The De Soto High School debate team held its first mock debate tournament on Saturday, Sept. 17 in preparation for the first tournament on Sept. 24. The mock tournament was meant to prepare debate students for real competitions.

“Learning debate really comes from tournaments, and it’s really nerve wracking to go into a debate tournament with no experience,” said varsity debate student, junior Zach Yarbrough.

Only first year or “novice” debaters participated in the tournament, with more experienced debaters acting as judges and providing feedback.

According to Yarbrough, the advanced judges were able to “help the newer kids figure a lot of things out” and many of them told Yarbrough “how much more they understood the premises they were speaking on” following the tournament.

The mock tournament went very well according to Yarbrough.

“I think it really gave the novice kids some confidence going into their first tournament,” Yarbrough said. “I think it went great.”

The first-year debate students participated in their first real debate tournament on Sept. 24. According to sophomore Emma Leonard, the tournament went “pretty well.”

“I felt like my partner and I both had good speaking skills, especially during our negative round,” Leonard said.

Leonard also adds that the mock tournament “helped a ton.”

“After the mock tournament and this one, I definitely feel more prepared for the next tournament and really know what to expect,” Leonard said.

The varsity debate team will compete at their first tournament of the season on Oct.1.