My Debate Family

August 28-29, 2012 - Two Days for the Debate Competition

       That's the date we've been preparing for. We started practicing debate a month before, to the request of some others. I'm glad we did. And we reaped our harvest.

Me + Open Team + Freshmen Team

       Ever since we started practicing, we were able to recruit a lot of members. It was really promising! I kept seeing new faces and getting to know them one by one was so fun and interesting. They were awesome individuals, with a lot potential lurking within.

       At first, I had to figure out what I had to do first and how to get it started, especially with the new ones. It proved to be a little shaky start, but we eventually got there. We met up and practiced after classes, ending up late at night. I made a lot decisions, thought about a lot of things and did a lot of research. I was quite alone because Kuya Irvin wasn't there anymore. And it eventually dawned on me that the entire debate team was now MY responsibility. They depended on me, and I suddenly had something big in my hands.

Josh, Tobit and Dareen of the Freshmen Team + Adj Ronna

       So I asked for some help. We managed to have Sir Alquine as our faculty adviser and I got helpful tips from Sir John. I tried to teach them what I knew, and tried to motivate them with some incentives(partially a fail, because I'm weak at some things xD). I adjudicated their rounds, and taught them what they could improve. It was very tiring, but I knew I had to spend so much time them when they were so eager to learn and debate. They had fire in their eyes, they really did.

       As the University Palakasan approached, we were now increasing the frequency of our practices. I had to choose 3 participants to form the Open team, and it was very difficult since a lot did really want to join and had the skills to debate. In the end, I formed a 3-man open team. We recruited two more participants who would complete the freshmen team just a week ago. I paired them during practices, and things looked really good. I was confident that SCS had a solid chance this year.

       Little by little, our bonding also grew. We became so familiar with each other and we were sincerely having fun during debates. It was so fun exchanging jokes and arguments with them. The overnight was awesome and the team spirit was present and strong.

Ron, Armando and Kael of the Open Team

       When the debate competition finally arrived, I was downright nervous. But I had faith in what they could bring to the debate. The other debaters looked capable and intimidating, but we knew we had something to be at par with them. Both teams won the first round, and I was so ready to jump through the roof during that time out of happiness. The first day ended a bit shaky, and yet we hoped to start to anew and fresh the next day.

       The second day was definitely a day of fulfillment. After the elimination round, the top 4 teams were announced. I was still at another classroom cleaning up during the announcements. And when I heard loud voices of cheering and yelling from outside, I knew it was them. Both teams managed to advance to the semi-finals! I was so happy and thanked God that all of their current achievements was enough of a result of the hard work we went through. We didn't advance to the finals, yet we were happy and well-content. The freshmen team ended at Top 3, while the Open team ended at Top 4. Five of them also landed spots in the Top 10 Speakers. Weee! Our adjudicator did so great and she learned a lot, and she's got a lot to teach us!

Clowning around(Prinz, Ron and Ronna)

       Through all this, I have been very grateful. They are now family to me, and they did see me as their 'mother' who was with them all the way. I went with them to the event, despite the fact that I was slightly sick. I grew worse the next day and I had to tell them to go ahead without me, as I would catch up later. And nothing could ever make me happier that day when one of them sent a message to me. I was up early in the morning, still quite in bed, and texting them of their updates. At one point, I received this message,

       "Tulog na balik ma, kami na bahala dari. Goodnight! :) [Go back to sleep, mom. We'll take it from here. Goodnight!]"

Discussion and Random Things

       I couldn't explain how I felt, and I burst out laughing. My heart was ready to pop out of my chest. Another commented that it was a privilege for them to have trained with me, and I considered all those things as the fulfillment of my role. I would give my time, my encouragement and my support for them. I cared for them. And whenever they said that they would look for me, even just for them to see me during their debate rounds, was something that sort of touched me. In a way, I guess. All of them have been blessings to me, and it was a great privilege to have been with them.

       The road to the competition was shaky and uncertain, with a lot of things happening along the way. But I'm glad that it turned out for the better. And I understood that things just somehow started falling into place from the very beginning, and things happened for a reason. I would surely welcome more possibilities in the future, and a stronger debate team. I look forward to a better debate team, and their potential to be very good debaters.

       I know I failed in a lot of ways with them, and I was often unable to stick to my words. I'm quite out of practice, and sometimes I couldn't give a lot of clear explanations. I made a lot of mistakes, and I'm learning from them. I only hoped I was able to teach enough.

       It was you guys(debaters) who made all the difference. You were fluid enough to adapt and catch up, and you made me enormously proud. I'll remember those days always. You were all awesome and intelligent, and really really determined and hardworking!

*Waiting for lunch*

       Respect is so important, and I hope you guys would remember that always. Be intelligent and mature debaters, learn to accept a loss with dignity and grace. Do not stoop to low levels. Remain humble and pray. Learn from your mistakes. Trust your teammates and ultimately have fun. It is the best of what I could teach you all.



Remain a fearless pack, SCS Debaters. ^____^