by Ryan Mac Donald
Staff Writer
In an exemplary premiere performance, the University of La Verne Speech and Debate Team traveled to San Diego State University on Oct. 14-16 to compete in the Aztec Invitational. In continuing with tradition, the team proved their excellence by capturing several top honors.
The team, which consisted of sophomore Jessica Lord, sophomores Jennifer Contreras and Beverly Samano, juniors Chastity Archer, Ryan Knowles and Ross Mathews and seniors Stefan Chacon, Sean Krispinsky, Ernie Minner, and Nikkia Williams, competed against sixteen schools, including University of Southern California (USC), Loyola Maramount University (LMU), Point Loma, and Arizona State University (ASU).
“We did fantastic,” said head debate coach Ian Lising. “They clearly demonstrated domination over the competition, and the kinds of comments we are receiving are outstanding.”
Argumentative debaters Minner, Knowles, Krispinsky and Chacon closed out the tournament, which occurs when two teams from the same school make it into the final round of debates. Both Minner and Knowles defeated USC in their semifinal round, and Chacon and Krispinsky defeated LMU in their semifinal round.
“We are always preparing for a big weekend,” said Minner. “Every moment in practice is geared toward that moment. We read and analyze issues and our practices are very intense.”
In the individual events, based on dramatic interpretations, the duo of Mathews and Knowles received first place in their competition with a performance of Jim Brochu’s “The Last Session,” beating strong teams from ASU.
“The best part about the first tournament is seeing the new members of the team begin to come into their own as competitors,” said Mathews. “I was really impressed with this year’s squad and their competitive ethics.”
Knowles added, “ASU is arguably the best or one of the best squads [in the nation]. Last year they provided several nationally winning duos. So when the results were announced, Ross and I were pleasantly surprised because we beat them, and it meant more because there were two teams we beat.”
Knowles finished the tournament with three first places in the events of dramatic interpretation, prose interpretation and duo, and four seconds places in the events after dinner speech, impromptu, programmed oral interpretation and individual speaker.
“I was very pleased [with my performances],” said Knowles. “I had been working all week, so I wasn’t sure if all the pieces were ready, but when the results came out, I realized I had done great.”
Contreras and Samano competed other portions of the competition, and participated in their first tournament. Contreras was optimistic about how she and her partner were taught many things through this experience.
“For being new, we did well,” said Contreras. “We were against people who have had experience in the past. I had my ups and downs, but I did the best I could.”
“It is really fun to see people care for something and know that they have succeeded even though they might lose,” said Minner.
Lising is optimistic that their styles of debating will only improve as the year proceeds, and that the teams will continue to uphold the pristine reputation the squad has developed on the international scene.
“My feedback from the competition is exactly what I anticipated,” said Lising. “Everyone was very impressed. Exactly a month [from now] we will be in England for Intervarsity Competition at Oxford and Cambridge, and these two tournaments are the toughest in the world outside of the world championships.
“We are sending two teams and I share a feeling with my assistant coach [Justin Jones- Rodriguez] that these teams can do better than last year and last year we placed into the semifinals at Cambridge and finals at Oxford.”
“Debating is the best thing to do at La Verne,” said Minner. “Whether they win at World Championships or never win anything at all.”
