Judges

Judges are crucial to our tournaments; they provide valuable feedback which helps our students improve their communication skills. As one of our students said:

No judges, no tournament, no me! – Hosanna Frye 

What if I have never judged speech or debate before?

• You are the perfect candidate. Students have the responsibility of communicating regardless of your experience or background.
• Prior to judging, all judges attend a short orientation: a brief explanation of how the event they are judging works.
• You don’t have to be a qualified expert. Our judges range from moms, dads, grandparents, pastors, plumbers, lawyers, doctors, engineers, to a few politicians. Every judge brings something unique! 

The only thing we ask is that you be “tabula rasa” which means “blank slate”. Since it is almost certain that you will disagree with a student on a position at some point we ask that you judge them on how well they argue/communicate. Students still love to hear your comments so please write them down on the ballot.

What does a judge do?

• Grade the students
• Provide feedback
• Vote for a winner

In most rounds, there will be only one judge, but in elimination rounds, there will almost always be a panel of judges.

How much time should I commit?

A minium of two hours. Most speech events require at least an hour to see 6-8 competitors. Debate rounds can be longer. Some of our judges stop in for an hour or two and others commit all day. Tournaments usually span a couple of days and have multiple rounds so finding a time that suits you is usually easy!

It’s really that easy?

Yes! And most judges have a rewarding experience at all of the tournaments they attend. The events can be very fun and entertaining and you will be provided with delicious food! Your help and support helps create the next generation of leaders.

If you would like to come and judge at any of our tournaments, please email our judge coordinator:  judges@pssda.net