850 GOOD NEWS: Panhandle debate student leaps from third to title holder

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) - A year after finishing third in a coast-to-coast competitive debate league, Duncan Rivard returned to the circuit as a junior and won the title — sweeping every round of every Panhandle-region tournament along the way.

Rivard, now a junior, placed third in the national debate league as a sophomore. He said the result left him motivated heading into this season.

“I wasn’t too thrilled with how things ended last year, so I hoped to have better luck this time around,” Rivard said.

A new format, an undefeated run

This season brought a format change. Rivard competed in Lincoln-Douglas style debate — a format he had not used before — which allows more time, more evidence, and broader argumentation. He said he was still reading the rulebook when he won his first tournament.

“I was actually in the waiting room, still learning the rulebook for the Lincoln-Douglas format. So, I was a little bit shocked by that,” Rivard said.

From October through January, he competed in a series of Panhandle-based rounds and did not lose.

“I won all of those tournaments, winning every round in those tournaments also,” he said.

No laptop, no pre-written speeches

Rivard’s approach sets him apart from many competitors. While other debaters use laptops to read pre-written speeches during rounds, Rivard does not.

“A lot of people use laptops in the debate. So, they will pre-write a speech or a case or whatever. And, they’ll read it from the laptop during the debate. But that’s something, coming from Incubate, I don’t really have a tolerance for,” Rivard said.

He said debaters who rely on prepared text are less equipped to respond to new arguments in real time.

“If you can only read what’s in front of you, you aren’t prepared to combat new arguments as well,” he said.

His approach has been shaped by years of training and two summers interning in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Nominated to compete at one of the oldest national tournaments

Rivard was unanimously nominated to represent the Panhandle region at a national debate tournament in Washington, D.C. — one of the oldest in the country.

“It’s one of the oldest tournaments in debates. I think it’s been running for like 70 years or something like that, so it would be cool to experience it — hopefully to win,” Rivard said.

He said confidence played a role in his performance this season.

“When you think you have a chance at winning, you’re going to work harder. You’re going to prepare harder. Most importantly — when you actually get there — you’re going to have confidence, which is really important,” he said.

The topic for the national tournament has not yet been announced.

Rivard said he has not decided on a career path, but he encourages other high school students to try debate. He said the activity helps students make informed decisions through evidence, think critically, and reach their own conclusions.

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