January 28, 2011 - "Hardware is nice, but just being here at West Side High School on Saturday morning, January 22, 2011 is even nicer," said Program Administrator Militza Diaz, to the 192 debaters competing at the third middle grades conference of the season.

This tournament was the last with the winter resolution: the U.S. federal government should remove its troops from Afghanistan. At the tournament director Brent Farrand discussed the growth of the league and what that will mean moving forward. He also announced a few administrative changes and Diaz announced the Spring resolution. Two judges also discussed the growth they saw in the debaters since the first tournament back in November.

The league hosted almost 300 people with 96 teams, including judges and coaches. Debaters from all 23 participating schools.

Results
Beginner Teams
Beginner Speakers
Experienced Teams
Experienced Speakers

New changes as league deals with growth of league

During this tournament new judging ballots and floor manager assignments were launched in an effort to run a smoother tournament.

Farrand announced that the league will continue to hold the tournaments at one site, unlike previous plans to hold it at two.

"We want to keep this large unified atmosphere for as long as possible," Farrand said.

He also said that this decision will require coaches to take on a floor manager assignment. The manager will collect ballots, make sure there are no low point wins, and that the ballot is properly filled out and handed in. This will make tabulating the results easier and more organized. Farrand acknowledged that each tournament gets larger than the next and predicted that at the rate of growth the league is going at that by the next school year, 200 teams will be registering.

The new ballots take up less room, have a few key rules and the speaking order written on them for quick referral. This is handy, especially for new judges and high school judges.

Practice makes a better debater

Two Science High School juniors, judges, and debaters of three years spoke about their experience judging and the improvements they've seen from the debaters.

Julian Jimenez said that in comparing this tournament to the first one of the season, he's noticed the debaters have gotten more comfortable with the evidence.

Luis Carrera agreed. "In the beginning they were nervous, but as the year goes on they're more calm, comfortable, and passionate."

Jimenez said he was impressed with a debater who made a patriarchy argument. "Kids are learning this? I didn’t even know about capitalism or patriarchy until I started debating [three years ago]."

"I'm molding them into a high school debater," he said. "They're granting me the opportunity to assist them and make them a good debater."

Carrera also added that the debaters are "learning more in the round, comparing each others arguments, pointing to the evidence, and know what they talk about."

Program administrator announces Spring resolution

Diaz announced the Spring middle school resolution. Resolved: The United States federal government should terminate its contracts with Private Military Contractors performing combat operations.

She spoke about how debate will help the students deal with disagreements in a peaceful way and solve problems.

"You are learning to be mediators for your schools, for your families, for your communities," she said. "You have to live debate."