I lectured at the Center for Public Speaking (an extemp camp) yesterday on economics. The upcomming extemp season will be a very difficult one in Minnesota. Despite having the reigning State Champion on our team, we will have to deal with three returning national semi-finalists, and a national champion. We’ve been moved into an even harder section for state (as if that were possible) and those three national semi-finalists are all in our NFL district. Great.
Nonetheless, I’m not too worried. Why? 1) We’re going to start WAY earlier this year. Going to do lectures and get the ball rolling at the annual Apple Valley speech campette they do in August. 2) We’ll be working every week throughout the school year. Most kids will still have to focus on debate, but they will at least be spending some time on extemp. 3) We’ll have more talent. More kids will be doing extemp as well as starting earlier. 4) The fact that the competition is so intense in Minnesota will only make us better. At least for this year, the quality of competition in Minnesota is the best in the United States by far.
It will be an interesting year…
