Speech and Debate Tournament #2

Reminder:  I write this blog for family and friends.  This is going to be one of those Proud Mama bragging posts!  I thank God for the skills that He has given the children.  Bear with me as I share how blessed we were!

Thomas collecting his plaque for winning Rhetorical Criticism

This tournament was our home tournament.  Almost all the parents were working hard to run the tournament.  My job was ballot check-in coordinator.  I worked in the judge quiet room.  There was a group of us that went over the ballots the judges completed to make sure all the i's were dotted and the t's crossed.  One of the things that results from this job is that I get to see EVERY ballot so that I know how the kids are doing even though I can say nothing.  I don't know if that is a good thing or a bad thing.  It does raise my stress level to watch the judges sitting there trying to decide whether our kids had won or lost.  It was a great tournament for our club as well as our family!

Thomas and T-Bob were Speech Sweepstakes Participants

Thomas and T-Bob  each competed in three different speech categories.  This is called 'sweepstakes'. For the last four years, winning sweepstakes has been Thomas's goal.  T-Bob did make the final room in his informative speech on basketball,  although he did not place.

Thomas was so excited that he finally won speech sweepstakes!  This is a major achievement.

I have to admit that this brought a few tears to the eye of this proud mama.  Thomas managed to handle this well and was a graceful winner.

Thomas won 5th place in debate speaker awards

 Thomas won 5th place in the debate speaker category.  This was his personal best in the debate speaker category.

Thomas and Mikayla won the debate tournament

The other major award given at a tournament is debate tournament winner.  Thomas and his partner Mikayla won the final round against their friends Caleb and Rachel Boyer.   It was so great to receive their awards from our coach and club. Very few things are as sweet as winning your home tournament.

Here are the four teams that placed.   Thomas and his partner rocked this tournament.  To win both Sweepstakes and the Tournament, as well as first place in a speech event  is very amazing.  The only disappointment was that my DH wasn't able to be there and share the moment.  He was with his family.

One of the things that I really love about our league, is that it is open to setting up special categories for special kids to 'compete' with the rest of the kids.

This is another very sweet special lady.  When my DH had to fly out of town to be with his Dad, Carol took over and performed his jobs.  That was such a blessing.  It allowed things to go smoothly at the tournament.  She is so easy to work with.  I learn a lot from her.

So, I do not know what Thomas will do for an encore.  This tournament was rather an epic experience.  He continues to work hard and aim for victory in the next tournament which is only a couple weeks away.