FULL PRACTICE DEBATE ROUNDS

With Mike Bietz

A full round with feedback at the end. Lincoln-Douglas, Public Forum, World Schools, and Middle School Public Debate.

One price covers everyone competing rather than each student. Two Lincoln-Douglas debaters split $180, and six students in a middle school round pay $25 each.

See the Rates

Book a round

WHAT A PRACTICE ROUND IS

You bring the debaters. I judge the round.

I watch the whole thing the way a judge would, flow it, and give feedback at the end. There is no preparation on my side, no materials, and no follow-up. You get one round, judged properly, by someone who has judged a great many of them. That is why it costs less than coaching.

Booking a round does not include finding you an opponent. You assemble the debaters and get everyone there. I judge what you bring me.

Who it is for. A student who needs reps and has someone to debate. Two teammates who want a round judged by someone outside their program. A small team with nobody to scrimmage against. A student getting ready for a first tournament who wants to hear what a ballot sounds like.

You do not need to be enrolled in anything. Practice rounds are open to anyone.

My feedback focus is more involved than a tournament judge. I make a decision, though it is closer to my guess at how I would have voted than a ballot at a tournament. Deciding who won is not the reason I am watching. I am watching to help the debaters get better, so the feedback is a combination of what a judge would say and what a coach would: what I thought the round came down to, what each speaker did well, what would have changed my decision, and what to do differently next time.

I have not read anyone's case in advance or prepared for anyone specifically, and I may or may not be familiar with the arguments in the round. That is the same position a judge is in on Saturday morning, and it is why a round costs less than coaching.

PRACTICE ROUND RATES

One price covers every debater in the round. Split it however you like.

  
    Practice round rates by event
    
        Event
        Length
        Price
        Debaters
        Per debater
      

    
        Lincoln-Douglas
        75 minutes
        $180
        2
        $90
      

        Public Forum
        75 minutes
        $180
        4
        $45
      

        MSPDP
        60 minutes
        $150
        6
        $25
      

        World Schools
        90 minutes
        $220
        6
        $37
      

  

Students enrolled in the LD Seminar pay 15% less: $153, $153, $128, and $187.

Every slot runs longer than the round itself, which leaves time for feedback and a little room for a late start.

What you are responsible for

Whoever books the round runs it, and that is what keeps the price where it is.

Finding the opponent. I do not pair students or match you with another team. If you need someone to debate, ask your coach, your teammates, or in Community Slack if your student is enrolled in the seminar.

Assembling the debaters. You get the meeting link when you book. Sending it out and making sure everyone knows when to be there is on you.

Everyone ready at the start time. Being ready to begin at the start time is different from logging on at the start time, and the round begins when the slot does.

We wait ten minutes. If a debater is missing, we will wait up to ten minutes. After that, Lincoln-Douglas rounds cannot go ahead without both debaters. For the team events I am glad to run it shorthanded if you would rather do that than lose the slot. Either way the time does not get extended and the booking counts as used.

A practice round cannot become a private session. If your opponent does not show, the time does not convert into coaching.

Book at least 48 hours ahead. That is the window my calendar shows. If you need something sooner, or a time you do not see, ask. Email mkb@debatematters.org or text my office line at (213) 293-5899, and I will accommodate it if I can.

Twenty-four hours to cancel. A round canceled with less notice counts as used, the same as any other appointment.

The motion, in World Schools. I do not supply motions. Whoever books the round brings it and tells the debaters whether it is prepared or impromptu.

Spectators are welcome. Bring teammates, a coach, or a parent to watch. There is no extra charge.

QUESTIONS

No, but you need an opponent before the appointment.

Booking a round does not include finding you someone to debate. I judge the round you bring me.
Ask. Email mkb@debatematters.org or text my office line at (213) 293-5899. I will accommodate it if I can.
We wait up to ten minutes. After that it depends on the event. Lincoln-Douglas needs both debaters, so there is no round without one. For the team events I am happy to run it shorthanded if that is what you want to do, though I cannot extend the time to make up for the late start. Either way the booking counts as used.
No. Whoever books the round brings the motion and lets the debaters know whether it is prepared or impromptu
Yes, if everyone in the round agrees. That is between the participants.
Feedback is oral. I would recommend you write it down.
No. Practice rounds are sold separately at a flat rate, which works out cheaper than drawing them from a package.
Yes. Spectators are welcome and there is no extra charge.
Yes and no. I will be thinking more about how you can improve an argument or strategy. Decisions in practice rounds are not important.