Leavoy,+Crawford

Crawford Leavoy **Updated for Laird 2017** __ Affiliation __ Durham Academy

__Experience__ As a student, I debated at Vestavia Hills High School for four years. I have participated in Lincoln Douglas, Extemp, Congress and several other individual events. I have been a part of tournaments of all different sizes: from the small local tournaments, large national circuit tournaments, and I have been at the NFL National tournament twice as a student.

As a coach, I have been coaching and working in tab rooms since I graduated in 2003. The majority of my experience has been in the last 7 years. I have coached at New Orleans Jesuit High School, Christ Episcopal., and Isidore Newman.

I am in my second year as the Director of Speech & Debate at Durham Academy in Durham, North Carolina.

I'm okay with you doing what you do best. Be so advised, I am coach that came from a much more traditional time, and I spend a great deal of my time working on Novice and JV education. I value what exists at the National Circuit level; I have had a number of students win bids to the TOC and attend the TOC. However, I am constantly the person that tries to come back to some fundamental underpinnings of this activity - I have had students go very deep at the NSDA tournament.

I evaluate rounds on what you give me. However, I have no patience of arguments that aren't explained well or just meant as a trick in a constructive. I find it to be a waste of your time, your opponent's time and my time to try to extend one spike out of the constructive and justify why I should pull the trigger. I like strategic rounds that engage clash, and revolve around weighing.

Most know that I prefer to listen to more stock case positions and arguments. I rarely enjoy listening to theory arguments unless there is some flagrant abuse, but throwing out theory arguments for the sake of having one frustrates me. I am open to "policy-esque" arguments run in LD. They aren't my favorite, but I certainly don't have the view of them that I had 10 years ago.

This is my 13th year as a judge and coach of this activity. I enjoy and continue to participate in this activity because I believe that it is irreplaceable part of a high school students' grooming for transition into the collegiate and professional atmosphere. I am more than happy to answer questions about what I like and dislike before the round. The below paradigm is a much older version. I feel as if I certainly have made some strides forward.

Above anything else, do what you do best. Have a strategic plan in the round that you can execute well. Weigh, weigh, weigh, explain and then weigh some more. Write the ballot for me. Don't make me have to look for a way to vote - show me that it is already there. Have fun. Learn something. Enjoy yourself.

Finally, I like what Cyndy Woodhouse says:

“I think the communicative aspect of this activity ought to become more important and appreciate good engagement of argumentation done clearly. …Make eye contact with me. Keep it simple and clear. Debate with some humanity and generosity for your opponent and yourself. Debate isn’t just about that comes out of your mouth, but what goes into the ears of your audience and they’re not always the same things.”

Feel free to ask any additional questions for clarification whenever you want.