Ross,+Colin

Hi--

I'm a 2008 graduate of Regis High School and back at Regis this year as the assistant Coach for the Hearn, our Speech and Debate Team.

In current debate terminology, I suppose I would be called a "traditional" judge. As in, I value the same things the audience members listening to Lincoln and Douglas in 1858 might have valued: reason and persuasion. That primarily involves the substance of what you say, but as in real life, how you present your arguments can contribute greatly to their reception. Brilliant arguments unintelligibly presented are unintelligible arguments. Average arguments well presented are average arguments.

Arguments can be as creative as a debater wants, so long as they are reasoned and well presented. Arguments that do not pass the absurd test and that only make any kind of sense inside a debate round will not be well-received.