Rollins,+Tom

I was a policy debater in Texas in high school and at Georgetown University, from which I graduated in 1978. Since then, I have practiced law, worked in the US Senate, and started my own business. I was far better at all of those things because I debated. I returned to debate in 2006 to coach an LD program at The Potomac School in McLean. Virginia.

I have enormous respect for debaters who prepare well for tournaments, and I love to judge good debates. I will work very hard to honor the work of debaters by working hard as a judge. Knowing that I respect and even applaud you, please accept the following reservations that may help guide you if I have the privilege to judge you:

* I am comfortable with speed, but I will not shout "clear" at the unclear to signal that they have failed to communicate. Watch me, watch my pen, and you'll know whether what you are doing is working. If it troubles you too much to see if other humans are responding to what you are doing, take up swimming instead.

* I let the debaters debate the grounds for decision. I have no prejudice for or against theory arguments, but in 2 years of national circuit judging, I've rarely heard theory done well in LD.

I am happy to discuss RFD after rounds if tournament rules permit.