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Despite fielding a team of just three students, the Forensics Society earned a remarkable second-place finish after winning four events at a tournament hosted by the University of Rhode Island Dec. 6-7. The showing continued an impressive run of finishing second or third in five consecutive forensics tournaments.
Bill O’Brien ’07 (Elmont, N.Y.) paced the team by taking first place in the after-dinner speaking, persuasion, and poetry reading competitions. He also finished second in prose reading. Government and law major Paul Kritzler ’05 (Monkton, Md.) won Lincoln-Douglas debate and finished second in informative speech. Kim Moore ’06 (Longwood, Fla.) took third place in both informative speech and persuasion, and was a debate semifinalist.
“I am once again pleased to have found success in New England,” says O’Brien, who won the persuasion competition last month at the Jack Lynch Tournament hosted by St. Anselm College in Manchester, N.H. “I would like to congratulate my teammates for a job well done and for helping me with my material. I am very happy to have ended the semester on such a high note and look forward to competing next semester.”
The Rhode Island tournament was the site of Kritzler’s debut in debate two years ago.
“I am very happy about how we did as a team,” he says. “We all performed very well. Winning a debate tournament in Rhode Island meant a lot to me. This is the tournament where I started as a freshman, and if you asked me then whether I could win it in two years, I would have said you were joking.”
“I was very happy with the tournament,” says Moore. “Despite the snow, we were still able to have a great time as a team. And taking second place with only three people showed what skill we have as a team.”
The students were accompanied by Scott Placke, director of forensics, who helped prepare them along with Jon Honiball, debate coach, and Nina LaTassa, speech coach.
“The van rides get a little long, but traveling with these guys is always a lot of fun,” Placke says. “The competition is always the high point of the trip, but the road getting there is great too. I really enjoy working with all of these people. They are like family.”
After-dinner speaking contestants present an original, memorized speech of up to 10 minutes to make a serious point through humor. O’Brien argued that the presidential primary process has become far too long and should be improved through national regulations and actions taken by voters and candidates.
In persuasion, each competitor delivers a monologue from memory of up to ten minutes on a significant issue, seeking to convince, move to action, or inspire. O’Brien’s speech argued that police chases cause unnecessary death and violence because of a lack of regulation. It proposed that government action and personal support could help alleviate the problem.
Lincoln-Douglas is a persuasive policy debate on traditional stock issues. Competitors are evaluated on their analysis, use of evidence, and ability to effectively and persuasively organize, deliver, and refute arguments. This season’s debate topic focuses on whether the federal government should place regulations on industrial pollution.
Kritzler’s informative speech concerned recently discovered microorganisms called Geobacters, which have been found to have many uses, including cleaning up toxins. Moore’s informative speech was on new male contraceptive technology.
In persuasion, each competitor delivers a monologue from memory of up to ten minutes on a significant issue, seeking to convince, move to action, or inspire. Moore spoke on the effects of drowsiness on drivers, arguing that legislation is needed to punish drivers who do harm because they are not getting enough sleep.
Although students will be on winter break, the Forensics Society will compete again at the West Chester University “Hugs and Kisses” Swing Tournament Jan. 17-18.
In addition to his forensics activities, O’Brien is co-president of Residence Hall Council, a DJ on student-run radio station WJRH, and a member of the school newspaper staff, the Arts Society, and Marquis Players.
Moore is president of the Dry Surfers, a special-interest living group whose members share interests in technology and a substance-free lifestyle, is a member of College Democrats and the Psychology Club, and plays violin in the orchestra.
Kritzler is president of Haven, a student group stressing an alcohol- and drug-free lifestyle, and competes in intramural sports.
Past forensics competitions:
Nov. 15-16, New York University
Nov. 8, St. Anselm College
Nov. 1-2, Bloomsburg University
Oct. 18-19, Towson University
Oct. 10-11, West Chester University
Sept. 19-20, Purdue University and Sept. 27, Bloomsburg Novice Tournament
2002-03 National Tournament