National Speech & Debate Association Nationals

I'm in Phoenix, AZ this week with some of my students at the National Speech & Debate Association's National tournament. We work all year for this tournament (and some other national tournaments as well) so it's a culmination of a year's worth of work. They've been working on these speeches, getting critiques, going to multiple different tournaments throughout the year, making changes, and continuing to do the same speeches over and over again. On top of their regular school work. This is tough work. A lot of my adult clients would have given up by now. But these kids are awesome. Some of them seem fearless, though I know they're not.

They are super scared! They are wearing suits that look like they're just a bit too big for them and they look like mini adults walking around a convention center with visual aids and little black binders- it's really adorable-and inspirational.

You see, by the time they've reached this tournament, they know these speeches. They can do them in their sleep. At this point, it's a mind game. It's all about how well they can convince themselves how successful they will be. They get to determine if they will take 1st place in every round or last place. And they have to walk into every round knowing which they will be.

So, which will you be today?