The Art of the State

We did it.

This weekend, after years of frustration with our state organization (about which the VCA has been informed ad nauseum), the debate coaches from almost all the policy schools and a seriously strong representation of the LD schools in the state got together and threw their own shindig in the style of the rest of the tournaments we attend throughout the year. (We also had PF, but that’s already still so small around here that it’s hard to claim much traction one way or the other.) It was a hit. Everybody had a good time, the rounds went off neatly, the judging was super, and anyone who didn’t collapse of heart failure going up and down the six flights of stairs went away well satisfied.

This first venture was down at Brooklyn Tech, where we had an MHL last year. I liked the building a lot then, which was why I was glad we had it for this event, although I don’t think it registered on me how many stairs there were. Coming in early Saturday morning and mounting to the heights carrying all my gear is going in the book as my physical achievement of the year, and I’m in fairly decent shape for a fossil. By the end of the day it probably looked like Mt. Everest, with a string of abandoned gear surrounding the climbers who whispered to their colleagues, “Just go on without me.” At one point I was heading up and an unaccompanied policy tub was heading down, and there were people in hysterics (positive or negative I couldn’t tell you) at the top. For most of the participants it was the last debate of the season, so how much could they miss this year’s folders?

Needless to say, putting O’C in charge of the trophies meant that we had not trophies but Trophies. ‘Nuff said.

I can’t speak to the food at the event, because Friday the Sailors and I met up with JV for some nice Italian near our hotel (we got out fairly early), and Saturday JV and I went to this great burger place for lunch, and between the two, the job was done (not to mention a pile of bacon at the hotel buffet that even Kaz would have been satisfied with). JV and I were tabbing PF and LD, while Kaz and Lakeland’s SB were handling all the policy divisions (including what Kaz described as a middle school group as cute as the dickens).

As for the competition and judging, they speak for themselves. The Sailors acquitted themselves admirably, with the PC making it all the way to semis, and Liana making non-advancing octos (we wanted to acknowledge the top 12, but had to be out of the building by 8:00 Saturday night). Both also picked up speaker awards, so it has been a good year for the team in general, especially when you add in our Speecho-American folks (who go to the other State tournament this coming weekend). The PC even finally got his plaque from O’C acknowledging him as, well, the PC. Pretty cool, especially since it doesn’t say People’s Champion of what. Could be anything. That’s a plaque he can hang in any room he’s in for the rest of his life.

So, a great start for a new organization and a new tournament. It was great to have all those UDL schools there, and the middle-schoolers. While a lot of us worked hard to make this happen, top credit goes to Jon Cruz (note use of whole name) who, as the head of the organization and tournament director, put it all together. Kudos.