If you've been involved in debate, (NCFCA, NFL, NPTE, College Parly, etc...) what's your most important advice for a noob?

I was big into NFL in high school, and now I compete in College Forensics as well.

What events do you do? What kind of advice were you looking for?

I’m in NCFCA, doing TP, and five IE’s.

Just in general. :)

Where do you go to school?

don’t start yelling. and if you lose because some one argues that whales will blow nuclear weapons out of their blowholes…. and you lose the debate because its so illogical and unrealistic for the reason that the water would damage the propulsion system on the rocket and the whale won’t be able to get enough velocity behind the rocket to be able to send it on a decent launch…. Quit. That was my first match. I couldn’t even win that one…

hahaha, kiev, i feeel for you dude.

The level of pettiness rounds can get to, is quite amazing :D What league were you involved in?

Be prepared. Do a hell of a lot of research. Know it inside and out. Also, be creative on the fly, so you can put things together really fast. I don’t know how to teach that one, but it really depends on the first one.

I’m an NFL enthusiast. Trust me.
A) Always bring everything you need to a tournament. I suggest you start making a list of things you wish you had so that you may bring them the next time. A comfy, happy speaker is a good, confident speaker who may or may not want to go back to their sleeping bag. ;)
B) Take wundayatta’s advice. BE PREPARED FOR ANYTHING. I write cards against The Zombie Apocalypse and Vampires as Lawers all the time and have had to use them!
C) Memorize as much as possible, but only to a certain degree. If you are any good at speaking, no one speech will be the same, but all will be phenomenal.
D) ASK QUESTIONS OF YOUR TEAM MATES!!! I don’t care if you lost your own hand, ASK. And don’t settle for an answer that does not ACTUALLY ANSWER your question. Again I say it, TRUST ME!
E) Stay calm and civil at all times, but don’t mistake that for lacking passion. If you don’t believe in what you are saying (or at least sound like it) nobody cares about your speech and will mark you down.
There are plenty of your fellow geeks out there. I wish you luck and many sucessful tournaments!