King’s Debate Travels to Pan-American Tournament

The King’s Debate Society is branching into new fields of competition, attending the Pan-American University Debating Championship for the first time.  Debaters Audrey Cooper (’18) and Grayson Logue (’18) and coach Josiah Peterson traveled 1,500 miles to Montego Bay, Jamaica for the debate tournament that determines the champion of the Western Hemisphere.

Cooper and Logue, traveling to their second international tournament ever, were in contention to advance through every preliminary round and were within two points of breaking to the Quarter-finals.  They were ultimately ranked 24^th out of 74 teams.  While 74 isn’t the largest number of teams at a tournament they’ve attended this year, the quality of the competition was the cream of the crop.  They debated topics including whether individuals should be allowed to allocate a significant portion of their taxes to charity, whether a coup d’etat is warranted in Venezuela, and whether states should implement compulsory licensing of patented essential medications.

“Pan-Ams was an incredible learning experience, with new challenges every round” said Audrey Cooper. “We had the privilege of competing against teams from schools across the Americas who we don’t normally have the chance to debate, including the University of Alaska, the United States Airforce Academy, Clemson University, University of Technology (Jamaica), and Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (Mexico). Between rounds at the tournament, we met many people and made new friends throughout the Pan-American debating circuit. I’m excited to see King’s continue to be represented on a Pan-American scale in future years.”

Both Cooper and Logue also competed in a concurrent Public Speaking Competition in which they both ranked in the top five out of 60 competitors, qualifying to compete in the final round and speak before the entire tournament audience.

Before and after rounds the team was able to enjoy the local cuisine and time on the white sand beach across from the hotel.  Coach Peterson attended an Easter service Sunday at Burchell Baptist Church, founded it the early 19^th century by missionary and abolitionist Thomas Burchell.  “It was spiritually uplifting and a reminder that God is not confined to speaking with an American accent.”

Peterson is going on to judge at the exclusive, HWS Round Robin tournament of champions this weekend before he and the rest of the team go on to compete at the United States Championship April 8-10.