Garrett,+Kate

I debated LD for four years on both local and national circuits at DuPont Manual High School in Kentucky. I'm now a first-year at Macalester College in St. Paul, MN. Other intangibles: Ultimately, I’m looking for a smart, clean, substantive, topical debate.
 * I’ve been off the circuit for a while now, so my ability to understand spreading has suffered as a result. My best advice is to speak at 70% of your top speed and just be really clear. I’ll yell “clear” or “slow” if I can’t understand you.
 * Related to the speed issue, the “blip” strategy or idea of “spiking out” of arguments with a bunch of random sentences fragments doesn’t really work for me. I don’t usually flow them, and if I do, they don’t usually carry that much weight.
 * I default comparative worlds, but I can be convinced otherwise.
 * Discourse matters--arguments that are blatantly racist, sexist, homophobic, etc . will be immediately downvoted and I’ll nuke your speaks into oblivion. Skep is also dumb, don’t run it.
 * I think theory arguments are usually unnecessary and poorly run. That being said, if it needs to happen I'll gladly give you good speaks for it if it's well warranted. Just don’t run frivolous theory, and try and refrain from some of the more nuanced “meta-theory” arguments because I’m straight up not going to understand them. Different structures for theory shells are fine, just be sure to have a clear interpretation and violation. I default competing interpretations, but again I can be convinced otherwise.
 * I ran mostly Ks and performance arguments in my last two years of debate, so this is the kind of debate I’m most comfortable judging. I’m most familiar with race- and gender-based Ks. I’m not as familiar with non-race-based K lit but you’re welcome to run it, just be sure to explain it clearly. I don't believe in the whole "Make the K really confusing in the 1NC and then it becomes magically clear in the NR!” strategy. Please, please, please have a clear alternative. At the same time, if you're going to be breaking that "new sweet race aff/neg" just because I'm judging you, don't. Do what you're best at, unless that’s skep.
 * Four minutes prep unless the tournament says otherwise
 * I am fine with flex prep in which the debaters can ask clarification questions in flex prep, but I won't pay attention to questions or answers that occur during here so if you want to get a sort of concession get that in the 3 minutes of CX.
 * If your opponent asks for it, I do expect you to provide some sort of copy of your case, whether you flash it to them, let them look at your computer throughout the round, or provide a paper copy.
 * Perceptual dominance is fun, but don’t be a jerk.

Also, credit where credits due: I took a lot of stuff from Troy Thisler’s wiki, go look at his page if you want more info.

If you have any other questions, you can reach me at kgarret1@macalester.edu