Spring Break
Debate squad rocks the 'Big D'
Nick Barron
Issue date: 1/10/05 Section: News
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At least "a couple of hours a day" were spent preparing over the break, according to Gordon.
"We read through a lot of literature, organize arguments, produce a couple of strategies," Gordon said.
At the beginning of each debate season, the Cross Examination Debate Association issues a resolution that will be the basis of each debate tournament for that year. This year's resolution deals with energy policy.
Debaters then spend countless hours researching and preparing arguments based on the resolution, constantly tweaking their arguments, both pro and con.
"So half of our debates are on the affirmative for the resolution, and the other half are against," Case said.
Along with Collier, the squad is aided by full-time coach Matt Vega, part-time coach Justin Stanley and student coaches Josh Coffman and Dietrich.
"I may be nuts, but I think this is the earliest the UMKC squad has started the semester," Collier said.
The Dallas tournaments signal the beginning of the most intense and grueling stretch of the debate season as squads from across the country begin "scrapping to qualify for the national tournament," Collier said.
Debate squads will compete in two national tournaments in March, one of which, the National Debate Tournament, is by invitation only, much like the NCAA Basketball Championships.
Only 78 teams will compete in the national tournament at Gonzaga University on March 25-28, "where only a select number of teams are invited," Collier said.
One way for members of the UMKC squad to make it to the big dance is by winning the District 3 Tournament, comprised of teams from Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Texas, the last weekend of February. This process is much like the Kangaroos basketball teams winning the Mid-Continent Championships and thereby being invited to the NCAA Championships.
Dietrich and Gordon won the district tournament last year.
The other national tournament is hosted by the Cross Examination Debate Association and features nearly any debate squad that is a member of the organization.
"So it generally winds up being in excess of 300 teams that end up being in the tournament," Collier said.
While national rankings will not be officially available until April 1, Collier estimates her squad is currently "in or near the top 10" in the country.
Up next for the local squad is a tournament hosted by Baylor University on Jan. 22-24.
nbarron@unews.com
"We read through a lot of literature, organize arguments, produce a couple of strategies," Gordon said.
At the beginning of each debate season, the Cross Examination Debate Association issues a resolution that will be the basis of each debate tournament for that year. This year's resolution deals with energy policy.
Debaters then spend countless hours researching and preparing arguments based on the resolution, constantly tweaking their arguments, both pro and con.
"So half of our debates are on the affirmative for the resolution, and the other half are against," Case said.
Along with Collier, the squad is aided by full-time coach Matt Vega, part-time coach Justin Stanley and student coaches Josh Coffman and Dietrich.
"I may be nuts, but I think this is the earliest the UMKC squad has started the semester," Collier said.
The Dallas tournaments signal the beginning of the most intense and grueling stretch of the debate season as squads from across the country begin "scrapping to qualify for the national tournament," Collier said.
Debate squads will compete in two national tournaments in March, one of which, the National Debate Tournament, is by invitation only, much like the NCAA Basketball Championships.
Only 78 teams will compete in the national tournament at Gonzaga University on March 25-28, "where only a select number of teams are invited," Collier said.
One way for members of the UMKC squad to make it to the big dance is by winning the District 3 Tournament, comprised of teams from Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Texas, the last weekend of February. This process is much like the Kangaroos basketball teams winning the Mid-Continent Championships and thereby being invited to the NCAA Championships.
Dietrich and Gordon won the district tournament last year.
The other national tournament is hosted by the Cross Examination Debate Association and features nearly any debate squad that is a member of the organization.
"So it generally winds up being in excess of 300 teams that end up being in the tournament," Collier said.
While national rankings will not be officially available until April 1, Collier estimates her squad is currently "in or near the top 10" in the country.
Up next for the local squad is a tournament hosted by Baylor University on Jan. 22-24.
nbarron@unews.com
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