[eDebate] WVU Jv/Novi Nats was awesome!

[Ken Johnson]

Along with everybody, I would like to thank the WVU crew for hosting one 
hellova tournament.  This tournament continues to be my favorite tournament 
experience year in and year out.  There is something really special about it 
-- for many of my debaters, it is what they spend the season preparing for 
-- thank you for an excellent exclamation point on the end of our jv/novice 
year.

Not (at all) to criticize, here are a few thoughts about comments other 
folks have brought up and a new one of my own --

1. entry fees -- It is huge for us to not have to pay entry fees at this 
tournament -- with 8 teams, i imagine we would have been paying $800-1000 to 
attend if there had been fees.  We will use this extra $$ to try to take 
extra folks to other (ndt/ceda nats) tournaments.  Thank you WVU!  That 
being said (and i realize its a privileged position to say this), I'd be 
willing to pay some sort of entry fee (25/team -- maybe 50??) to allow for 2 
things --

a) better trophies for doubles through semis.  the championship challis was 
great, but it would be nice to have something a little more deluxe for the 
other folks.  for some, this is their last tournament ever.  not the biggest 
deal ever, just a thought.

b) i hesitate to go down this road, but maybe the tournament could use fees 
to hire a few helpers to ensure WVU people get to debate.  Those students 
are incredible members of our community.  their selflessness in hosting this 
tournament and sitting out nationals speaks to their commitment to the 
community and the beauty of the WVU program.  I would love to see them in 
the tournament.  Maybe folks could be hired with additional money to help 
run ballots / set up food / get me coffee when i'm passing out during semis 
(thank you!!!).  I know it would be an extra layer of hosting nightmare to 
have to hire folks, get the tax work done, etc. ... just a thought

2.  Prefs -- I like them for this tournament -- it allows folks with 
arguments that won't be considered by some of the judges to run their jazz 
without be excluded.  maybe i'm dead wrong and the "strike 30%" idea would 
be better for making sure people aren't silence, but i'll wait for that 
argument before abandoning prefs.  i also like andy's idea of the strike 
card for outrounds.

3.  tournament schedule -- yes, 4 on saturday, 3 + partial on sunday, and 
outrounds forever on monday would be ideal.  even more ideal is having a 
person willing to host.  whatever works for the host is fine by me.  i think 
7 rounds is important for all the reasons everybody else has stated.

all in all, this was a wonderful experience.  even my students who did not 
clear said they learned a bunch (we have a number of bard-style converts -- 
watch out world!!!).  WVU is a gorgeous campus.  great class rooms for 
debates.  and the weather was awesome!!!

thank you neil for all that you do.  i know you wouldn't, but please do not 
take these comments as criticism; just as utopian thoughts for improvement 
of a difficult logistical situation.

We should be proud of our debate community!

Ken Johnson
Rochester