Illinois State Junior Connor Rada (Lakemoor) won third place speaker in junior varsity at the Lincoln-Douglas Redbird Tournament on November 5th-6th hosted by Illinois State University in Normal. Other members of the team participated by assisting in tournament activities and providing technical support.
“It was a lot of work preparing to compete while also helping host the tournament, but I was successful in both aspects,” said Rada, “I love our campus here at ISU and I am glad that we were able to let students from other schools experience ISU for the weekend.”
The Redbird Tournament was one of the largest National Forensics Association Lincoln-Douglas tournaments of the semester and had teams participating from across the country, with students from Pennsylvania, California, Florida, Michigan, and more, totaling over 100 participants and judges in the event.
“Even when they were busy, my teammates still took the time to answer my questions and help me when I needed it. I appreciate how well we work together as a team and I think it makes us stronger.”
Connor Rada
The tournament was hybrid with competitors participating in person and through zoom. Debate team members were on hand to help with any technical issues, as well as assist in answering any questions visiting students might have about the campus and surrounding areas.
“Our team helped to set all of the rooms up for hybrid debate… we had to make sure all of the rooms could have competitors both online and in person, ” said Rada, “Besides addressing the technology issues… I also provided recommendations to teams on places to eat.”
Sophomore Brayden Bobowski (Des Plaines) helped set up the rooms, monitor the technology, and craft the awards.
“I went shopping with our debate coach for… the awards that we would be giving out following the tournament… I enjoyed designing and creating the debate awards, which were predominantly made with vinyl details,” said Bobowski.
The team was able to come together and support each other through the tournament, advising Rada on his arguments and bonding over the course of the competition. Bobowski and freshman team members Franco (Chicago) and Taylor Perteete (Chicago) helped Rada as he competed.
“I helped talk Connor through his debate rounds… While Franco and Taylor helped Connor by prepping him with research, Franco and I helped Connor by discussing what happened during his debate rounds as well as strategies to respond to similar arguments in the future,” said Bobowski.
“Even when they were busy, my teammates still took the time to answer my questions and help me when I needed it. I appreciate how well we work together as a team and I think it makes us stronger,” said Rada.
Up next, the team is looking ahead to the Missouri Valley Tournament hosted by Missouri Valley College on November 11th-13th over zoom.
“I am looking forward to bonding with the team more and spending more time growing with them both within the activity and outside of it,” said Bobowski.
The ISU Forensics Union, the oldest and most successful registered student organization on campus, boasts over 80 individual national champions and 10 team national championships. The team competes at tournaments in Lincoln-Douglas debate, public speaking, and oral interpretation events.