My Experience as a Speech and Debate Judge: Behind the Scenes at FIFA

Over the past two weekends, I had the absolute pleasure of serving as a judge for the Florida Intercollegiate Forensics Association (FIFA) State Championship, and I walked away inspired, energized, and in awe of the incredible talent and dedication of these student competitors.

As an educator and communication professional, I’ve always believed in the power of public speaking to change lives. Judging this tournament reminded me just how transformative speech and debate can be, not just as a competitive activity, but as a real-world training ground for advocacy, leadership, and critical thinking.

The Events That Left an Impact

Throughout the tournament, I had the opportunity to evaluate a wide range of events, each requiring a distinct set of skills, creativity, and strategy:

• Persuasive Speaking: These students weren’t just presenting, they were advocating. Using logical appeals, emotional resonance, and sharp delivery, competitors made compelling cases on topics ranging from social justice to policy reform. The passion in their voices was a powerful reminder that words still move people.

• Dramatic Interpretation: Watching students embody characters with such emotional nuance and physical storytelling was breathtaking. Each performance transported us into a new world, all while seated in a quiet room with nothing but their voices, gestures, and presence to guide the way.

• International Public Debate Association (IPDA): This one-on-one debate format was all about quick thinking and persuasive strategy. Students were given limited prep time to argue both sides of timely issues, showing not just rhetorical skill, but adaptability, poise, and professionalism.

• Program Oral Interpretation (POI): Perhaps one of the most moving events, POI challenged students to weave together multiple genres, poetry, prose, and drama, into socially conscious, thematically cohesive narratives. From identity and culture to mental health and advocacy, these performances were artfully crafted and deeply meaningful.

• After-Dinner Speaking: These speeches were a brilliant blend of humor and heart. Students used comedy to shine a light on real issues, balancing wit and satire with strong argumentation. It’s not easy to make a room laugh while also making them think, but these speakers did just that.

I also had the honor of judging quarterfinal and final rounds, where the top performers demonstrated not only technical excellence but also emotional depth, charisma, and originality. By that stage, the energy in the room was electric, and I was reminded why forensics programs are such vital spaces for developing confident, articulate leaders.

Teaching Advanced Debate: A Full-Circle Moment

As someone who teaches public speaking and advanced debate, serving as a judge for the FIFA State Championship felt deeply personal and professionally affirming. It was a full-circle moment, witnessing the very skills I cultivate in the classroom come alive on the tournament stage. It reaffirmed one of my core beliefs about communication education: that it’s not just about mastering technique, it’s about building confidence, critical awareness, and the courage to speak with purpose.

In my Advanced Debate courses, I go far beyond the basics of argumentation. My students explore:

• The Toulmin Model of argument construction, learning how to build claims with strong warrants and credible evidence.

• Refutation and rebuttal strategies, helping students not only make their point but anticipate and respond to counterarguments in real time.

• Ethos, pathos, and logos as rhetorical strategies, applied in a way that helps students recognize their power to inform, move, and inspire.

• Policy vs. value debate formats, including Lincoln-Douglas and IPDA styles, so students can tailor their message and approach depending on audience, context, and format.

• Cross-examination techniques, where students practice direct questioning to expose flaws in logic, probe deeper into opposing arguments, and think on their feet.

• Flowing and case structure, enabling them to organize their ideas clearly, manage their time effectively, and track complex rounds with ease.

• Research and evidence evaluation, so they can separate bias from credible sourcing and back up their positions with strong data and ethical advocacy.

But what makes the class truly special is the interactive, student-centered structure I’ve designed. From live mock debates and speaker drills to peer feedback sessions and real-time strategy workshops, students aren’t just learning theory, they’re performing, reflecting, and evolving with every round. I also emphasize advocacy, encouraging students to choose topics that matter to them, whether it's healthcare policy, environmental reform, or free speech, so they can learn how to use their voice for change.

Seeing students in the championship rounds this past weekend reminded me of the growth I witness in my own classroom every semester. Many of the same techniques, structures, and delivery strategies I teach were mirrored in these competitions, and it filled me with pride knowing my students are being prepared to compete, lead, and communicate with clarity and conviction.

This judging experience has reenergized my commitment to experiential learning. It’s inspired me to bring even more performance-based projects, real-world speaking simulations, and professional exposure opportunities into my curriculum—so every student I teach knows that their voice has power, and their words have the potential to shape the world around them.