We are nearing the end of the Interview Process. The interviews will close-out on Wednesday, as the new Resolution comes out on Friday and the real fun begins at that time.
As you all know, we are limited to 10-15 students on the 2008/09 R-MA Speech and Debate Team. Currently, we are over that number who have either cleared the interview or are in process of Interview. In order to get the numbers down to where the President of the Academy wants, we will have a series of cuts in the next few weeks. The next cut will occur 1 September and 3 September.
We will never cut according to talent or ability; only according to work and effort. As Coach, my job is to help students develop their native talents and abilities. As Students, your job is to follow closely my dictates, fiats, commandments, critiques, suggestions, and eye movements. A good debater and speaker will quickly learn how to read my face so that they know when they screwed up. This is perfect training on how to judge the judge. And one of the central reasons why I never see you in competition.
Here is the list of students thus far:
- Bellard (Interview needing to be completed) pf
- Black (Interview needing to be completed)
- Christoph (Interview Passed) pf, ext, dec
- Collins (Returner, no information regarding intent)
- Dungan (Interview Passed) pf, ext, imp
- Gerber (Interview Passed) pf, oo, oi
- Hobson (Interview needing to be completed) pf, oi
- Holsinger (Interview Passed) oo, ext
- Loranger (Interview Passed) pf
- McAteer (Interview Passed) pf, ext, ld
- Maddock (Interview Passed) pf, ext, hi, ld
- Morris (Interview Passed) pf, ext, oo
- Nell (Interview Passed) pf, oi, duo
- Pennington (Interview needing to be completed) pf
- Pionkoski (Interview Passed) pf, oi, duo
- Pratt (Interview Passed) pf, oo, ext
- Sands (Interview needing to be completed) pf, oi, dec
- Skeffington (Returner, no information regarding intent)
- Smith (Interview needing to be completed) pf
CONGRESS
Congress slots are for Middle School students and walk-ons. They travel only locally. Their training will wait until the first full week of school.
- Jackson McGraw (Interviewed)
- Chaz Mixon (Interviewed)
For those Returners who have not yet contacted me regarding intent, you will be dropped on Wednesday from the roster if we don't hear from you.
For those new students who are needing to complete the interview, that needs to be done by Wednesday. My cell is 540.303.0380 and I can be reached most any time. The interview takes between 10-20 minutes.
For those students who have passed interview, preparation begins now:
For Novice Students:
Bellard, Black, Christoph, Hobson, Loranger, Maddock, Pennington, Smith
Almost every student will be doing Public Forum at Wake Forest University (12 September). We currently have several assignments for you before the Resolution comes out on Friday. The Assignments are on http://debateczar.blogspot.com/ and they are:
Assignment #1: Understanding the Format of Public Forum.
http://debateczar.blogspot.com/2008/08/novice-assignment-1.html
Print out the two .pdf documents and put them in your binder. Read them and put your name on the Comments section.
Assignment #2: Introduction to Public Forum Debate.
http://debateczar.blogspot.com/2008/08/novice-assignment-2-intro-to-pf-debate.html
Watch the two videos (about 15 minutes total). Put your name in the Comments section.
Assignment #3: Public Forum Demonstration Debate.
http://debateczar.blogspot.com/2008/08/novice-assignment-three.html
Watch the four videos (about 40 minutes total). Take notes on the debate. Put your name in the Comments section.
For Students in OI (Prose/Poetry):
Gerber , Hobson , Nell, Pionkoski, Sands
All students will be starting out in PF at Wake (except for Morris and Holsinger). You will pick up Prose/Poetry over the next month, performing snippets at coffee house and preparing to hit the local circuit first. For some, I have already selected your Prose piece (Gerber, Nell, Pionkowski); for the rest, that will come in the next few weeks. What I need you to start is to select a cutting-edge slam poem that speaks to you, transcribe the piece, and communicate that choice to me in the Comments section. I will then start looking for other pieces to add to that selected poem to build the lit. Should have it all selected about a week after you make the initial choice.
Please, let's get the poem selected by Friday 15 September. The poetry selection is found: http://debateczar.blogspot.com/2008/08/poetry-not-just-about-lillies.html
For Orators
Morris, Holsinger
I need to see your OO edits shortly. The pieces need to be memorized when you come on campus 3 September.
For All Public Forum Debaters (Novice and Returner):
Bellard, Black, Christoph, Dungan, Gerber, Hobson, Loranger, McAteer, Maddock, Nell, Pennington, Pionkoski, Pratt, Sands, Smith
Here's the timeline of what to expect and what is expected of you:
15 August. NFL September Resolution will be Released. Expect a quick post from me at http://debateczar.blogspot.com/ outlining the Resolution. This will be a videoblog and blog entry. You should also use http://news.google.com/ to find some research for yourself to get a grasp on the debate.
20 August. A series of large briefs will be sent out via email and posted to the http://debate.rma.edu/ website under Briefs for Odd-Months. Returners can go to that site to print up, as well as have the email. Start highlighting briefs for relevant information. Get to know the Resolution thoroughly and prepare arguments Pro and Con. Novices are expected to have their briefs 3-hole punched in a black binder. Briefs needs to be highlighted. Some notes would help. Returners are also expected to have their briefs highlighted, 3-hole punched, and put in a binder. But Returners are also to write their cases -- Pro and Con. Only Gerber/Nell will be a paired Returner Team for Wake. The rest will be paired with the appropriate Novice.
1 September. New Students Report to Campus. I will be at Registration. Have your highlighted briefs 3-hole punched in a binder and have it with you in your hands. If you have highlighted all the briefs, you will be given the card to go to the first meeting that evening. We will then do some diagnostic drills to find out the depth of your understanding. We will then meet again in the Debate Squad Room the next afternoon/evening for a meeting on Flowing.
3 September. Returning Students Report to Campus. Again, I will be at Registration. Have your highlighted briefs 3-hole punched in a binder and have it with you in your hands. If you have highlighted all the briefs, you will be given the card to go to the first meeting that evening. We will run a practice round at that time. Seven-person teams to get a feel on how people react.
4-5 September. Practice Sessions from 1600-1800. Flow Drills. Rebuttal Drills. Small Group Rotation with Assistant Coach and myself.
7 September. Sunday Afternoon Practice (1000-1400). We will have an hour break for brunch. We are going early, so as to allow you town leave at 1400. We will be doing small-group work on debate session. Morris and Holsinger will meet with me in one-on-ones following the practice sessions.
8 September. The first Franklin-Grady Black and Gold Debate of the 2008/09 Season (1830). First on-campus debate for the 2008/09 Season. Eight students will be selected, balancing-out Returners and Novices) to comprise 2 four-person teams. The rest will be expected to attend and flow the debate. This debate will be taped for YouTube Channel.
11-14 September. Wake Forest. The first Big Dance. Depending upon tournament behavior, we will make next cut here.
15 September. WFTR Radio. We will select four of the best speakers to do a roundtable discussion on the September Resolution. Not only is this a live radio program, but also a podcast.
16-24 September. Practice for Yale, briefings on October Resolution. Students are expected to report on time and be diligent.
25-28 September. Yale University. The even Bigger Dance. This is where we will make the final cut.
29 September. WFTR Radio. Roundtable discussion on the October Resolution. We will again select the four best speakers for this program.
The 2008/09 R-MA Speech and Debate Team is projected to be the best team in years. We will not only retain our State and Regional Championships, we will plan on going to our rooms and taking heads. Some pointers on making sure that you make the 2008/09 Team:
Carpe Diem. Watch the other videos on http://debateczar.blogspot.com/ and leave Comments with your name and feedback. This shows me that you're serious.
Semper Paratus. Always come prepared to all meetings with briefs, cases, pens, paper. Time is our enemy. We NEVER have enough. If you come unprepared to practice, chances are that you'll come unprepared to classes and tournaments. Never a good sign.
Labor vincit omnia. Always be working. Take your cue from me. If I am playing Halo 2, you are absolved from work. But if I am working (as I have been this summer and will be until Thanksgiving), you need to be doing so as well. Never let me ask the Killer Triad Question: "What are you doing? What should you be doing? Why aren't you doing it?" If I have to ask this question when you are slated to work (Practice Times are Working Times), chances are you're not preparing when you are in your room and won't be prepared for a tournament.
Mens Sana, Corpore Sano. In order to be good at Debate, you need to be great as a student and great as a cadet. If your grades are low (we have an incredibly high standard of a 3.0 for local travel and a 3.3 for national travel -- it is your duty to print out your grades and compute your GPA every two weeks and bring that to me). If your grades are low, not only can't you travel; but you reflect poorly on the Team. If your homework is not always in, you'll end up on Friday Night Study Hall, won't be able to travel to a major tournament, and still end up paying the cost. More, as a cadet, you need to always be ontime to your classes, drill; your room needs to be in order and your behavior accordingly. Tours take away time from practice; Tours take away time from your partner; Tours harm the Team. The goal for the first season: no one gets any Tours. A clean Tour record for the team will be vastly rewarded. I can't stress enough the importance of doing the right thing. Last year, a student didn't get a hair cut when ordered by the Commandant and lost out on NFL States and he and his partner lost out on going to NFL Nationals in Las Vegas.
Good Luck,
~bag
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