Debate season nears close
By Shelby Brokaw
January 20, 2009
They do speed drills, they fill crates upon crates with evidence, they wake up early on Saturday mornings to report to tournaments, they ask for egg timers for Christmas, they dress up in suits on a regular basis, and they even show up at the Student Council sponsored dodge ball tournament wearing sweater vests and gym shorts.
They are the Silver Lake High School debate squad.
Though not a spectator sport, members of the policy debate team have been doing everything they can this year to show the community who they are by not only openly displaying this unconventional sport to their peers, but also through their successes on the debate circuit.
The national policy debate topic this year is, "Resolved: The United States Federal Government should substantially increase alternative energy incentives in the United States."
The Silver Lake squad consists of seniors JaVon Martin and Trent Strunk; juniors Jerod Barker, Shelby Brokaw, Justin Morgan, Peter Ruby, and Lindsey Schroeder; sophomores Chloe Austin, Jaeton Martin, Jake Maryott, Riley Oblander, Christin Oyler, Josh Pladies, and Nikki Richardson; and freshmen Rachel Brokaw, Dillon Collins, Kyle Klucas, and Jacob Schroeder. They have proven themselves very capable of both upholding and negating this proposition. (For a full list of tournament results, see below.)
On Dec. 12 and 13, the teams of Strunk and L. Schroeder, Barker and S. Brokaw, and Maryott and Jaeton Martin competed at the National Catholic Forensics League Qualifier in Marysville. The team received second in sweepstakes and qualified all participating teams to the national tournament. St. George-Rock Creek received first, qualifying two teams. Qualifiers will travel to Albany, N.Y. in May to compete at the national tournament.
L. Schroeder commented, "My greatest accomplishment of the season thus far is qualifying for NCFL Nationals in Albany, New York. I was really excited that all of our teams attending the qualifier made it as well, and I am really excited to go to New York in May."
The next weekend, on Dec. 19 and 20, the Silver Lake four-speaker team won their regional tournament at Emporia High School. St. George-Rock Creek finished second. The Silver Lake team consisted of the negative side, Strunk and S. Brokaw, the affirmative side, Barker and L. Schroeder, and two alternates, Ruby and R. Brokaw.
The four-speaker team will compete against Anthony-Harper-Chaparral, Lyons, Marysville, Moundridge, Osage City, Salina-Sacred Heart, and St. George-Rock Creek at the Kansas State High School Activities Association’s state tournament at Washburn Rural High School on Jan. 23 and 24. For the state tournament, Morgan will replace Ruby as an alternate. Ruby will be participating in the Topeka Youth Wind Ensemble at Washburn University's White Concert Hall on that Friday. Ruby was chosen as first chair trombone for the event.
Students who qualified for the two-speaker state tournament throughout the year include Austin, Klucas, JaVon Martin, Jaeton Martin, Maryott, Oblander, Pladies, Richardson, Ruby, J. Schroeder, and Taylor. Both the two-speaker competitors and the four-speaker team have a common goal for Jan. 23 and 24: victory.
"I'm really excited to go to state and compete for the third year in a row and try to win a state championship," said Barker.
The success of the debate squad has spoken for itself this year, but what really defined this year's squad cannot be reported through statistics. Various members provided insight into room 114.
"I think the unity on this year's squad is a lot better than it has ever been in my past years in debate…that's the most important part," stated Strunk.
"The people in this room don't judge you, and they actually want to be here. They're not just here because they have to be. And so, I think I learned not to be so cynical at life. With the outlook on it, just be more positive in general," commented Austin.
"We're all weird misfits, but we all have something in common," noted Morgan.
"My first greatest memory will be all the time I spent with the squad in class, after school, and at squanding on Saturday nights. I have a lot of fond memories from time we have spent together, including playing hide-and-seek at Klucas' house, eating at Kiku's, and our overnight trip to Marysville," recalled L. Schroeder.
Debate coach Gail Naylor also noticed an increased sense of squad unity this season.
"… I have been through 15 years of individuals hating each other, jealous of each other, fighting with each other, being aloof with each other, back talking each other…I think the reason we're having a good year is because we have good students," said Naylor.
2008 Debate Results
Emporia High School: (Sept. 26 and 27) Novice: Second Austin and Taylor
Seaman High School : (Oct. 3 and 4) First in sweepstakes. Junior Varsity: Third Taylor and L. Schroeder, Sixth Maryott and Jaeton Martin; Varsity: Second Barker and S. Brokaw, Fourth Richardson and Strunk
Wamego High School: (Oct. 14) Second in sweepstakes. Open: Sixth Maryott and Jaeton Martin
Rossville High School: (Oct. 17 and 18) First in sweepstakes. Open: First Oblander and Pladies, Second JaVon Martin and L. Schroeder, Third Barker and S. Brokaw, Fifth Maryott and Jaeton Martin
Hayden High School: (Oct. 17 and 18) Novice: Fifth J. Schroeder and Klucas
Topeka West High School: (Oct. 24 and 25) Junior Varsity: Fourth Austin and Taylor, Fourth Morgan and Richardson
Marysville High School: (Nov. 1) Junior Varsity: Sixth Maryott and Jaeton Martin
Shawnee Heights High School: (Nov. 7 and 8) Varsity: First Strunk and S. Brokaw
Junction City High School: (Nov. 15) Open: Second Richarson and JaVon Martin
Highland Park High School: (Nov. 15) Junior Varsity: Fourth Pladies and R. Brokaw
J. Matt Hill at Topeka High School: (Nov. 21 and 22) Varsity: Fourth Barker and S. Brokaw; Open: Fourth Ruby and Jaeton Martin
Lawrence High School: (Dec. 5 and 6) Second in sweepstakes. Junior Varsity: Third Maryott and Jaeton Martin
Manhattan High School: (Dec. 12 and 13) Novice: Third Morgan and Ruby, Fifth Austin and Taylor
Catholic Forensics League Qualifier: (Dec. 12 and 13) Second in sweepstakes. Open: Second Barker and S. Brokaw, Fifth Strunk and L. Schroeder, Sixth Maryott and Jaeton Martin
National Forensics League Qualifier: (Jan. 17 and 18) Open: Fifth Strunk and S. Brokaw
