Smelko,+Will

Will Smelko Judging debate rounds is important to you as competitors and coaches. It is also important to me as a former competitor. My decision in your round is dictated by the arguments you make during your debate. I listen to all arguments. I evaluate the importance of arguments presented based on the importance given to them by the debaters. I prefer substantive arguments to theory arguments and I have no preference as between the K debate and the counterplan-politics-case- disad debate. I like listening to people who are having fun at what they do, and who enjoy the people they debate with and are debating against. I coach for Loyola HS in Los Angeles. I debated at St. Augustine HS in San Diego. I attend UC Berkeley where I am a third year student majoring in political science. I debated at one tournament in college at CAL during my freshman year and this year I have judged at 6 different tournaments, all TOC bid events, and am familiar with most of the standard arguments concerning the energy topic. If you see William Smelko as your judge on your pairing, and an old guy shows up in the back of the room, that is my father, not me. He and I have many similarities in our approach to judging, although he probably gives higher points than do I. I am probably a little better than he at understanding the K, but he can roll with inherency as well as anyone on the circuit. It is your debate. Be nice. Make your issues important and good luck.