Debate team takes first in conference
Taking part in the Northwest Forensic Conference Tournament for the first time in the history of the team, the Utah State University debate team took first place overall in a competition that included 27 other universities.
Tom Worthen, the team’s volunteer coach, said the victory is especially sweet considering the team is only in its second year of competition. It is the first team USU has had in more than 20 years, and is the first time the team has taken part in conference competition.
The tournament was held at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Wash., over the weekend and included universites from Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Michigan, California and Alaska, Worthen said. There is no conference that includes Utah universities so Worthen had to request special permission for USU to participate, he said.
More than 100 teams participated in the competition, with 16 being selected for the elimination rounds. All five of USU’s teams were selected to move on, he said.
There are two more tournaments scheduled, he said, and the combined results of three will name the conference champion.
“We will have to continue to do well, but right now no one even come close after this first tournament,” he said. “Winning is nice, but honestly, the feeling of accomplishment the students have, knowing they worked hard and that their hard work paid off, that is probably the greatest accomplishment we made.”
The team took 10 students including Adam Fulton, Trevor Linderman, Trent Wood, Eric Peatross, Chelsi Sutton, Katie Holmes, Clayton Coleman, Tom Grover, James Boyd and Richard Walker.
“Our success bring prestige to the university,” said Richard Walker a junior in math education.
Katie Holmes, an undeclared freshman, said “Our goal is to be a nationally-ranked team – and we will be.”
While the team excelled in debate, Worthen said, it also did well in individual speech events and hopes to have more participation in them the next time around.
Worthen said he estimates each member of the team put in more than 100 hours of preparation.
“Other teams weren’t prepared. That’s why we took first place, because of the preparation we put in,” said Adam Fulton, a senior in political science. “It just proves that a bunch of milk farmers from Cache Valley can go and compete against very liberal Ivy League students and take first place.”
Trent Wood said the credit for the team’s success goes to its coach.
“Dr. Tom had prepared us well, and as such, nothing really surprised us,” Trent Wood, a senior in liberal arts and sciences.
Holmes said the success was proof of “quality over quantity” because many of the universities had teams of 40 or more.
Worthen said the team members competed in mostly the novice and junior divisions because the team has such little competition experience.
However, Worthen said, the biggest obstacle for the team was the 1,700 mile journey there. The entire team traveled in one van, he said.
“It’s a long drive,” he said. “Other schools that were closer flew. We were in a van for 1,700 miles with 10 people.”
The team’s next tournament competition will be Nov. 18 in Oregon at Linfield College.
-bnelson@cc.usu.edu