OHIO Speech and Debate students dominate tournaments while adapting to COVID

Ohio University’s Speech and Debate team has a long legacy of bringing home tournament wins, something that continues despite the challenges that have been brought on by COVID.

Most recently, OHIO’s Speech and Debate team dominated the Pi Kappa Delta National Tournament, placing second in Individual Events Sweepstakes, fifth in overall Sweepstakes and 18th in Debate Sweepstakes. In the finals, team member Spencer Johnson won national champion in After-Dinner Speaking, team captain Jack Cross placed second in Dramatic Interpretation, third in Rhetorical Crit and fifth in Prose, and team member Tori Smith placed sixth in Program of Oral Interpretation.

“I’m really proud of the students’ work this year and the ways they’ve adapted amid an extremely difficult time,” Jennifer Talbert, director of the Speech and Debate team, said. “We’ve seen a lot of success this year, but what has made me happier than anything is seeing how the team has been there to support each other both professionally and personally.”

Usually, the team travels across the U.S. to compete in tournaments, however, due to the pandemic, every competition has been hosted virtually. Each tournament uses their own way of hosting, some through a platform set up similar to how in-person tournaments run and others through platforms like Zoom.

“We’ve really embraced this new medium of doing competitions virtually,” Talbert added. “Some students competing in Dramatic Interpretation have even created their pieces based around the virtual platform, using the digital space as a setting.”

By utilizing this type of format, it has also allowed for speech and debate students from all over to participate – including students across the world.

Freshman psychology and sociology major Aanya Datta has spent her freshman year at OHIO in her home of Calcutta, India. Throughout this year and her first semester on the team, she’s been working and studying remotely in India, arranging her schedule with the time difference in order to compete and practice.

“With the COVID-19 pandemic raging worldwide, I was unable to fly for an in-person spring semester,” Datta explained. “As a result, I've had to do all my tournaments and meetings online, with an approximately 12-hour time difference. It's been a challenge, balancing coursework and extracurricular activities, but I have had a lot of help and support from the team, and it has been a great learning experience. Doing tournaments online is an experience of its own and I can't wait to work in-person.”

Although this type of accessibility has been great to allow students to continue to compete, Talbert says that part of what makes being on the team and competing so fun are the road trips the team takes to compete at other colleges.

“It’s during those van rides where the team really comes together and creates memories,” Talbert explained. “During those trips is where the relationships are built and where the things you can’t teach during practice are learned.”

The team has been separated for the majority of the season, with most of the team members getting special permission to come to campus for the Pi Kappa nationals. During that tournament, each student was given their own room to perform their piece or speech in virtually, then came together, socially distanced, to cheer on and watch their fellow teammates who made it to the finals.

“The best part of being on this team, especially during COVID, is that I have another group of people at the University that I can rely on, and I know they are all willing to help me in just about any situation,” Luke May, a freshman studying communication studies and theater, said. “The team has really helped me transition into being a college student, and the openness to accept and help new people like myself has been a huge help.”

Talbert holds a virtual meeting every week for the team to come together and provides an Excel document for students to sign up for individual coaching times. Students are required to be coached for at least one hour a week, with most students preparing and practicing on their own.

OHIO even hosted a regular season tournament at the end of January where they provided free entry to every school who competed. To keep the cost of the tournament down for other schools to join, alumni from OHIO’s speech team were asked to judge the rounds.

“I’m fortunate that this team has given me the tools to be successful during my time so far at the University and assisted me with a lot of simple issues that I would have otherwise struggled with,” May added. “It has been one of my most consistent anchors this past year, making sure I stay focused and productive not only on my events, but with my schoolwork as well. Without them I may have had a very different first year at OHIO.”

OHIO’s team consists of Cassidy Bruns, Evan Carlisle, Jack Cross, Kaitlyn Cummings, Aanya Datta, Katie Gold, Spencer Johnson, Mackenzie Joseph, Grace Lach, Em Marlow, Luke May, Tori Smith, Soren Starkey and Mia Walsh.

Aside from their achievements at the Pi Kappa Nationals, the team also won the Ohio State Championship by 200 points, among bringing home several other awards throughout the season, and will compete this week in the National Forensic Association National Tournament.

The Speech and Debate team is celebrating its 210th anniversary this year and throughout its long history with the school has acted as a significant organization on campus and for students. According to Talbert, OHIO and Speech alum John Gibbons shared a story with her about how the team used to be housed in the attic of Cutler Hall and that the team started the first library on campus for evidence for their debates. Others on campus in need of the library would have to go to the Speech team in the attic to borrow a book.

“This story just goes to show the importance and difference the team has made at OHIO over its many years and how our students have supported and been leaders on campus since the beginning,” Talbert said.

The full list of winners from the Pi Kappa Delta National Tournament are below:

Second in Individual Events Sweepstakes

Fifth in Overall Sweepstakes

Eighteenth in Debate Sweepstakes

Individual Sweepstakes – Pentathlon - Jack Cross – Fourth


Quarterfinals

After Dinner Speaking (ADS) – Spencer Johnson

Rhetorical Crit – Jack Cross and Mackenzie Joseph

Dramatic Interpretation (DI) – Kaitlyn Cummings, Cassidy Bruns, Mackenzie Joseph, Spencer Johnson, Jack Cross

Point of Information (POI) – Tori Smith, Kaitlyn Cummings, Jack Cross

Persuasion – Kaitlyn Cummings, Mackenzie Joseph, Grace Lach

Prose – Jack Cross, Mackenzie Joseph, Soren Starkey

Informative – Grace Lach

Extemporaneous – Soren Starkey

Duo – Soren Starkey and Mackenzie Joseph
 

Semifinals

ADS – Spencer Johnson

Rhetorical Crit – Jack Cross and Mackenzie Joseph

Dramatic Interp – Spencer Johnson and Jack Cross

POI – Tori Smith

Persuasion – Grace Lach

Prose – Jack Cross

Duo – Soren Starkey and Mackenzie Joseph

Extemporaneous Commentary – Aanya Datta

 

Finals

ADS – Spencer Johnson – First  – National Champion

Rhetorical Crit – Jack Cross – Third Place

Dramatic Interpretation – Spencer Johnson – Sixth and Jack Cross – Second

Program of Oral Interpretation – Tori Smith – Sixth

Prose – Jack Cross – Fifth

Debate – Novice IPDA

Luke May – Octofinals

Evan Carlisle – Second Place
 

Not Advancing but receiving an award for being in the top 30% in an event

Excellent Awards

Impromptu Speaking – Em Marlow


Interviewing

Superior – (top 10%) – Eighth – Kaitlyn Cummings

Excellent – Katie Gold, Spencer Johnson, Aanya Datta, and Grace Lach