Debate Camp

June 1, 2008

The school year is already over for some and just about to end for others. If you are thinking about Debate Camp, it might be a good idea if you are into winning. If you really want to improve your odds of winning the TOC or Nationals, you really have no choice but to attend a prominent debate camp. I personally have issues with debate camps, but the facts don’t lie – if you want to win, you have to attend. Because of the money that can be made with holding these camps, they are very competitive. This means that their best form of advertising is by recognizing former students that have won major tournaments. Just look at some of the debate camp websites and view their list of students who have won some major tournament somewhere in the country. What this tells you is that it benefits a camp when their students can win a tournament. What if most of the judges at a tournament you attend are from a certain camp? Get it? You don’t stand a chance of winning a round when being judged by debate camp facilitators and your opponent attended the same debate camp.

What you need to do is figure out which debate camp has the most influence in your area and then sign up. Then, you have to make a noticeable difference. You have to stand out and make the instructors take note of how good you are. Once the rumors start, you can win rounds before you even begin debating simply because your opponent heard that you were a standout at a particular debate camp. If the debate camp is going to use you, make it reciprocal. Use debate camp to network and make people know not only who you are, but how hard you are willing to work to prepare a case.

There really is no point of going to debate camp if your only goal is to have fun and get away from your parents. Why? You can find plenty of trouble if you have no focus. Also, don’t forget, debaters are the most influential people in our society and most of them become prominent people in life. If you do negative things while attending debate camp it can come back to haunt you later in life when you decide you want to run for an office or perhaps become a debate coach somewhere. I hope you get the point.

To conclude, while attending debate camp, have a focus. Know what you want to accomplish and spend your time wisely trying to accomplish it. Most instructors truly want to teach and would like nothing better than to have students that really want to learn. Those students are the ones that make a difference and it will pay dividends down the road either in the form of winning a tournament or being successful in life.