Senior Debaters off to Nationals

This past weekend, Brentwood debaters wound up their competitive season at the Law Cup provincial debate championship. The five who qualified at the regional level participated in two days of public speaking and vociferous argument in Langley.  Although we returned to our Island without our usual fistful of medals, each participant experienced a personal triumph of one sort or the other. Kevin K - Brentwood’s magician in residence - debated with a partner from GNS whom he had never met: their fluid performance was one of Kevin’s best illusions to date. Amanda M overcame a gastrointestinal run-in with some bad eggrolls yet regained her lethal poise, while Yasyf M showed his flair for mimicry with a formidable impression of Lazarus. Yasyf rose from the shroud of influenza to debate with his characteristically high degree of intelligence and mercilessness. Unfortunately, the shroud won and Yasyf and his partner were forced to withdraw from the tournament after two superb rounds.

Our senior team, meanwhile, is bursting with pride: Anastasia K executed the finest few moments of cross-examination that her coach - and her tongue-tied opponent - had seen in a long while and Robin J achieved a new level of passionate diatribe that rendered his arguments both compelling and curiously believable. This combination of logos, ethos and pathos earned the duo a berth at the national competition in Halifax! Their coach wishes that she loved flying but alas, she does not. Apparently, she might have to get used to it.

Mrs. Rebecca Day Reynolds, Debate Coach