My brain is numb
The tournament is over, the results are in!
Our duo didn't do as well as we had hoped, we got 8th out of 14. However, we are ranked 7th in all of Texas, and 15th nationally.
But, if we want to go to the huge tournament at the end of the season known as nationals, we have to go to at least two more tournaments, because we didn't do well enough in this one, and you have to have two green checkmarks (explanation coming), and you can only get one per tournament.
Ok, green checkmarks. There are a limited amount given out at each tournament. If I remember correctly, you have to be in the top 40% of you event to earn one. It takes two checkmarks to qualify in an event for nationals. You can get more than one checkmark at a tournament, just so long as they are in separate events. Does that make sense? If not, please tell me in the comments so I can further specify!
Christian and I won two of our six debate rounds. The average novice team only wins one, or none, so we're pretty excited about that!
The tournament lasted two days, Friday and Saturday. Some big once can last three or four days, and I'm pretty sure nationals is seven to eight days long.
Friday Mom, Lydia, Christian, and I got up super duper early (4:30 am for some) so we could leave by 6ish in the morning, so we could check in to Irving Bible Church for the tournament at 7:30ish. The first debate round started at 8. Here's the funny thing though, all the debates are at the exact same time, so debaters cannot watch other people debate.
Christian and I went against another novice team, who was really nice and polite. We were negative.
After the round ended (roughly 9:20), we went to the main gathering place, where all the clubs hung out at during down time, for announcements. Around 10, postings were put up for the speeches (postings are the thing that tells you what room you're going to be debating/speaking in, and, if you're debating, who you're going against, and if you're aff or neg. They are changed before your event begins).
Lydia and I found out that we were to go last in the room we were assigned, so we wandered around for a few minutes, before another duo team from our club informed us that no-one was in that room yet, except the judges, so we should go ahead to do our duo before it got too late. So, we ended up going first, then migrating to another room to watch other duo teams compete.
The next debate round started at noon. This team was all stoney and quiet at the start, and weren't very nice. This time we were affirmative. After the round ended, the other team was relatively nice. We found out that one of them had been debating for three years, and the other, for four. I can't say how Christian felt while debating them, but I felt like a mouse trying to fight a cat.
Around two in the afternoon, postings went up for speeches again, and Christian went to give his persuasive against e-cigeretes. Since I was not competing in this section of speeches, I was recruited to time motivational speeches (I was feeling rather down...).
At four, the last debate round started. We were aff again. This time, we went against a pair of fourth year debaters, but that team was really nice, and understood that bashing us over the head about our case, would not really help them in the long run. So, basically, they tore apart our case as nicely and politely as possible.
Postings went up for speeches again at six. Lydia found that we were fifth on the list to go, and decided that we would wait, but the same duo team from before, came and told us that the room was empty again, and to go ahead and go. Which meant, we could go home pretty much immediately after completing our performance.
Saturday began at 5 in the morning, and saw us leaving at 6:30. We arrived in time to drop our stuff, sit down, and wake up a bit more.
The first round started at 8 again. When postings went up, we discovered that we would be debating another team from our club, and we would be negative. We had practiced twice against them in club, and we had been neg both times. I felt like that round went well, mostly because it was a familiar case, and we knew the debaters.
After that, Christian waited for postings to go up, so he could find out where he was going to be giving his persuasive again. Lydia moved from room to room, watching lots of different stuff, while I sat at a table and read The Fellowship of The Ring to my heart's content.
The next debate round started at noon, same as yesterday. Christian and I debated the most adorable novice team ever! We were affirmative again, but they fought valiantly.
After the round, the speech finals were announced. Our club did pretty well, but some events (duos among them) needed a third round before anything could be decided.
After the third speech round, we had about half an hour before our last debate round.
Postings were put up, we took a look, found out we were debating another team from our club that we had not practiced on, found out we were neg, found out we didn't have any evidence against their case, so Christian asked around before finding a brief and joining us at the room. Not a good round. I'm 99% positive we lost. The round ended in time for us to grab our stuff and drive to church.
By the time we arrived, by brain was mentally exhausted, and I just wanted to curl up on the floor and take a nap. After the service, which was amazing by the way, there was a meal in honor of thanksgiving.
We were all so glad that Christian's birthday is today, and therefore we could sleep and eat.
Our duo didn't do as well as we had hoped, we got 8th out of 14. However, we are ranked 7th in all of Texas, and 15th nationally.
But, if we want to go to the huge tournament at the end of the season known as nationals, we have to go to at least two more tournaments, because we didn't do well enough in this one, and you have to have two green checkmarks (explanation coming), and you can only get one per tournament.
Ok, green checkmarks. There are a limited amount given out at each tournament. If I remember correctly, you have to be in the top 40% of you event to earn one. It takes two checkmarks to qualify in an event for nationals. You can get more than one checkmark at a tournament, just so long as they are in separate events. Does that make sense? If not, please tell me in the comments so I can further specify!
Christian and I won two of our six debate rounds. The average novice team only wins one, or none, so we're pretty excited about that!
The tournament lasted two days, Friday and Saturday. Some big once can last three or four days, and I'm pretty sure nationals is seven to eight days long.
Friday Mom, Lydia, Christian, and I got up super duper early (4:30 am for some) so we could leave by 6ish in the morning, so we could check in to Irving Bible Church for the tournament at 7:30ish. The first debate round started at 8. Here's the funny thing though, all the debates are at the exact same time, so debaters cannot watch other people debate.
Christian and I went against another novice team, who was really nice and polite. We were negative.
After the round ended (roughly 9:20), we went to the main gathering place, where all the clubs hung out at during down time, for announcements. Around 10, postings were put up for the speeches (postings are the thing that tells you what room you're going to be debating/speaking in, and, if you're debating, who you're going against, and if you're aff or neg. They are changed before your event begins).
Lydia and I found out that we were to go last in the room we were assigned, so we wandered around for a few minutes, before another duo team from our club informed us that no-one was in that room yet, except the judges, so we should go ahead to do our duo before it got too late. So, we ended up going first, then migrating to another room to watch other duo teams compete.
The next debate round started at noon. This team was all stoney and quiet at the start, and weren't very nice. This time we were affirmative. After the round ended, the other team was relatively nice. We found out that one of them had been debating for three years, and the other, for four. I can't say how Christian felt while debating them, but I felt like a mouse trying to fight a cat.
Around two in the afternoon, postings went up for speeches again, and Christian went to give his persuasive against e-cigeretes. Since I was not competing in this section of speeches, I was recruited to time motivational speeches (I was feeling rather down...).
At four, the last debate round started. We were aff again. This time, we went against a pair of fourth year debaters, but that team was really nice, and understood that bashing us over the head about our case, would not really help them in the long run. So, basically, they tore apart our case as nicely and politely as possible.
Postings went up for speeches again at six. Lydia found that we were fifth on the list to go, and decided that we would wait, but the same duo team from before, came and told us that the room was empty again, and to go ahead and go. Which meant, we could go home pretty much immediately after completing our performance.
Saturday began at 5 in the morning, and saw us leaving at 6:30. We arrived in time to drop our stuff, sit down, and wake up a bit more.
The first round started at 8 again. When postings went up, we discovered that we would be debating another team from our club, and we would be negative. We had practiced twice against them in club, and we had been neg both times. I felt like that round went well, mostly because it was a familiar case, and we knew the debaters.
After that, Christian waited for postings to go up, so he could find out where he was going to be giving his persuasive again. Lydia moved from room to room, watching lots of different stuff, while I sat at a table and read The Fellowship of The Ring to my heart's content.
The next debate round started at noon, same as yesterday. Christian and I debated the most adorable novice team ever! We were affirmative again, but they fought valiantly.
After the round, the speech finals were announced. Our club did pretty well, but some events (duos among them) needed a third round before anything could be decided.
After the third speech round, we had about half an hour before our last debate round.
Postings were put up, we took a look, found out we were debating another team from our club that we had not practiced on, found out we were neg, found out we didn't have any evidence against their case, so Christian asked around before finding a brief and joining us at the room. Not a good round. I'm 99% positive we lost. The round ended in time for us to grab our stuff and drive to church.
By the time we arrived, by brain was mentally exhausted, and I just wanted to curl up on the floor and take a nap. After the service, which was amazing by the way, there was a meal in honor of thanksgiving.
We were all so glad that Christian's birthday is today, and therefore we could sleep and eat.
You're in good company, I feel the same way. Tournaments are exhausting! :P
ReplyDeleteI almost fell asleep during church. If that's only a two-day tournament, I wonder what NITOC is like!
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