Lewis,+Kevin

LD Judge

I am the father of a second year Varsity Debater and have judged at numerous local, state, and national tournaments. First and foremost, I am not a fan of spreading. If I cannot understand you and your debate case, I will consider that a big flaw in your presentation. I write a lot of critique during the debate and following the conclusions, but I never give oral critiques or disclose. I am not a fan of flowing during your speech, but I do write down your points and note whether the opponent addresses them. My vote and decision is based on your ability to meld a case that is best representative of having prepared for the topic. I also do not like yelling and screaming as if you think that may sway the argument. Intelligience overrides rudeness in all occasions. I also do not like when a debater asks his opponent to repeat his case in cross-x - it indicates a lack of comprehension on the part of the asker.

Finally, I treat everyone equally regardless of their history in debate. Each debate stands on its own and is not a reflection of what you did previously, or what you may be capable of doing in the future. In other words, your performance this time is all that counts!