Former high school debaters, I know you're out there.
Jul 16, 2008, 10:30 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Hold it down for The Bay, reppin' Oakland
Programs: Lowly UA silver, Marriott Ambassador/Tit4Lyf, IHG Plat
Posts: 1,763
Former high school debaters, I know you're out there.
I've had messages in the past few days from a couple of FTers who are former high school debaters. Made me realize that there are probably lots of us on FT. Come on and out your nerd self. I bet we've got a lot of people in common.
I'll go first:
Debated at College Prep in Oakland, CA ('78-81). Mostly policy, though a little bit of LD, as they introduced it during my junior year. Did a lot of extemporaneous speaking as well. It would be fair to say that debate changed my life, as I met my husband at a debate competition, and I've now worked as a high school debate coach for over twenty years. It's also the reason I'm on FT, as I travel quite a bit for competition.
I'll go first:
Debated at College Prep in Oakland, CA ('78-81). Mostly policy, though a little bit of LD, as they introduced it during my junior year. Did a lot of extemporaneous speaking as well. It would be fair to say that debate changed my life, as I met my husband at a debate competition, and I've now worked as a high school debate coach for over twenty years. It's also the reason I'm on FT, as I travel quite a bit for competition.
Last edited by lexdevil; Jul 16, 2008 at 10:54 pm
Jul 17, 2008, 12:14 am
#2
Community Director Emerita
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Anywhere warm
Posts: 33,742
Freeport High School, Freeport, IL - mostly competed against Rockford and Chicago schools
Manchester College, N Manchester, IN - nationally ranked as a novice debater and then decided my social life was more fun
Indiana State High School judge - thanks to the father of a close friend being in charge of the program. Made money that helped me get thru college.
Manchester College, N Manchester, IN - nationally ranked as a novice debater and then decided my social life was more fun
Indiana State High School judge - thanks to the father of a close friend being in charge of the program. Made money that helped me get thru college.
Jul 17, 2008, 1:15 am
#4
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: OKC/DFW
Programs: AA EXP/2 MM
Posts: 9,999
I was a policy debater (although we called it cross-x) from 1977-1979. Lost the tri-state high school regional championship round in a split decison in 1979. The judges knew our opponents were seniors, but thought we were juniors. (I'm still bitter. )
Fast forward 20 some years, I've produced a Novice National Champion/ State Champion and a two-time State Quarter Finalist. I still volunteer as a mentor to the local high school team and judge quite a few rounds per year at the area high school tournaments.
Fast forward 20 some years, I've produced a Novice National Champion/ State Champion and a two-time State Quarter Finalist. I still volunteer as a mentor to the local high school team and judge quite a few rounds per year at the area high school tournaments.
Jul 17, 2008, 1:26 am
#5
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: DEN
Programs: UA Plat, 1MM
Posts: 2,182
Iowa City West High School, '84-'87, policy.
Did pretty well in-state, though truth be told not in the same class as the very top state teams (though we ruled the novice scene when I was a sophomore
).
Did pretty well in-state, though truth be told not in the same class as the very top state teams (though we ruled the novice scene when I was a sophomore
).
Jul 17, 2008, 9:20 am
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Kearney High School (Nebraska) 83-85; also did speech. I was much better in speech but had to be in debate to do speech. We traveled almost every weekend during competition season. We had only one coach and he would go out and drink with other area coaches which left several high school studens unsupervised. VERY bad idea! I judged for a few years but would need a refresher course if I had to now 
I judged for a few years but would need a refresher course if I had to now
Jul 17, 2008, 9:20 am
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Hold it down for The Bay, reppin' Oakland
Programs: Lowly UA silver, Marriott Ambassador/Tit4Lyf, IHG Plat
Posts: 1,763
I'd just like to say how very cool this is.
Not to mention how small the world is! With just the few replies so far I've found one person I've actually met in the real world, and another (one of the two who inspired me to start this thread) who is an old college friend of the former assistant policy (cross-ex) debate coach where I teach. I think some Twilight Zone music is called for.
Jul 19, 2008, 11:15 pm
#12
formerly Baxter&Bessies'Mama
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 311
Oh Good Lord, talk about speaking my language and dialect; travel and debating!
Penn-Trafford HS, Harrison City PA early 70's (cough!). Debated CX pro for establishing TAC Television Addiction Centers in case of National Emergency.
Regional and State Champion Public Speaking~FBLA
Presiding Officer for final regional Student Congress
Regional 1st OO, Drama and Extemp
Grandma said I was vaccinated with a gramophone needle and I haven't stopped talking since!
Penn-Trafford HS, Harrison City PA early 70's (cough!). Debated CX pro for establishing TAC Television Addiction Centers in case of National Emergency.
Regional and State Champion Public Speaking~FBLA
Presiding Officer for final regional Student Congress
Regional 1st OO, Drama and Extemp
Grandma said I was vaccinated with a gramophone needle and I haven't stopped talking since!
Jul 20, 2008, 6:57 am
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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(89-92)Hoover-Fresno, was a decent policy debater and national finalist extemp
(92-93)UCLA, outrounds at CEDA nationals as a freshman
(95-96)Cal State Fresno, 2nd DSR-TKA in parliamentary
(93-96)Coached Bullard-Fresno, California state champs in policy debate and several extemp students in late outrounds at NFL nationals.
(92-93)UCLA, outrounds at CEDA nationals as a freshman
(95-96)Cal State Fresno, 2nd DSR-TKA in parliamentary
(93-96)Coached Bullard-Fresno, California state champs in policy debate and several extemp students in late outrounds at NFL nationals.
Jul 20, 2008, 10:56 am
#15
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Upcountry Maui (OGG)
Programs: yes
Posts: 1,607
Yucaipa HS 81-3 Extemp, real Debate, and some LD*. (Plus fun things like the "Impromptu Eulogy" at the Berkeley tournaments ) Nationals at Oak Park HS outside Kansas City... where California 'speed debaters' did not fare well, although I was out in semi's for the extemp I qualified in (as I recall). Did very little NDT in college, but some for CSUF and some for U of R. Always kept my debate scholarship money, though
Worked at the Golden West Forensic Institute (Where Champions are made and Virgins are lost) back when it was at the Univ. of Redlands.
Who had ever heard of East Timor before the topic "Resolved: That the United States should significantly reduce it's arms sales to other countries." or knew that formaldehyde is "...perhaps the clearest example of a potential human carcinogen that should be regulated, but has not been by the EPA or OSHA under the Reagan administration" when that was the topic???
*OK- Let's dust off the NFL (Nat'l Forensic League) double ruby pins and list all the alternative names for Lincoln-Douglas debate (i.e. Loser Debate, Learning Disability, etc.)
PS-gleff- you were in after my time, but Barb and I guessed you had been in forensics after your Ann Arbor talk yesterday- great job BTW, at least what we could hear of it before you got overrun. I wanted to give some of the more verbose audience members time signals from "5" on down...
) Nationals at Oak Park HS outside Kansas City... where California 'speed debaters' did not fare well, although I was out in semi's for the extemp I qualified in (as I recall). Did very little NDT in college, but some for CSUF and some for U of R. Always kept my debate scholarship money, thoughWorked at the Golden West Forensic Institute (Where Champions are made and Virgins are lost) back when it was at the Univ. of Redlands.
Who had ever heard of East Timor before the topic "Resolved: That the United States should significantly reduce it's arms sales to other countries." or knew that formaldehyde is "...perhaps the clearest example of a potential human carcinogen that should be regulated, but has not been by the EPA or OSHA under the Reagan administration" when that was the topic???
*OK- Let's dust off the NFL (Nat'l Forensic League) double ruby pins and list all the alternative names for Lincoln-Douglas debate (i.e. Loser Debate, Learning Disability, etc.)
PS-gleff- you were in after my time, but Barb and I guessed you had been in forensics after your Ann Arbor talk yesterday- great job BTW, at least what we could hear of it before you got overrun. I wanted to give some of the more verbose audience members time signals from "5" on down...
Last edited by bobsgt; Jul 20, 2008 at 7:25 pm Reason: because years of substance abuse and the passage of a quarter-century caused me to error in naming the HS that held nationals