Valley

Debaters,

I have heard that some of who did a nice job at valley and others didn't take it very seriously. I'm very disappointed. I'm sorry that I wasn't available to go this weekend but that doesn't give you all the right to not try your best. This is all I'm going to say about this because I don't wish to yell at any of you---I'm not going to waste my breath. I'll just try to help those of you who wish to get better.

Valley questions:
I want ALL debaters that went to valley to respond to these. (When I say to post your answer this is an assignment just like if Mrs. Britton gives you one.)

What was your favorite round and why?
which partner did the best?
what was your best speech?
what kind of arguments on the neg did you encounter?
what kind of arguments on the aff did you encounter?
what do you think you need to work on?

Files:
I have heard that someone, that shall not be named, lost their neg strat the night before valley and consequently had to cut an entire NEW strat the night before---this is unacceptable. Your coach and school are paying A LOT of money to go to these tournaments and it is a waste if you're not going to be ready for the round. Valley and especially Indianola are GOOD tournaments...yes you will probably get crushed but that is the point. When you lose to good out-of-state debaters that is when you learn. You learn from them, from the judge, and learn about the holes in your position. I hope all of you saved your flows!!! I will be asking to see them and I want you to write blocks to EVERY answer you didn't have in the round. Take your flows see the answers you made, write up a block with evidencial support(!!!), then send it to my email. (kaplinger.lisa@gmail.com). Make sure you are TYPING these blocks, aff case, neg strat, or anything!! If you only have paper copies then you WILL lose them during the year.

General:

I had someone watch all of you while debating. You all were unaware that this person was my spy but I made sure to get real feedback on how you guys did especially since I wasn't there.

Chris/Dylan- I hear that you all should change speaker positions. I have been feeling this for awhile but maybe you should practice changing. You don't have to switch but I think that if you practiced as the other speaker you all might realize what you really NEED to do in your own speechs. Chris-Clarity. Organization of 2ac/2ar!!! Dylan-2nr!!!! Explain to me WHY conceding something is bad or significant in any way.
Pracitice rebuttal speeches!!!!!!

ashley/dan- Nice job. I hear you guys did well in round. Dan-clarity--slow down if you cant be clear. Ashley- very nice. Keep it narrow in the 2ar. This is the LAST speech. You need to tell the judge exactly why the neg doesn't work and you win. Arguments pull across...and analysis. Keep it narrow. This is the time for the story at the end of the debate!

Ethan/nate- You guys get too distracted by dumb things in the round. If the argument isn't offensive spend 1sec saying how it is defensive and doesn't give the other team ANYTHING in the round. Or if you're pressed for time just say arguments 1,2,3, whatever they are, are defensive and therefore doesn't give the team any weight in the round. Offensive!!! Remember that.

katie/angelica- same thing as ethan/nate. Rethink your strategy. I'm afriad that this marxism K that you are running is completely absurd and doesn't link to anything. I haven't seen it but that is what I hear. think smaller. Having a specific strat is always better then a generic K....especially if you guys are gonig to try to run that in NE. NE judges will vote you down because it is absurd and another NE team will convince of this.

Sorry if it seems like I'm yelling at you guys. You just need criticsm to get better!!!

PS- I will try to come to fremont this thursday. We will either be doing basic debate stuff or work on rebuttals or maybe if I'm up to it I'm going to debate each one of you. The way this will work is you are going to flow all the same arguments and we are going to have the rebuttals speeches only. The fremont debater will go first--then me--then the same again. Until each of you have said the same thing. Unfortunately for those of you going last will have the majority of the good arguements we will be discussing. If this is confusing I will think more about it and try again. It is just a thought. Maybe we will have groups and just work on rebuttal speeches. I am still working this out.


Please give me feedback from this weekend. Answer the questions along with any other information you can give me from this weekend.

Thanks--<3

Kappy