JACKSON, Tenn. — April 20, 2021 — 51社区鈥檚 debate team was named the season-long and national tournament champions of the 2020-2021 International Public Debate Association national tournament. The entirely virtual tournament was split over two weekends, March 27-28 for the Team IPDA tournament and April 9-11 for individual debaters.
Rebekah Whitaker, assistant professor of communication arts and director for , said this year鈥檚 season and tournaments were larger and more competitive because each tournament was held virtually, so more teams were able to participate. This was Whitaker鈥檚 first time coaching at nationals because the tournament was canceled last year due to COVID-19. The tournament included 62 schools and more than 300 competitors.
鈥淲inning is an outcome of being excellence-driven, but more importantly, it鈥檚 an outcome of these students having been given some wonderful gifts,鈥� Whitaker said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e very talented, they鈥檙e very smart, they鈥檝e been lavished with gifts from God. Part of being excellence-driven is stewardship of those gifts.鈥�
Although the online tournaments were beneficial in being able to debate against a wider variety of teams, Whitaker said, debating virtually came with its own set of challenges. During the national tournament the night of April 9, there were persisting technological issues 鈥� including Union鈥檚 power and Wi-Fi going out due to a storm, which meant the debate team had to forfeit several rounds.
鈥淪ome people jumped on hotspots and debated in the dark,鈥� Whitaker said. 鈥淭hey couldn鈥檛 even see their paper, they had to do everything from memory. We won some of those rounds, somehow.鈥�
In the IPDA national tournament, Union鈥檚 debate team was named the season-long and national tournament champions despite these difficulties. Other notable awards include: the novice squad won first place in the season-long awards (these are students without high school debate experience), Katherine Anne Thierfelder won first place novice division (season-long), Jack McDonnell won first place novice speaker (national tournament) and Caleb Atkins won first place professional division (national tournament, and a division including coaches).
The debate team was also named the TIPDA national tournament champions and won second place in the season-long sweepstakes in spite of competing in fewer tournaments than other competitors. Steven Errico and Josh Johnson won first place team (national tournament) and first and third place speaker, respectively. A full list of the debate team鈥檚 national tournament awards can be viewed online.
The 鈥�20-鈥�21 debate team is made up of 26 students, and this year鈥檚 team captains are Steven Errico, senior Spanish and biblical studies (languages) double major from Nolensville, Tennessee, and Ashlyn Jones, sophomore nursing major from Bentonville, Arkansas. Jones said she thought the team was able to be so successful in spite of the pandemic and virtual tournaments because of their strong bonds with each other.
鈥淭he debate team has become my family,鈥� Jones said. 鈥淢y teammates are the people I lean on through adversity, and I'd trust any one of them with my life. Having such a strong and genuine bond 鈥� inside and outside of debate 鈥� is what I believe truly allows us to work so well together and be successful.鈥�
Whitaker said winning is not the ultimate outcome, but part of the process in which they fulfill their mission of being people-focused and Christ-centered. Errico agreed 鈥� he said winning championships is a great feeling and he is proud of the team鈥檚 hard work, but what is most important is that they glorify Jesus.
鈥淲e interact with a lot of people from many different schools at every tournament, so debate is kind of like a mission field for us,鈥� Errico said. 鈥淲hen we win tournaments by debating kindly, ethically and excellently, we believe Christ is honored. It has been a joy to do that this season, and I look forward to the opportunity to do the same next year.鈥�