New Zealand Schools’ Debating

• Chief Adjudicator of the National Finals (1)
• Adjudicators of the National Finals (no set number)
• Motions Committee for the National Finals (3)

We have also opened applications for the positions of official New Zealand adjudicators at the 2011 World Schools’ Debating Champs in Dundee, Scotland.

The New Zealand Schools’ Debating Council is pleased to announce the appointment of Steve Hind to coach the 2011 Russell McVeagh New Zealand Schools’ Debating Team at the World Champs in Scotland and South Africa.

Steve was the captain of the Australian Schools’ Debating Team which won the 2005 World Schools’ Debating Championships. Since then he has gone on to be one of the world’s best university debaters. He won the 2010 World Universities’ Debating Championships for Sydney University and ranked as the 2nd best speaker in the world. He has won the Australasian Intervarsity Debating Champs (2008), along with a range of other university tournaments.

Steve recently coached the 2010 NZ Team on the Russell McVeagh International Tour, where the team reached the semi-finals. In Australia, Steve was the coach of the New South Wales Schools Team in 2010, and for the last four years has coached the NSW Combined GPS Team which were grade champions in 2007 and 2008. He has been the Sydney Grammar School Senior A Coach since 2007. The team won the GPS competition in 2007, 2009 and 2010.

Assistant Coach

The Council has deferred the appointment of the assistant coach to the NZ Team until after the National Champs in late May.

This year’s Russell McVeagh New Zealand Schools’ Debating Team will be taking part in TWO World Schools Debating Championships. The first Worlds is in Dundee, Scotland, from 16 – 26 August, 2011. The second Worlds is in Cape Town, South Africa, from 17 – 27 January, 2012.
 
Applications are now open for the position of NZ Coach, and the position of assistant coach.
 
Our preference is to appoint the NZ Coach for the Worlds in both Dundee and Cape Town now. However, we will accept applications from those interested in just Dundee. We are not accepting applications from those interested in Cape Town at this stage (if the eventual coach is appointed for Dundee only, then we will obviously re-open applications for Cape Town later).
 
We are opening applications for the assistant coach position for Dundee only.
Please pass this email onto those who you think may be interested.
 
Please note that applications will close on Friday March 11 at 5pm.
 
NZ TEAM COACH
 
Role of the Coach
 
The role of the NZ Team Coach is to prepare the NZ team team thoroughly for the upcoming World Champs. The coach is expected to attend the tournament in his/her capacity as coach.
 
The coach will be expected to organise (in conjunction with the Council) training sessions for the team in advance of the tournament, and to run those sessions.
 
The NZ team manager will assist with organising travel etc, liaising with the teams, and other non-debating matters that arise. The team manager will also act as the key contact point between the Council and the coach.
 
Time Commitment
 
The coach will be expected to travel to Worlds with the NZ Team. In the time between the date of appointment and the tournament, the coach will be expected to make themselves available to coach the team on mutually acceptable dates for the team members and the coach.
 
We would prefer it if the coach could also attend the National Finals of the NZ Schools Debating Champs in Wellington from May 27 – May 30. The Council will cover transport and accommodation costs to allow the coach to attend.
 
Costs
 
The Council will meet the reasonable travel and accommodation costs for the coaches to attend training sessions, if they are not held where the coaches live.
 
The coaches will be expected to pay a contribution towards the travel costs of sending him or her to Worlds. This contribution has not yet been set by Council, but will be no more than $1000 NZD.
 
If applications are made by a pair of coaches on a co-coach basis, the Council will re-evaluate the contribution of each coach.
 
Appointment Process
 
The appointment process will be as follows:
 
1. Applicants need to send:

• a coaching/debating CV;
• a letter which explains why they would like the job, why they would be a good coach for the NZ team, and which comments on their strengths as a coach (applicants should feel free to provide as much info as they would like);
• the name of one person who would be happy to be contacted as an oral referee to the NZ team manager, Christopher Bishop, by Friday March 11 at 5pm on cjsbishop@gmail.com

2. Team manager to consider applications and meet with Council to create a shortlist of applicants.
  
3. Oral referees of shortlisted applicants to be contacted.
  
4. Council may authorise a sub-committee to conduct an interview with short-listed applicants if deemed necessary.
  
5. Council to advise applicants of outcomes by Friday March 18.
 
ASSISTANT COACH
 
We are also looking for an assistant coach of the NZ Team for Worlds in Dundee. The position is designed for someone who may like to coach the NZ team in the future, and who would like to gain some experience and skills by learning from the NZ coach proper. The assistant coach will work with the NZ Team coach in preparing the team for Worlds in Dundee.
 
People who have coached or are coaching regional teams are encouraged to apply for this position.
 
The Council will help pay for the assistant coach to attend the NZ team training sessions in advance of Worlds in Dundee. The assistant coach is also encouraged to attend the World Champs with the team. Due to the registration restrictions in Dundee, the assistant coach will need to attend as an official New Zealand adjudicator. To this end, the Council will set aside one of New Zealand’s two judging slots at the tournament for the assistant coach.
 
Unfortunately, the assistant coach will have to cover their own flights to Worlds and their registration costs (480 British pounds).
 
Appointment Process
 
The appointment process will be as follows:
 
1. Applicants need to send:

• a coaching/debating CV;
• a letter which explains why they would like the job, why they would be a good assistant coach for the NZ team, and which comments on their strengths as a coach (applicants should feel free to provide as much info as they would like). Comments as to future coaching intentions would also be welcomed.
• the name of one person who would be happy to be contacted as an oral referee to the NZ team manager, Christopher Bishop, by Friday March 11 at 5pm on cjsbishop@gmail.com

2. Team manager to consider applications and meet with Council to create a shortlist of applicants.
  
3. Oral referees of shortlisted applicants to be contacted.
  
4. Council may authorise a sub-committee to conduct an interview with short-listed applicants if deemed necessary.
  
5. Council to advise applicants of outcomes by Friday March 18

The full World Schools’ 2010 Speaker Tab has now been released. New Zealand did extremely well, with all five speakers placing in the top 25 in the world.

In addition to Maria English placing 8th:

• Aria Newfield placed 11th, only a fraction of a point outside the top 10;
• Jasmin Moran placed 18th;
• Nick Cross placed 22nd; and
• Josh Baxter placed 24th.

These are superb results. Well done!

Congrats to Maria English, the captain of the NZ Team, who has just been named as the 8th best speaker at the largest WSDC ever! A great achievement.

Unfortunately, the NZ team bowed out in the quarters with a 6-1 loss to Canada. The motion was “That we support paying compensation for injustices committed by past generations”.  New Zealand debated very well and the debate was incredibly close.

A disappointing result for the team but they have done extremely well throughout the tournament and have plenty to be proud of. Hard luck – but also congratulations to the team for all of their hard work and great results to date.

In the semi-finals England defeated Wales and Canada defeated Singapore. They will meet in the Grand Final tomorrow.

At the Championship Dinner the Grand Final results will be announced as well as the top ten speakers. Fingers crossed for one or more Kiwis!

This afternoon in the octo-finals New Zealand (Nick, Maria, Aria) beat the Netherlands by 5-0 proposing “This House would never place restrictions on freedom of speech”.

New Zealand faces Canada in the quarter-finals tomorrow morning.

Australia faces Wales, Pakistan faces England and Singapore faces Slovenia.

If New Zealand beats Canada then their semi will be against either Singapore or Slovenia.

Break position / Team name / Wins / Judges / collective team scores

1. Australia – 8 – 23 – 6277
2. Canada – 8 – 22 – 6171
3. Singapore – 8 – 22 – 6161
4. Greece – 8 – 22 – 6105
5. England – 8 – 20 – 6188.5
6. Slovenia – 7 – 19 – 6016.5
7. New Zealand – 6 – 19 – 6189.5
8. Wales – 6 – 19 – 6080.5
9. Israel – 6 – 18 – 6012
10. Netherlands – 6 – 18 – 5961
11. Sri Lanka – 6 – 17 – 6047.5
12. India – 6 – 16 – 5982.5
13. Pakistan – 5 – 18 – 6114.5
14. Scotland – 5 – 17 – 6163
15. Ireland – 5 – 16 – 6093.5
16. Hong Kong – 5 – 16 – 6074.5

OCTO-FINAL DRAW

Australia v Hong Kong
Canada v Ireland
Singapore v Scotland
Greece v Pakistan
England v India
Slovenia v Sri Lanka
New Zealand v Netherlands
Wales v Israel

Note that while NZ are on 6 from 8, one loss was to Israel in a very close debate, and the other to Australia who are at the top of the tab. They are also second on speaker points. So very good results overall. Congratulations to the team.

Octo-finals are tomorrow afternoon.

In Round Seven this morning New Zealand (Josh, Aria, Jasmin) beat Nigeria 3-0, opposing “That terrorist suspects should be tried in civilian courts”.

In Round Eight this afternoon New Zealand (Nick, Maria, Aria) lost to Australia by 3-0, proposing “That we should legalise performance enhancing drugs in sport”.

New Zealand therefore finishes on 6 wins and 19 judges.

There are five teams on eight wins: Australia, Greece, Singapore, England and Canada. New Zealand will definitely break, likely somewhere between position 8 and 14.

Break will be announced later tonight. I will endeavour to get someone back in NZ to update the site with where NZ breaks and who they will be against in the octo-finals tomorrow.

In Round Five this morning, New Zealand (Nick, Maria, Aria) defeated the United Arab Emirates by 3-0, opposing “That doctors should report evidence of marital abuse to the police”.

In Round Six this afternoon New Zealand took its first loss of the tournament (and first at WSDC since the Grand Final in Washington in September 2008!). New Zealand (Nick, Maria, Jasmin) proposed the motion “That developing countries should have the right to prioritise economic development over the environment” against Israel, but lost in a 1-2 split.

After six rounds New Zealand is on 5 wins and 1 loss, having taken 16 judges out of 18.

Rounds 7 and 8 are tomorrow. In Round 7, New Zealand faces Nigeria, opposing “That terrorist suspects should be tried in civilian courts”. In Round 8 New Zealand is opposing against Australia on an impromptu motion”.