Finnigan,+David

I am the speech and debate coach at Flintridge Preparatory School in La Canada, California, and I am also an assistant debate team coach at Santa Clara University in the Silicon Valley. I have been judging Varsity LD, Parli, Policy, and Public Forum as well as Congress and Individual Events for 4 years at both the high school and college level. I competed at San Francisco State University in debate and IEs and I went to Nationals twice, and I also competed at North Hollywood High School.

Make it a clean debate. Keep the thinking as linear as possible. Counter-plans should be well thought out - and original. Speed is not an issue with me as usually I can flow when someone spreads. I do like theory arguments but not arguments that are way, way out there and have no basis in fact or applicability. Going off-case with non-traditional arguments is fine as long as such arguments are explained.

Above all, have fun.