Whitman Forensics Newsletter

Vol. 12, No. 1, December, 2005

Whitman Wins National Circuit Tournament and Breaks 7 teams!

Whitman performed exceptionally well at the Pepperdine tournament breaking all 7 policy debate teams into elimination rounds and winning both Open and Junior divisions. The squad overcame trying travel difficulties including a delayed plane flight, no rental vans, and lost hotel reservations. The topic this year advocates the United States getting tougher with China. In the JV division, Jake and Steve reached the quarterfinals before losing to Fresno, and Candi and Luke defeated teams from Cal Poly, San Francisco State, and Fresno to win first place! In Open Division, Ross and Andrew and Meghan and Sam

lost very competitive Octafinals. Eric Suni and Matt walked over Eric Chalfant and Mike in the Octas, then beat Texas to reach the semis, and then knocked off one of Berkeley’s top teams in semis. In the meantime, Jeff and Ben took their 6-0 prelim record, and defeated Texas and Berkeley to set up a semi-final showdown with Harvard which they won on a 3-0! As a result, Jeff and Ben and Eric and Matt took first place in Open Division!

Eric S. and Matt Steve, Ross, Luke (hidden), Aaron, Jim, Mike, Sam;

front Eric C., Meghan, Candi, and Jake

Whitman wins the Lewis-Clark St. Tournament

While most college students were putting together their costumes for Halloween festivities, most of Whitman’s parliamentary debaters headed off on a short trip to Lewiston, Idaho to participate in the Lewis-Clark State tournament. Two of Whitman’s teams qualified for the elimination rounds. First year Brie Coyle, and her sophomore partner, Jeff Wilson, made it to the semifinals to lose a close debate against Lewis and Clark College. Fortunately, seniors, Lydia Eberly and Rob Olsen, defeated that team in the finals on a 3-0 decision to win the tournament. The resolution “Karl Rove should be fired” was debated with Whitman on the governing side. Congratulations to both teams.

Rob Olsen and Lydia Eberly who says “I don’t want my picture taken!”

Jaemal and Ben

Meghan and Ethiopia

Whitman-Seattle UDL Debates

On Sunday, December 4, 2005, 14 of Seattle’s finest joined forces with Whitman debaters for a day long fest of debate preparation and practice. The debaters worked together preparing cases and arguments and then debated in three rounds. Between rounds, Jim served up some pizza and burritos. Whitman assistant coach Aaron Hardy presented a lecture with tips on offense and defense and rebuttals. At the end, while students munched on Custard and Pecan Pie plus ice cream for dessert, Jim Hanson talked about his own experience getting involved in debate, the skills debate teaches and how those skills give an edge to students for college courses, and then took many excellent and engaging questions from the students—about who Whitman’s biggest competitors are, the toughest aspects of his job, and ethnic diversity on Whitman’s team and campus.

Eric C, Andrew, Mike, Steve, Joe Jim and Dave

James, Andrew, Rob, Jeff Annie and Sally Hugo

The annual Holiday Party

Jim hosted the team party again this year. Matt Schissler’s ginger-garlic salmon, Jim’s curry green beans, Ravioli, a pot roast, plus tons of appetizers, and desserts highlighted the food. The gift exchange produced an unusual assortment of gifts. From books to beverages to Applebee’s coupons, this year’s gifts were pretty darn good. Still, there were worst gifts winners including recipients of personal cleaning supplies and a brownie mix. The stocking tradition was continued with sticky pads, pens, tape, candies, toy horses, and rubber balls included. The team watched episodes of several favorite T.V. shows and just had a good time.

Dave, Ross, and Jeff talk it up at the Holiday Party.

Jim “Disco” Hanson

Aaron Hardy

Dave Guidry

Stephen Reed

Andrew Lum

Staff: Jim Hanson, Director of Forensics, Aaron Hardy, Assistant Policy Coach; David Guidry, Assistant Parliamentary and I.E. Coach; Beth Schueler, Thad Blank, Gaurav Reddy, Policy Debate Helpers; Andrew Lum, Student Assistant and Intramural Debate Manager; Rob Olsen, Student Sweepstakes Assistant, Steve Reed, Dramatic Interpretation Student Assistant; Bob Withycombe, Professor, Rhetoric and Film Studies; Pat Keef, Dean of Faculty, Chuck Cleveland, Dean of Students; and George Bridges, President, Whitman College.

43 Competitors, Fall 2005: Adam Maldonado, Aisha Fukushima, Andrew Kelly, Andrew Lum, Andrew Stokes, Anne Hickman, Ashley Lau, Asteria Valusek, Ben Meiches, Beth Kerley, Brie Coye, Bryce McKay, Candi Kissinger, Cat Lewis, Chris Fryefield, Curt Bowen, Eric Chalfant, Eric Suni, Graham Trail, Hugo Vargas, Jake Ginsbach, James Hovard, Jeff Buntin, Jeff Wilson, Joseph Bornstein, Laura Buriu, Laura Hanson, Luke Sanford, Lydia Eberly, Matt Leonard, Matt Schissler, Meghan Hughes, Mike Meredith, Nicholas Dollar, Nora Hawkins, Rob Olsen, Robert Crenshaw, Ross Richendrfer, Sam Allen, Sam Bell, Sally Sorte, Shirley Lou, Stephen Reed

The Staff and the New Team Members

This year Jim Hanson, for his 14^th year, heads up another large team with a great coaching staff to support him. Returning for his second year is Whitman alumni, David Guidry, as assistant director for parliamentary debate and speech. Andrew Lum also signed up for another year as Jim’s diligent assistant. Stephen Reed, a junior, parliamentary debater, and individual events participant took the job of interpretation assistant as well as debating on the policy side of the team for a portion of the fall semester. New to the team is Aaron Hardy as the assistant for the policy debaters. Aaron recently graduated from Michigan State University where he and his partner were semi-finalists at the National Debate Tournament. Former Whitman debaters, Thad Blank and Beth Schueler, as well as former University of California-Berkeley debater, Gaurav Reddy, are also assisting on the policy side.

As far as new students, we have a good number of them. New policy debaters are: Candi Kissinger and Sam Allen both from Boise, Idaho, Jake Ginsbach from Evansville, Wyoming and Luke Sanford from Golden, Colorado. New parliamentary debaters/individual events participants are: Andrew Kelly from Port Angeles, Washington, Anne “Smalls” Hickman from Naples, New York, Brie Coyle from Sandy, Utah, Sally Sorte from Corvalis, Oregon, Asteria Valusek from Tigard, Oregon, and Adam Maldonado from Sacramento, California

Most of this year’s traveling team. Front row: Andrew Kelly, Curt Bowen, Jeff Wilson, Aaron Hardy, Annie Hickman, Chris Fryefield, Lydia Eberly, Meghan Hughes, Jake Ginsbach, Candi Kissinger, Mike Meredith, Sam Allen. Rear rows: Rob Olsen, Eric Suni, Dave Guidry, Laura Hanson, Eric Chalfant, Sally Sorte, Jim Hanson, Brie Coyle, Steve Reed, Hugo Vargas (hidden), Ben Meiches, Andrew Stokes, Jeff Buntin, Luke Sanford.

Success in Individual Events

Under the tutelage of the dedicated Stephen Reed and David Guidry, Whitman continues to have success in the individual events portion of the program. At the Lewis and Clark College tournament, Lydia Eberly took 3rd place in persuasion and Chris Fryefield first place in extemporaneous speaking. At Lewis-Clark State College, Asteria Valusek participated in the final panel of senior dramatic interpretation and in junior prose. Adam Maldonado was a finalist in extemporaneous speaking. Lydia Eberly took first in persuasion.

Jim is coach of the year again

Jim was awarded a “Coach of the Year” award for the third year in a row, this time by the Washington State Forensics Association. The award was announced at the 33^rd annual high school speech and debate tournament and was given for Jim’s service to the high school community through workshops, tournaments, and educational materials. Jim said “I think they are trying to tell me to retire!” The event went well even though the installation of the new Whitman College president, George Bridges, happened at the same time as the tournament. The tournament offered a wide array of individual events, Lincoln-Douglas debate, parliamentary debate, student congress, and policy debate. The tournament had over 900 participants, adding 70% to Whitman’s student population. Despite some inconveniences, it is not only good for the students, but it also benefits the debate team by acting as a fundraiser and the rest of the town by bringing in great deal of revenue for local businesses. And this year, it served as a fitting opportunity to give tribute to Jim.

Whitman National Debate Institute

Our Camp grew again with nearly 100 high school students and coaches. The camp was held July 24 through August 10 and featured participants from states all across the U.S.

Robert Annie, Sally, Laura, Brie


Team Pictures Matt and Aaron Chris and Curt The winners of open division at Pepperdine: Eric S, Matt, Ben, and Jeff. Jen Johnson (Seattle UDL Director) and Sam Allen Mike Meredith and Tyree Preparing for a Whitman-UDL debate. Ross and Cole at the Whitman-UDL debates. Steve and Dave Eric C.	The UPS Trip: Where is Dave’s Wallet? There are times during the year when Jim Hanson must choose between going to a parliamentary tournament and a policy tournament that occur during the same weekend. When faced with the choice of going to the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington or to Pepperdine College in Malibu, California, the decision was an easy one. Usually, assistant director, David Guidry, appreciates having responsibility for the parliamentary squad at a tournament without Jim because it gives him a chance to lead the students during the weekend trip; however, this weekend started out in a much different tone. After nearly an hour of driving, David felt his pocket was empty and that he had forgotten his wallet—which contained the team credit card, and the only means to pay for the hotel rooms. So, the team headed back to Walla Walla in order for David to get his wallet. This small slip up put David and the debaters nearly two hours behind their original travel time. Normally this type of mistake would be little more than an inconvenience; however, Chandra Carlisle (former parliamentary debater, graduated 2003) was waiting at the Tacoma Dome bus station because she had come down from Seattle to help the team for the weekend in Jim’s absence. Luckily, nothing happened to Chandra despite the fact that she had to wait outside in a slightly sketchy area of industrial Tacoma for more than an hour. So, seven hours after leaving Walla Walla, everyone was happier than usual to crawl into their Motel 6 bed for the night. Front Row: Dave, Laura, Candi, Meghan, Annie, Chris, Sam Second Row: Ben, Ross, Mike, Jake, Sally, Brie, James Rear Rows: Eric S, Matt, Jeff, Eric C, Jim, Robert, Luke, Adam, Jeff. Steve, Meghan, Eric Suni, Matt, Sam, and Luke Brie Joseph Policy Debate Tournaments The policy team got off to a good start at the season opener at Gonzaga. Going into the final preliminary round, all 7 teams were still eligible for elimination rounds. Unfortunately, only Eric Suni and Matt Schissler and Jeff Buntin and Ben Meiches qualified. Matt and Eric were the undefeated top seed, and Eric was 2nd speaker. The entire team put in a great effort before elims, with most people staying up late into the night, and it paid off. Jeff and Ben won their octafinal against North Texas, but lost in the quarterfinal to Idaho State on a heartbreaking 2-1. Eric and Matt exacted revenge in the semifinals, defeating ISU and setting up a final between Whitman and Berkeley. Eric and Matt won on a 2-1 to take first place. At Kentucky, Matt and Eric had great wins over George Washington and ISU in prelims. Jeff and Ben bounced back from several frustrating prelim losses to end up 5-3 and clearing. Ross and Andrew also beat ISU and ended up 5-3, unfortunately narrowly missing clearing. Eric and Matt won on a 3-0 over Southern Missouri in the Doubles, and lost a close 2-1 to Berkeley in the Octas. Jeff and Ben defeated Wayne State in the doubles only to lose to Dartmouth in the Octas. At Wake Forest, Jeff and Ben and Matt and Eric went 6-2. Ross and Andrew beat a very good team from Berkeley, but unfortunately went 5-3 and missed elims again. Mike and Eric C lost two break rounds in a row, going 4-4. In the doubles, Matt and Eric lost to Northwestern and Jeff and Ben beat USC on a very quick 3-0 but then lost to Harvard in the Octas. They did, however, win a resounding moral victory, inducing one of Harvard’s debaters to physically eat a piece of evidence. Whitman hosted a regional tournament, and further demonstrated the depth of our young talent. Meghan and Sam were undefeated in prelims but unfortunately lost in the semifinals to Gonzaga. Andrew and Jake and Candi and Luke were 5-1 in the prelims, and closed out one semis, with Andrew and Jake advancing to win the final over Gonzaga. Chris, Annie, Sally, Brie, and Laura surround Jim.

Whitman Forensics Newsletter

Vol. 12, No. 1, December, 2005

Contributions to the Team

We are grateful for your contributions to the forensic team! Generous donors June 1, 2005 through December 7, 2005 include: Jennifer Becker & Andrew Backlund, Jessica A. Clarke, Kelly and Mathew L. Cleman, Emily R. Cordo, James B. Hanson, Sean R. Harris, Samantha G. Howell, Charlotte K. and David A. McClusky, Brant David Olson, Kristofer N. Peterson, Adam C. Symonds, and Robert M. Withycombe. If we missed you, please tell us because we do appreciate your support!

Send contributions to Annual Fund Office; Whitman College; Walla Walla WA 99362

Checks should be made out to Whitman College with a note that says to place the contribution into one of the Debate Team Funds (Salzman-Medica, Withycombe, Walker, or just say “for debate”).