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UIL Speech Judges

If you have corrections, questions or comments regarding this information, please notify The UIL Speech and Debate department at speech@uiltexas.org or 512-471-5883.

Tom Demetrion

Current high school:
Callisburg

Currently coaching?: Yes

Conference: 3A

Number of years coached: 6

Number of tournaments judged: 5

High school attended:
Cathedral High School

Graduated high school: 1970

Participated in high school: No

Participated in college: No

Judging qualifications:
I attended UIL Capital Conference and the Texas Tech UIL debate camp even thought I knew I would be retired this year to keep me up to date. I have coached and judged CX for the last six years. But I retired this year and I have been brought back to teach and coach half days which cut down on the number of debates I could judge. But I have been able (within the confines of the TRS retirement system) to judge some tournaments this year. In the past I have judged invitational, district, regional, and State levels in Congress, LD, and CX. This year I have judged numerous informal practice sessions as well invitational, district CX debate tournaments. Over the last six years I have judged numerous invitational, District and regional LD debates.

Judging Philosophy

CX

Rounds judged: 15
Judging approach: Policy Maker
Policy priority: Communication skills and resolution of substantive issues are of equal importance
Evidence philosophy: Quality of evidence is more important than quantity of evidence
Paradigm: I am a policy judge. I understand speed is necessary in CX debate but I don't want spreading. I expect clash as it is a debate but it must be respectful. I don't like K's and since I am policy judge I want to see a workable plantex and as a result Topicality arguments are not the most important RFD in my case.

LD

Rounds judged: 10
Approach: Communication skills are more important than resolution of substantive issues
Philosophy:
I really enjoy judging LD debate as it can have the most clash in a round. The LD debate is a philosophical debate with no clear solution. The debate is more of an ought or moral debate with the best speakers and ideas win the day. LD also puts pressure on the aff to make their case in the first rebuttal and attack the negative rebuttal in four minutes; therefore, the speaker must be a prepared. While the negative has seven minutes to cover all their arguments and attack the aff first rebuttal also requiring a prepared speaker.

Contact Information

email: tdemetrion@cisdtx.net
cell: 940 5956369
office: 940 6650540

Availability Information

Meet types:
Invitational District Regional CX State State Meet Congress Region Congress State

Qualified for:
CX
LD
Extemp
Congress

Travel

Region of residence:
6

I will travel to: 1 2