UIL Speech Judges
If you have corrections, questions or comments regarding this information, please notify The UIL Speech and Debate department at speech@uiltexas.org or 512-471-5883.
John Taft
Current high school:
None
Currently coaching?: No
Conference:
Number of years coached:
Number of tournaments judged: 2
High school attended:
La Vernia High School
Graduated high school: 2023
Participated in high school: Yes
Participated in college: No
Judging qualifications:
Competed in Speech and Debate in the TFA, UIL, and NSDA circuit, won 2 UIL Gold Medals and was a TFA State Champion, went to NSDA Nationals and was a finalist. Accumulated well over 2500 NSDA points and went to NSDA Nationals all four years of my high school career.
Judging Philosophy
CX
Judging approach: Stock Issues
Policy priority: Communication skills and resolution of substantive issues are of equal importance
Evidence philosophy: Quality of evidence is more important than quantity of evidence
Paradigm: I love a good policy with valid impacts. I want you to show me you put thought into your policy and planned it well, know it well, and can present it to me if I asked you what it meant without looking at your case. Also heavy on impacts and impact calc. Timeframe, significance, etc. give me a nice impact calc. Other than that the norm applies, for aff support your harms impacts and delink DAs when/if presented, for neg I don't mind topicalities if they are well formulated. I don't like Ks because I think critiques take away from the topic that was meticulously voted upon and subsequently debated. Unless your K involves something that cannot possibly be ignored and may have even a slight connection to the debate topic that, if we handle that first, may have a positive spillover effect, I may be more inclined to listen. But Ks that exist just to move the debate elsewhere entirely are not my recommendation.
LD
Approach: Communication skills are more important than resolution of substantive issues
Philosophy:
I am a traditional judge for LD, so I appreciate a framework with a value and critertion very much. However, I can judge progressive cases, and will vote on them if they can be argued appropriately. Burdens, observations, definitions are all good things to add into your case, and for progressive LD'ers, give me solid impacts that I can tangibly vote on.
Contact Information
email: johntaft079@gmail.com
cell:
office:
Availability Information
Meet types:
Invitational
District
Regional
CX State
State Meet
Congress Region
Congress State
Qualified for:
CX
LD
Extemp
Congress
Travel
Region of residence:
1
I will travel to: 1 2 3 4 5 8
