Debating

For me, debating has been a highly fruitful and enjoyable experience. We first started a team in 2021 while we were in Year 9, going into the DAV (Debaters Association of Victoria) Competition with numerous other schools which had had years of experience before this point. Yet, despite the clear challenges we faced, we managed to go undefeated in the round robin and qualify for the playoffs. This gave myself and my teammates immense pride.

 Over this process, we learnt the necessary skills required to debate, improving as we went along. Anyone can come up with an argument, but how it is delivered is of equal, if not greater importance. We grasped that authenticity, not looking down at your cue cards, giving the audience and adjudicator eye contact, speaking with confidence, is a decisive factor in this rhetorical sport. This has certainly made us better communicators both at school and in day-to-day life.

Over the past year, I’ve been able to work with my teammates, Clem and Kason, debating a wide range of topics from implementing a maximum wage to placing age limits on our nations’ leaders. Over this period, we’ve developed assigned roles in the team, and trust each other to stand up and put the utmost effort into our speeches. 

Having belief in your peers is crucial to success, as without this, the very fabric of the team disintegrates. I think this is what often separates us from other schools, presenting a cohesive argument as a group, not three different individuals.This year, we have also qualified for the playoffs, winning every one of our five debates. However, our aspirations don’t stop here. We want to progress further in the tournament and better ourselves as debaters along the way.

Another opportunity which I’ve had the privilege of undertaking is mentoring the current Year 9 Debating Team with my classmate Kason. It has been wonderful to see their improvement throughout the year, as they better harness their talent. 

It felt rewarding to draw upon our own past experience so they could harness their talent to the best of their abilities. While they could formulate all of the ideas, we were able to assist them in the structure and presentation of their arguments, the extra persuasion involved in getting the adjudicator on their side. In this area, there was immeasurable progress, attesting their commitment and dedication. We intend to continue coaching them next year, hoping for even more success. 

By Manny Anasson

Debating has been a consistent source of pride and enjoyment for me since I began more than two years ago. As time went on I felt my skill and comfort improve during preparation and speaking. I’ve built strong bonds with each of my debating partners, many people have come and gone from the team but I remember each of them fondly for their unique skills and traits not only in debate but as human beings. These bonds have extended outside my year level when coaching the year nine team with Manny. This experience with the year nines has not only introduced me to a whole team(one much larger than the year 11 one) of passionate and talented characters but has also allowed me to experiment with teaching.  

By Kason young

While 'practise makes perfect' might not be applicable in all situations, practise does generally make 'better'. Being part of the debate team allows us to frequently practise skills that will forever come in handy after we finish school.

Debating has helped us build on our researching and preparation skills - a well prepared team has looked into both sides of the argument, not just their own. We've now been taught the importance of putting aside time to plan in advance instead of starting to rush when the deadline nears. An extra bonus is that speeches sound better when they make sense and flow well, so we've been practising our writing and expanding our vocabulary.

Of course, reading off of or memorising a pre-written script isn't all there is, so debating has also improved our ability to think quickly and articulately on our feet. You've never needed those random synonyms more than when you're on the spot trying to make up points that sound well thought out.

Public speaking can be hard, but, as previously stated, practise makes better, and debating gives us great opportunities to speak again and again in front of adjudicators, parents, friends, and strangers. It's also not often that, upon giving a speech, you're given direct and honest feedback about your manner and method - information that can be really important if you're looking to improve your speaking skills.

Even though our team is big enough that not everybody actually stands up and debates every time, all hands are on deck during our lunchtime meetings. It's important to remember that the backstage work is just as needed and appreciated. Debating has helped us be team players and good cooperators.

We've gained and practised so many skills thanks to debating. It's been a great opportunity!! Big thanks to all the teachers who made this possible and to the year 11 debate team, who gave up many of their own lunchtimes to coach us."

by the Year 9 Debate Team

Year 11 Debating Team: Manny Anasson, Kason Young, Clementine Maidment

Year 9 Debating Team: Tuesday Moses, Miles Loden, Neve Kennedy, Ethan Veith-Carter, Hamish Wass