by Daniel V. Garcia
Daily Lobo
Austin Duus said he grew up debating.
Both of Austin Duus' parents were on debate teams in college, and the family would sometimes debate at their kitchen table.
"They didn't push me into it, but I suppose if there's an environment that brings forth a debater, it was my parents," he said.
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Duus, along with Emily Lappin, won first place at the National Parliamentary Debate Association National Tournament on March 26 in Corvallis, Ore. Duus and Lappin competed against 350 teams for the title.
The UNM Debate Team program was cut when team adviser Trey Smith was a student. Because of this, Smith said, he was never able to compete in tournaments.
So in 2005, Smith worked to revitalize the team as a student group when he was an undergraduate. Because the team receives only a small amount from ASUNM every year, it makes money by hosting high school debates where it charges registration and judging fees.
Debate tournaments require keen critical thinking skills and attention to detail, Smith said.
The type of debate the team competed in is called a parliamentary debate, Smith said. That's where teams of two compete against each other. The teams get a debate topic 15 minutes before the round begins. Each round can go on as long as 45 minutes, Smith said. The teams with the best record move on to the final, he said.
The team was asked to take a stand on whether the U.S. food aid program did more harm than good. They debated that there are other U.S. aid programs that were more beneficial, and took home the title.
"They had the best record of all the teams who were registered in their division," Smith said. "So that's how they won first place."
Smith said the duo's success is chalked up to its diverse backgrounds.
Lappin has a lot of experience in debating policies, and Duus had more of a philosophy background, Smith said.
"Just the way they work together was really unique," Smith said. "A lot of other teams don't have that."
This was the first year that the team competed for the tournament, Lappin said.
"It had the most schools there, and bragging rights," Lappin said.
During the tournament season, the team spends 10 or 12 hours a week in preparation, Lappin said.
"Your best opponent is the strongest debater you can find. Austin and I are both strong individuals, so when we research, we always need to know what is going on in the world," Lappin said.
Competitors often have little time to unwind, Duus said, because they tend to fly home right after tournaments.
"It doesn't leave a whole lot of room for downtime. But sometimes, there are sights to see," he said.
Winners did not receive a monetary prize, but the rewards of debate are applicable to the professional world, Smith said.
"Anyone who has competed in debate knows how to handle themselves in an interview when they're looking for a job. The critical thinking skills that are involved you won't find anywhere else," Smith said. "Just getting over the fear of speaking in public, that's probably the biggest one. A lot of people say they fear speaking in public more than dying."
The group hopes to obtain more members for next year's tournaments. There are 25 members on the team, but only eight actively compete.
"Our season is now over competitively, and now we are just doing a recruitment process to get ready for our tournaments that will start up again in September," Smith said.
Anyone interested in joining the debate team should contact Smith in the Student Activities Center.
