Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009
Contact: Dave Wellman, Director of Communications, 304-696-7153
‘Thundering Word’ hosts debate tournament this weekend
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Marshall University’s debate team will host the Chief Justice / Alumni Swing Tournament Friday, Oct. 30 through Sunday, Nov. 1 on the Huntington campus.
The speech and debate tournament, which is open to the public, will take place in buildings throughout campus. A swing event means there actually are two tournaments – one Friday and Saturday, and one Sunday.
Registration and debates start at 3 p.m. Friday. Debates continue and individual events begin at 8 a.m. Saturday. On Sunday, individual events begin at 8 a.m. Anyone wishing to attend any of the debates should go to Smith Hall 256 to find out where they will take place.
Joining Marshall’s “Thundering Word” in the competition will be Ohio State University, Ohio University, Miami (Ohio) University, Shepherd University, Western Kentucky University, Eastern Michigan University, Patrick Henry College and Marietta College. Marshall Coach Danny Ray said more schools likely will enter the competition.
Ray said the tournaments feature 12 events, including Lincoln-Douglas debate, which is a one-man policy debate modeled after President Abraham Lincoln’s format. Some other kinds of debates are oral interpretation of literature, public speaking, limited preparation, dynamic duo and impromptu.
After-dinner speaking is an example of a public speaking event, Ray said. It is a humorous speech with a serious message. In a dramatic duo debate, two performers interpret literature from a play. Impromptu is a limited preparation event where a contestant draws a topic and has seven minutes to prepare and speak. Usually contestants speak for at least five minutes.
Ray said forensics attracts students who are interested in intellectual activities and excel in academics.
“The members of the ‘Thundering Word’ come from many different academic areas such as biomedical science and education,” Ray said. “Students interested in forensics are those who have ideas that may be different from typical students and like speech and debate because they get an opportunity to express themselves. Also, these are students who enjoy a team environment but may not necessarily be interested in athletics. They are students who like competition and find that it is rewarding to match wits with other like-minded individuals from colleges and universities across the nation. We are all ‘Speech Geeks.’ ”
Marshall’s debate team participated in its third tournament of the year last weekend and did well. The team finished in the top 10 in both halves of a swing tournament hosted by Berea College and UC Cumberlands. Twenty-six colleges and universities competed. Ryan Jackson, a Huntington sophomore and political science major, was awarded sixth in Pentathlon, which is an event for contestants who are entered in five or more events. Jackson placed sixth in Duo (with Shayne Gue, a Barboursville junior), fifth in Prose, sixth in Dramatic Interpretation and was named a top novice in Informative Speaking.
Marshall received the following awards at that tournament:
UC Cumberlands half
Team: sixth place
Pentathlon: Ryan Jackson, sixth place
Persuasion: Shayne Gue, top novice
After Dinner Speaking: Kayla Johnson, top novice
Impromptu Speaking: Kendrick Vonderschmitt, top novice
Duo Interpretation: Ryan Jackson and Shayne Gue, sixth place; Shayne Gue and Mark Radford, top novice
Dramatic Interpretation: Ryan Jackson, sixth place
Prose Interpretation: Ryan Jackson, fifth place; Kegan Angel, top novice
Programmed Oral Interpretation: Hannah McCargish, sixth place; Kayla Johnson, top novice
Informative Speaking: Ryan Jackson, top novice
Communication Analysis: Kayla Johnson, third place; top novice
Berea half
Team: seventh place
Dramatic Interpretation: Mark Radford, sixth place
Prose Interpretation: Ryan Jackson, semifinalist; Shayne Gue, top novice
Programmed Oral Interpretation: Hannah McCargish, sixth place; Kayla Johnson and Kendrick Vonderschmitt, top novice
Informative Speaking: Kendrick Vonderschmitt and Ryan Jackson, top novice
Persuasive Speaking: Shayne Gue, sixth place
Communication Analysis: Kayla Johnson, third place
Duo Interpretation: Mark Radford and Shayne Gue, top novice
After Dinner Speaking: Kayla Johnson, top novice
For further information, contact Ray at 304-696-2807.
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