The technique is all in the fingers. The kids that litter this commons area will tell you it is not only about the position of the fingers. Everything from the pressure of your fingers, to the way you flick, determines success. The kids here can all do it to some varying degree. In debate, the pen spin is not just a simple trick, but an art.
“All great debaters have the pen spin down,” says James Casey. “It's an unspoken rule.” It is a status symbol. The kids in the commons are standing or sitting, but even now one can pick out the few with pens in their hands. They talk while spinning their pens. It dances around their fingers gracefully landing back in their palm.
These debaters are all waiting in a school's commons area. Each school has picked a spot to make their own camp. The logs to sit on are replaced by large boxes that hold a tree's worth of paper. Jackets, purses, bags of chips, and other miscellaneous items replace the fire in the middle. The kids sit in a circle conversing, laughing, and some even sleeping.
Though each team has their own spot, kids go from camp to camp talking to friends they have made over the years. The atmosphere gives off a false sense of ease, but the tension is still there. In each person's laugh, the nervous tapping of feet, even the fumbling of the perfected pen spin displays the tension woven beneath it all.
This is the National Debate Qualifier for the Mid-West Region. The first step to the national tournament. The State tourmanment is over, and so is regionals. This is the last chance to qualify for the National Tournament. For some of these debaters, this will be their last high school debates. As James says “You'll see a lot of sad faces at the end of the day.”
The only assurance the debaters have is the fact that they will debate at least two rounds. Once a team loses two rounds, they are out of the tournament. Simply put, two teams of two will go into separate classrooms. Each team is assigned a side to argue on the main topic. As they proceed to using all their hard work, they fight to win over the impartial judge in the back of the room. It is seen as elegant arguing outside the debate world.
However, everyone here will tell about the real side of debate. It's a sport, the best sport they well say. The only sport. To an outsider, debate is simply about arguing. As any of these kids will tell you, debate is much more. Debate is as complicated as chess, with certain offensive and defensive moves.
“Debaters are misunderstood,” explains Ben Garner. “I spend hours over literary material. I spend time practicing and planning. However, people think I just go and argue. It's so much more than that. The argumentation is carefully thought out.”
“The terms and techniques used, make for a steep learning curve,” chimes in James. “Outsiders don't understand. If you don't understand something, then you are not going to want to watch it. So it turns into a sort of cult.”
Cult is not far from the truth. Pouring hours and hours into a subject that only other debaters understand and respect has connected these kids. Everyone respects the time and effort put into the sport.
“Everyone gets along with everyone,” says Ben. “We have fun, joking and talking about debate.”
“You are in it to win though,” Ben finally says.
So far, he has not. Ben and his partner Casey placed third at state, in which the top two qualified. At the first regional qualifier, they placed ninth with the top seven qualifying. This is their last chance. Both are seniors, never qualifying for nationals. They are desperate to win, to finally receive one of the spots. This is their last shot.
It is the last shot for Kelly and Jordan, who have spent four years dedicated to debate. Both gave up volleyball to dedicate more time to debate.
It is the last shot for Matt and Jenny, both alienated themselves from the world for the last three weeks in preparation. Sitting in the commons, Matt spins a pen while prepping Jenny for the upcoming rounds.
It is the last shot for Sean and Leigh, who lost out on a spot in the previous regional qualifier because Sean got violently sick. Without finishing the last round, they were disqualified.
“This is it. Literally.” Matt says. “We should be already qualified. Well, at least we got one last shot.”
Despite everything at stake, the mood is more like a family reunion than a competition. Then the tournament official walks out to the middle of the commons with a big poster board. As she puts up the poster, there is a stampede as kids get up and crowd around. Straining their necks, looking for their code, they slowly find where they are supposed to go and they shuffle off. Soon, the full commons turns into an empty deserts. Jackets, bags, and personal items are left behind as the debaters grab their boxes and prepare for the round ahead.
The mood has changed dramatically. Whispers about certain teams replace the laughter. The seriousness of the tournament seems to set in suddenly. Kids walk to their classrooms where they begin their debate. Voices of different speed and volume are heard echoing throughout the hallway.
Approximately an hour and a half later kids trickle out of the classrooms. Emotionless faces search for their next round. The kids focus on the next round, trying to forget the last round. Each team continues their struggle.
Two rounds in, Sean and Leigh are disqualified. Leigh disappears quietly with a solemn, gloomy look. Sean sits on his box aimlessly spinning his pen. As the pen dances around his fingers, he explains how close the rounds where. He's sad that his debate career has ended, but he accepts it. Next year he talks about going to K-State for the engineering program.
“Now I can finally have a social life.” Sean attempts to joke, but the sadness is still imprinted on his face. Sean now has to face life leaving debate behind. He, as well as everyone else, will leave here with much more though. Not only will they leave with skills to use in the future, but a sense of work and accomplishment.
Debate is a sport on the outside, but as you dig deeper, you find it's much more. To these kids debate is a fraternity. A family. A job. A drug. This tournament is their last chance to accomplish their goals. Just the fact they tried their hardest, setting out to accomplish goals is worth it alone.
None of the debaters mentioned in this essay made it to nationals.
