Stevens,+Chase

Hello, I’m Chase Stevens. I competed in LD for Brophy College Prep for three years. It is important to note that I have largely been inactive in the debate community for the past five years so I am not familiar with the most up to date jargon and terminology.

When judging debate, I look to the standard established in the round and see who better meets said standard. I’m an open minded judge, and will vote on anything. Ultimately, It is your job to persuade me and tell me what I’m voting on and why it matters in the context of the round.

Looking back on my time and experience in debate, I think that debate is ultimately an educational activity where students can engage in intellectual discourses in a community of their peers. While a big trophy or TOC bid is satisfying, the long lasting benefits of debating come from the skills you learn and the network you establish with your fellow debaters. Please treat one another with the respect each of you deserve. I will deduct speaker points if your ego walks into the room before you do.

Here’s the nitty gritty:

Speed: Speed is okay as long as you’re clear. Again, I have not been keeping up to date with my flowing drills, so make sure you’re pronouncing everything you’re spreading.

Kritiks: I’m a big fan of kritiks and enjoy watching them in rounds. Of course, if you run a K poorly, don’t think I’ll vote for you on the grounds that I like Ks. At the end of the day, a kritik is an argument either affirming or negating the resolution and is held to the same standards as any other argument.

Presentation: During my time as a debater, I was of the opinion that presentation largely didn’t matter; what mattered was how fast you could spread and how many arguments you could get out in a set amount of time. This is dumb. A good debater should be concise and elegant and able to articulate complex ideas in simple words so a child or grandma could understand. I’m not saying you should talk like you’re giving a eulogy but a good debater will say more with clarity in one minute than a bad debater will rush and stumble through in two.

Theory: I’m much more open to reject the argument than reject the debater. Please clearly explain your argument and tell me why it matters, even moreso than you would with other standard arguments.

If you have any questions, I’d be more than happy to answer in person before the round.