Roberts-Gaal,+Xavier

I did LD for four years at Walt Whitman in MD, graduating in 2017; I now read psych & philosophy at Oxford. Since I competed on various national and local circuits, I appreciate both traditional and progressive debate. My favorite rounds center on the interests and strengths of both debaters. I don't want to impose dogmatic beliefs about debate on you — when I was a debater, I most respected judges who valued making the right decision and were receptive to a wide variety of strategies.

Email chain address: xavierdebate7 [at] gmail.com


 * Specifics:**

1. Please SLOW DOWN on tags, advocacy or interpretation texts, and short analytics. I won’t vote on arguments I don't catch the first time they’re articulated.

2. It is often hard to differentiate arguments delivered in monotone, so please INFLECT to emphasize anything important.

3. If I say anything like “clear” or “slow,” I’ve probably missed an argument or two.

4. I have a **very low** threshold for extensions of conceded arguments, but you **must** explain arguments more completely if you’re interacting or comparing arguments.

5. I won’t do my own comparison between competing claims. It is very important for you to compare arguments. This requires you to explain why your argument has the function you claim it does, rather than simply labeling every argument as “coming first.” **Weighing is incredibly important.**

6. I don’t want to default on paradigm issues. If I’m forced to, I’ll try to use the paradigm implicitly assumed by both debaters, but this is risky for you.

7. If you begin a rebuttal speech with an overview explaining what you will accomplish in that speech, and then refer back to that overview throughout your speech, I will be very happy. That approach maximizes the chance that I know how all your arguments fit together to justify a ballot for you.

If you have any questions, please ask before the round. I love watching debaters who seem to be having fun — sarcasm and spirit are enjoyable, but rudeness is not.

Much of this philosophy is taken from my coaches: Bob Overing, Varun Bhave, Emily Massey, Michael Harris, and Preetham Chippada. They have all greatly influenced how I think about debate.


 * Some more stuff:**

- I will boost your speaks for good disclosure practices, well-executed jokes, and innovative arguments/approaches to debate. I'll drop speaks if you're mean. - No one has yet placed me in a position where I have had to step in to protect someone in the room. Do not be the first. - You should not read too much into my expressions. I often smile, laugh, and look confused. So if you see those expressions, remember: it might not be about you at all!


 * Conflicts:**

- Walt Whitman HS - Interlake MW - Klein Oak AG - Montgomery Blair PZ


 * Full LD Judging Record:**

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1jfrLVb1ibqlFwkd19f4Lj04c4n1Y_s6VSoBkqFLhHB0/