Debate team places first in conference
Debating big issues for a whole semester helped the USU debate team finish first in their conference and receive a $5,000 donation.
This is the third consecutive year that USU has come in first place in the conference.
“Doing well the last few tournaments definitely helped out but we did really well in this last tournament,” said debate team coach, Dr. Tom Worthen.
The donation, given a month ago, means that he is not the only one paying for the team to travel to tournaments.
“We’re not funded like the football team, basketball team. Basically I donate all my time, I donate all my money, so we can travel,” he said. After Worthen donates, the university matches his donation so the team has funding.
At the final conference tournament held at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Ore., the team debated against 25 other universities. The team not only won 38 trophies but also the Northwest Forensic Conference Championship.
The team gives all the credit for the wins to their coach.
“I think we’re all really dedicated because our coach puts so much time and money and effort into this that we want to return that back to him and work as hard as we can, so we take it pretty seriously,” said Natalie Cook, a senior in print journalism.
In debate, the team took first, second, third and fourth place. In informative speaking they scored first, second, third, fourth and fifth. In persuasive speaking, first, second, third, and sixth place were won. And in impromptu speaking and after dinner they scored first and second place in both events.
Along with those awards they also received the Quality Team Award, presented to the team with the highest number of points per student entry.
“There’s no way that would have been possible without our coach,” said Mike Smith, a former high school debater and freshman in political science.
“I enjoy the connections you make with other people, especially the debate team, as well as teams in the Northwest community,” he added.
Passion for the art of debating is what drives the 10 members of the team to do their best.
“Debate’s just full of passion. It helps you articulate your language and it gets you involved in something above and beyond yourself,” said Jane McBride, speech communication and human resource management.
Debaters prepare speeches over the semester on a variety of topics and it takes time to research.
“It literally takes a good 10 hours to actually write the draft, but memorizing can take upwards of 26. It’s worth it but it’s time consuming,” McBride said.
Through the whole semester the team studies national and international topics.
Some of the topics the team used in their speeches and debated this semester are: DNA vaccines, new stem cell research technologies, the International Monetary Fund and issues from Iraq to global warming.
“It’s more so that if you have the foundation of knowing basically what’s going on then you can go with the specifics but if you don’t have the foundation it’s a lot harder to go with,” McBride said.
Many on the team credit their great performance on the road to the long bus rides to Oregon.
“We have some talented kids who work hard,” he said. “One of our keys I guess, is the 12 hour bus ride. For all 12 hours I make them work in the bus and practice so when we show up we’re polished and ready,” Worthen said.
On the bus rides they practice their speeches first individually and then all at once, to provide a distraction in preparation for the actual debate.
“I don’t think many other schools do that because if they’re that far away they usually fly,” said Cook.
Top speakers in the conference were measured on their top scores in all three of the conference tournaments. Those winners were Di Lewis, who placed first in the all conference awards, and Trevor Linderman and Smith, who tied for third place.
Students who won awards for individual speakers were Bryce Draper with second place in after dinner speaking, second place poetry interpretation and second place junior novice prose interpretation.
Nick West took first place in after dinner speaking, and Di Lewis took first place in junior persuasive speaking and second place in junior prose
interpretation.
“At this tournament we have certain students that stand out and excel and do very, very well, and at other tournaments it will be different students because we have a lot of depth to our team,” Worthen said.
Smith gives the credit to the coach, but also to the assistant coach Tom Grover.
“He helps us prepare in our room and helps us feel confident,” said Smith.
Students on the team are not only dedicated because of their coach but because a love of debate.
“I really think the actual parliamentary debate is my favorite, cause it’s just so much fun. Everything can get so riled up so heated but at the same time it’s just a blast,” McBride said.
Cook agrees that debate is thrilling.
“Part of my favorite thing about debate in general is that it stimulates your mind to think critically so it helps you in all your classes just to understand how to think about the way things work,” said Cook.
Not only does Cook say she becomes more informed, but she has gained a unity with the team.
“I think probably my favorite thing about the team in particular, not just the event, is that we have a ridiculous amount of team unity. We all just love each other so much,” she added.
Students interested in joining the debate team can e-mail Dr. Tom at drtom@poeticpower.com.
-ranaebang@cc.usu.edu