in Washington, DC due to a "sniper" who drives a similar vehicle. The suburbs and the city seemed to be under a sort of cloud that made it very different from normal debate trips.
Teresa Hill and Brian Cole started the tournament strong with three straight wins, the last coming over Harvard's top team. However, once up in the power pairing things became more difficult and they finished 3-3, a strong performance for last year's novices.
The total performance, however, set records in the wrong direction. Both other varsity teams were 1-5. Fortunately coaches watched almost every debate and were able to determine a pattern of behavior and argument that needs some adjustment. However, it must be said that the judging pool was rather hostile to critical argument forms, our stock in trade, and thus the debaters faced an uphill struggle, but were glad to engage in it nevertheless. Of particular note was "Black Sunday" where the three teams had a record of 1-8, and that one win being a bye.
There were some "horror stories" about particular decision by judges, but LDU tradition does not allow such stories to be told in a public forum.
The squad attitude after the tournament and on the way home was commendable, featuring good moods, a determination to learn from the experience, and a commitment to work harder.
The squad record for the weekend
was 5-13.
BLITZ OF TRAVEL TO FINISH FALL SEMESTERNext comes the HARVARD UNIVERSITY TOURNAMENT in Cambridge, Mass. One of the toughest tournaments of the year and one of the most traditional, UVM has entered two teams, Sheila Limprevil & Edwin Owusu along with Jake Meany & Jillian Marty. Helen Morgan and Justin Parmett will accompany them. VAN LEAVES AT 1 PM ON FRIDAY!
The first weekend
in November the UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY AT WEST POINT TOURNAMENT will
take place on the banks of the Hudson River. The LDU plans to send a huge
contingent to the tournament, and all debaters should gear up for the trip.
NOTE: WE WILL LEAVE ON FRIDAY MORNING AS THERE WILL BE ONE ROUND ON FRIDAY
NIGHT.
Teams signed up so far include: Limprevil & Owusu, Bryce & Marty,
Welch & Reimer, Massey & Vaillancourt, Suyarkulova & Balas, Velez
& Varela, Knops & Langsweirdt, Cole & Hill, Pettrone & Simpadian,
Friel & Steere, Smith & Mates, Rounds & Melander, Mukherjee &
Malone, Matthew & Ptalis. We need LOTS OF JUDGES & COACHES!
The second weekend in November finds the LDU at the JOE JACKSON INVITATIONAL in Oklahoma City. Long a common travel stop for the LDU, there will be three teams and two coaches. The teams will include Brian Cole & Teresa Hill, Jillian Marty & Jake Meany, and Lana Langsweirdt & Jen Knops. Coaches will include Parmett and Snider.
The third weekend in November UVM will be at two different tournaments, one in Binghamton, NY at Binghamton University and the other in North Carolina at Wake Forest University. At Binghamton the LDU will enter as many of its teams as possible, especially younger teams. Coach Snider will accompany the group. Meanwhile, three (maybe four) varsity teams will go to Wake Forest to one of the year's largest varsity tournaments, accompanied by Helen Morgan and Justin Parmett.
The final weekend before Thanksgiving the LDU will be in New York City for the Columbia tournament to finish off the Fall semester. Teams who haven't yet had enough debate will be entered in the GOTHAM CITY DEBATES.
Other travel with LDU connections includes a trip by coach Snider to the University of Kansas for their "Debate Reunion." He coached there in the late 1970's and has been pestered by his debaters to return. Snider continues his globe-trotting at the end of November. He has accepted an invitation to be flown to Chile and hosted for a series of workshops and training sessions there. The trip is sponsored by the Corporacion Cultural de lo Barnechea, Universidad Diego Portales, and United Airlines. A trip to Venezuela is now confirmed for December, sponsored by Proctor & Gamble and Universidad Catolico Andres Bello.
DEBATE
ACROSS THE CURRICULUM WORKSHOPSCoach Snider conducts
two "Debate Across the Curriculum" workshops this week, one at Montpelier
HS on Wednesday morning and another at UVM on Wednesday afternoon. The Vermont
Debate and Forensic League is now scheduling more such in-service training
workshops for Vermont teachers in future months.
TOPIC AND TRAVEL2002-2003 topic:
Resolved that the United States Federal Government should ratify or accede
to, and implement, one or more of the following: The Comprehensive Nuclear
Test Ban Treaty; The Kyoto Protocol; The Rome Statute on the International
Criminal Court; The Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant
on Civil and Political Rights aiming at the Abolition of the Death Penalty;
The treaty between the United States of America and the Russian federation
on Strategic Offensive Reductions, if not ratified by the United States.
LDU travel schedule:
October, 26-28 Harvard
November, 1-3 West Point , 8-10 Central Oklahoma, 15-17 Wake Forest, 16-17
Binghamton, 23-24 Columbia
January, 6-8 UMKC, 3-5 William Jewell, TBA Belgrade (Yugoslavia) Open
February, 1-2 Cornell, 7-9 Western
Washington, 14-16 Kansas, 21-23 East Regionals/D8
March, 28-02 Towson, 20-24 CEDA Nationals, AZ
April, 3-7 NDT, GA
May, TBA Tercer Torneo Hispanoamericano de Debate
RESEARCH THIS WEEKJillian Marty
is our research director.
RESEARCH ASSIGNMENTS DUE THURSDAY BY 5 PM - PRINTED FOR ALL!
ASSIGNMENTS POSTED IN THE OFFICE, NO LONGER IN THE NEWSLETTER (SORRY TO OUR
OPPONENTS WHO LOOK FOR THEM)
FROM THE SQUAD MEETING
Brian
Cole NICKNAME: Big Daddy
HOME TOWN: Apalachin, NY (near Binghamton NY for those of you who don't know
all the tiny towns in upstate NY)
MAJOR: Political Science
CAREER PLANS (IF ANY): To become a debate coach and drive 15 passenger vans
every weekend for as long as I can. I also wouldn't mind being a secondary
school educator, then again I wouldn't mind being a billionaire either (and
yes I would give back to the LDU)
LEVEL OF DEBATE COMPETITION: Varsity
FAVORITE MUSIC IN THE VAN: Trance, Jazz, Frank Sinatra, and classic rock.
(Yes there is a Vermont debater who is not addicted to reggae, although I
do like it in small doses)
PET PEEVE: People who are not punctual on debate trips and ultra conservative
Republican war hawks.
I AM GRATEFUL FOR: The opportunity to debate for the LDU and the way it has
changed my life forever in a very positive way. And on a lighter note: lime
jello, Cajun soul food, and fans (the mechanical kind that blow air).
WORST MOMENT IN DEBATE: Losing in the final round of Novice Nationals on a
2-1 decision
FAVORITE TEAM TO DEBATE: Anybody from Rochester, because the round is always
intense, but we can still be friends when it's all over.
FAVORITE TEAM TO BEAT: Harvard (ha ha ha YES!!!)
FAVORITE JUDGE: Gordie Miller--always brought out the best in me and always
gave a very frank and honest critique of the round at the end.
FAVORITE TOURNAMENT: The Swing--two tournaments in row...how can you beat
that?
FAVORITE THING ABOUT DEBATE: Doing research for hours and hours and finally
finding that perfect card that you know you can win a round with.
LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT DEBATE: Judges who hate your arguments before they
even come out of your mouth, and egotistical debaters who are intellectually
bankrupt.
FAVORITE DEBATE SPEECH: The 2NR
MOST INSPIRATIONAL PERSON ON THE TEAM (AND WHY): I have two: The first are
the novice debaters--they remind me of what debate is before all the jargon
and technical tricks get thrown in the mix, and it is truly inspiring to watch
them work as hard as they do to understand a concept and then the happiness
they feel when the win because they worked so hard learning that concept.
(To all those debate programs who say NO to novices you have earned my unwavering
contempt). The second is Justin Parmett--I remember when I met Justin for
the first time on the way back from my first debate tournament. He wasn't
my coach at the time but he listened to all my stories and seemed to be genuinely
excited about my successes. Now that he is my debate coach I find him inspiring
because even if I lose a round he is always there to support me and he tells
me what I did well before telling me what to work on. His relaxed manner also
calms me before a
debate round and he always acts like we can win every round. Last, but not
least, he is down with World Government. Thanks Justin.
WHAT DEBATE MEANS TO ME: Debate has changed my life and given me focus and
drive in the academic arena. Debate has also given me a competitive forum
where my brain is more important than my athletic ability. Most importantly
debate has given me a connection with a community of critical thinkers and
great people and for this I am truly grateful. (I guess I also really like
the travel, the hotels, the different restaurants, and most of all driving
those 15 passenger vans)
MY PERSONAL CHALLENGE: To realize that winning isn't everything and that I
can do this alone.
SAY WHATEVER YOU WANT: Go confidently in the direction of your dreams, Live
the life you've imagined. --Henry David Thoreau
FLASHPOINT
TELEVISION SHOWSQUAD
MEETING |
|
WINS |
LOSSES |
% |
PREVIOUS |
83 |
|
50.9% |
CAP CITY |
5 |
13 |
|
2002-2003 SEASON |
88 |
93 |
48.6% |
UVM Debate was #9 in both major national polls for debate in the USA for the 2001-2002 season.
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