Debate team looks to expand on its success

Returning from a 25 year hiatus, the UCF Debate team is back and determined to show why it was once considered the nation's top intercollegiate debate squad.

With one invitational in the books, the team took their skills to Atlanta for the District 6 Novice/JV Tournament at Emory University on Feb. 24.

The format for the tournament at Emory was similar to the inaugural invitational held on Feb. 12-14 at the Nicholson School of Communication. Teams debated through several rounds over the four-day period, debating other teams and advocating either for or against a resolution that usually calls for a change by the U.S. government. The policy debate also featured a round that allowed the two-on-two teams to cross-examine each other on issues.

"We don't really know what to expect, a lot of big name schools in debate will be there," Christina Vitolo, , a sophomore molecular biology and microbiology major and debator, said. "I think we will do great."

In Atlanta, the debate team competed in six rounds with Vitolo and Emily Johns winning five out of the six. Debaters Cassie Baker and David Putney won two rounds out of six and the team of Sarah Alvarez and Sydney Johns also won two rounds.

Additional awards from the annual invitational at Emory are still to be determined, says Johns.

The invitational was comprised of teams from Louisville, the University of South Florida, West Georgia, Samford and Georgia State.

"We are really trying to go far in Atlanta, hopefully break the elimination rounds," Johns said.

Johns, a freshman political science major, says there will be a total of three teams from UCF's Debate Team participating in the tournament.

Judges will be looking to see if the teams are able to integrate evidence into their arguments. Teams also must be able to refute any arguments of their opponents.

Lead by director of debate and instructor Sydne Kasle, the team scored numerous awards at the Jeff  Butler "Ready, Aim, and Duck" invitational held at the beginning of February. The tournament featured 17 teams from six universities, including the University of Florida and the University of Miami.

Standing in front a panel of judges, the two-person tandem of Vitolo and Johns presented a case of allowing temporary work visas to human-trafficking victims. Each team was required to defend their case on a number of cases including immigrant/temporary work visas, human-trafficking visas, or family-based visas.

Vitolo won the Top Novice Speaker award for her debate on policy change involving human trafficking.

"It was exciting to really start with a bang," Vitolo said. She says their debate focused on how creating a policy could impact victims and creates a "softer, more humanitarian approach to help victims".

Johns said the invitational was nerve-racking but also a great experience.

"The dynamic of the team here is incredible, all of us work really hard and well together," Johns said.

At the invitational, Johns placed eighth in the same category as Vitolo. The group consisted of more than 30 speakers.

For the six young students that spend most of their free time researching topics while getting no scholarships or class credit in return, Kasle says they are very talented. Following the invitational in Atlanta, the team will spend the rest of the semester getting ready for the fall semester and opening competitions.

Kasle says she never imagined participating with three full debate teams, even better having UCF host its own invitational. She originally thought the season was going to be spent without students and only building an infrastructure for the future.

"It's really been a dream come true," Kasle added.