Best Practices for Hosting a Physical Camp during a Pandemic

Here we apply the guidance from our last post to the daily operations of a camp.

AnnouncementsJoseph AbellMay 24, 2020covid-19, ace, peak, coronavirus, camps, summer, speech, and, debateComment

6 Ways to Win with Topicality in the 2020s (Part 2)

Let’s continue our discussion about how to run topicality for audiences that don’t want to hear it.

Theory, StrategyJoseph AbellMarch 9, 2020ncfca, ld, tp, stoa, parli, topicality, nsda, speechComment

Why Small Clubs Struggle with Policy Debate

“Is there some other way to be more prepared?”

EvidenceJoseph AbellFebruary 5, 2020ncfca, stoa, research, tp, private, debate, coach, debate skills, speech, nsda, policy debate, team policy, evidenceComment

Practice Impromptu Topics | January 2019

Check out our vault and generator for hundreds of more practice resolutions.

Joseph AbellJanuary 20, 2020practice, impromptu, topics, debate, speech, ncfca, stoaComment

Impromptu Speaking Topics | December 2019

Christmas is around the corner! Here are some themed impromptu topics to get you in the holiday spirit.

SpeakingDrew MagnessDecember 13, 2019impromptu, topics, practice, nsda, ncfca, stoa, speech, debateComment

Special Delivery Part 6: Why Humor is Not For Everyone

Over the last few posts, we explored the difference between universal and specialized skills and how to use them to maximize your performance. Today, we tackle humor.

PersuasionJoseph AbellDecember 11, 2019humor, funny, persuasion, special delivery, joseph abel, joseph abell, coach joseph, stoa, ncfca, nsda, debate, speechComment

Special Delivery Part 5: Picking a Specialization

Remember: all specialized skills come with tradeoffs.

PersuasionJoseph AbellNovember 30, 2019persuasion, debate, speech, listen, specialization, strategy, likability, persona diamondComment

Picking the Right Story: HI and DI

Last time, we addressed four questions you should ask when selecting an interp piece across all categories.

SpeechLeah BuslerNovember 18, 2019stoa, ncfca, debate, interp, speech, leah, busler, coachComment

Coach Profile: Leah Busler

This week we’re sitting down with our speech expert, Leah Busler.

CoachingJoseph AbellOctober 4, 2019coach, leah, life, questions, ace, peak, stoa, ncfca, debate, speech, championComment

Forensics: Is Tradition a Good Thing?

“It’s just what we do.”

NoviceJoseph AbellSeptember 25, 2019forensics, speech, and, debate, stoa, ncfcaComment

Untangling Ethics: The Three Moral Systems

There are three main systems by which all moral ideas can be categorized.

AdvancedDrew MagnessSeptember 18, 2019ethics, morality, preventive war, stoa, ncfca, debate, speech, philosophyComment

Selecting an Interp Piece? Ask These Four Questions.

You’ve decided to do an interp. Now what?

SpeechLeah BuslerSeptember 16, 2019piece, selection, interp, speech, event, leah, busler, joseph, abell, sam, wooddell, jacob, boehm, drew, magness, stoa, ncfca, debate, speech event, interpretation, dramatic, hi, humorous interp Comment

Ace Peak x SMU.

Special thanks to the Caruth Institute for Entrepreneurship for sponsoring us.

Stoa Voting Guide 2019: Wild Card Options

Stoa has released two options for the IE wild card. Let’s talk about them.

Joseph AbellApril 12, 2019stoa, wild, card, options, speech, IE, event, vote, spring, ld, tp, oratory analysis, poetry analysisComment

Hey Seattle! Ready for a Summer Camp?

Get ready for the biggest speech and debate camp you’ve ever had.

Camps, AnnouncementsJoseph AbellMarch 25, 2019speech, debate, summer, camp, workshop, learn, ld, interp, interpretive, event, platform, limited prepsComment

6 Advanced Extemp Drills

All six are in order of ascending difficulty.

81 Practice Impromptu Topics (#2)

Here’s our second list of impromptu topics. Competitors can head to our generator and have it randomly select topics for practice, and clubs can use the list to demo up to three speech rounds.

Speech Events, SpeechDrew MagnessFebruary 1, 2019Impromptu, Impromptu topics, practice, practice topics, speech, Speech, speech events, impromptu speechComment

Meet Our New Coach: Leah Busler

Ace Peak signs a third coach.

AnnouncementsJoseph AbellJanuary 28, 2019ace, peak, new, coach, speech, debate, stoa, nitoc, 2018, leah, busler, IE, individual event Comment

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