The Oxford Cup

Truth or Dare……. Dare? Are you sure? Alright. Take a deep breath and walk into room A261 on a Monday, Wednesday or Friday afternoon between the times of 2:00 and 4:00 pm. Within minutes - after taking several seconds to recover, of course - you’ll probably recall the quote that says “We are what we repeatedly do. And excellence, therefore is not an act but a habit.” This quote rings especially true for experienced Brentwood debaters for whom the art of debate appears to be almost instinctual. And as a consequence, one might fail to find it surprising to learn that four members of the Brentwood debate team have been selected to partake in the highly prestigious debate competition: The Oxford Cup. However, as David M, Delaney B, Afyz M & Kavi G will no doubt attest to this is no small feat. The Oxford Cup held in Winnipeg, Manitoba from the 17th to 21st of November is every bit as prestigious and acclaimed as it sounds. Much like a Hogwart’s letter, only a gifted few receive this coveted invitation (three teams from each province) with the top two teams winning the opportunity and honour to compete in the finals in Oxford, UK. This is the first time Brentwood has been invited and the recognition brings with it a great deal of pride, passion, and perseverance. For David it provides even more than that, “The invitation is a vindication of the amount of work Delaney and I have continuously put in.” Nevertheless, Delaney and David sadly will be unable to attend the competition as they are already preparing for The Tournament of Champions that will take place at Yale University at the same time. This, of course, is also a vindication in its own right as David and Delaney placed in the top five from over five hundred teams present in The World Scholar’s Cup held in Prague over the summer to earn their spot at Yale. Kavi and Afyz are both excited and energetic about the Oxford Cup. Prepping with a coach on a new topic each week, the partners are diligently preparing for the Oxford Cup’s British Parliamentary style of debate. The competition consists of six rounds focusing on a diverse range of philosophical, ethical and contemporary subjects: the debaters have bravely ventured to unfamiliar heights in their quest for The Oxford Cup. Of course the unsung heroes remain the debate coaches, Ms. Steele-MacInnis and Mr. Bryant as this is every bit an achievement for them as it is for the chosen four. Nonetheless, as proud as we are of these phenomenal accomplishments, and as we wish them good luck, we hope Afyz, David, Delaney & Kavi remember to stop and smell the roses and let the experience speak for itself. Chelsea A, Hope ‘17