watching from home...

This weekend there was (is still) a pretty big debate tournament in Colorado.

I took teams last year -- and it was during that trip that I first seriously considered not coaching debate anymore. To be clear, there was nothing all that unusual last year that made me want to stop coaching, but it was at that tournament that I realized that I could (and probably should) quit.

This year, I'm watching the tournament on-line, from home.... in Red State.

and (not to jinx it, knock on wood) D1 is doing really well!!!!

Sure, D1 is debating for another school now, but he'll always be one of 'my' debaters. Especially D1, who was the one who insisted that we start a team at BNCC -- and had many challenges at BNCC... the fact that he was able to get to the debate school, and now is tearing things up, is something I'm probably more proud of than I have right to be...

but, so what if I'm proud?

He's a good person and a good debater. He's finally getting the recognition he deserves.... and I'm proud that I was his first college coach.... that, if I hadn't decided to have a team at BNCC, he wouldn't be where he is today.

Yea, I can be proud of that -- can't I?

besides, if he wins nationals, I'm getting the tattoo....

Update -- so far D1's 11/11 in prelims over the two tournaments and in semi-finals. To make it to finals he'll have to beat the team that beat him in the first tournament, and who has been really good in the past. On the other hand, if he makes it to finals, he'll hit one of two very good teams -- at least one (if not both) of whom he's beaten in the past...

Of course, to add to the drama/fun -- Hubby's current school is in this part of the tournament -- D1 beat them in prelims and could face them again in finals.... hmmmm.

Final update: D1 beat the excellent Texas team he lost to in finals the night before... and then lost to the team from hubby's school. That makes D1 and his partner (someone I should never forget to mention, but do in the whole post) the only team to appear in finals at both halves of the tournament... way to go guys!!!!!

Also, the team from hubby's school was the national runner-up last year -- so losing to them isn't exactly a reason for shame.....