I Love Judging

by Steve Henrickson

Please welcome our guest judge writer this month, Mr. Steve Henrickson.  Steve began judging at Region 12 NCFCA tournaments when his grandchildren got involved as NCFCA affiliates.  From the beginning, his enthusiasm and charming smile has put students at ease when he sits in the judges seat and his feedback is always generous and helpful.  It was also a privilege for Region 12 to be able to hear his testimony as he led the devotional at the 2023 Regional Championships.

Unlike many community judges, Steve attends almost every tournament each season, so he is unique among his category.  I remember in 2022, he drove to nationals from Texas to be a judge and to learn what competition at that level was all about.  This is a level of support that is a beautiful example of how student speeches impact the community of the judging pool.

I hope his words will help students to see not only how you all bless judges, but how your passion, integrity, and delivery is what leads to honors.  

Thank you Steve for representing the Judge’s Room this month for The /Eloquent Voice.

I Love Judging

Yes. I love judging! So color me weird. In fact, in my six years of involvement with NCFCA thus far I don't believe I've missed a single in-person tournament. Illness almost derailed my streak this year for the Huntsville event but fortunately I recovered enough to attend the entire tournament. And this year I finally reached a personal milestone; I successfully judged every round in one tournament! It was the Longview National Mixer where 18 rounds were offered. (It almost didn't happen because wi-fi issues delayed submission of one speech ballot. By the time it finally submitted, fortunately there was still one debate ballot remaining and I had no conflict with the speakers. Thank you, Lord. So I was able to make a grand entrance into a room of expectant debaters.)

So why do I love judging? Because students inspire me! It's gotten to where I'm afraid that if I don't judge a speech round that I'm going to miss a blessing from God. I still remember an impromptu round that I judged in Minnesota two or three years ago. Her topic was, “Up a creek without a paddle.” In her speech she provided examples of how life can appear so difficult that it seems impossible to get through it. Then she said, “When we're up a creek without a paddle, God becomes our paddle.” And she shared an example of how God had once come through for her. I don't remember the details of the example but I remember choking back tears. It was a wonderful reminder that God is always trustworthy, even if He comes through in ways we don't expect.

And blessings can come from non-spiritual topics, too. The speech that most impacted me this year came from a first year NCFCA competitor. She presented a persuasive speech about why veterans and military personnel should be exempt from income taxes. She laid out a thorough history of the income tax and explained that she was motivated by her grandfather, who died at the age of 61 from complications from Agent Orange which he encountered in the VietNam war. Her appeal was heartbreaking and I've become a definite supporter of that cause.

So what do I look for when judging speeches?

First and foremost I want to be moved by the speech. Does it cause chills to run up my spine? Or do I have to choke back tears? Or am I compelled to erupt into laughter? The best speeches, which are extremely rare, do all three. In fact, in my six years of judging I only remember one that succeeded in doing all three.

To achieve any of these you must first be passionate about your speech. And then present it in a way that convinces your judges it means a lot to you. In this regard every type of speech is a persuasive speech. If you are a reserved person it's so important to break out of your shell! Let loose! Let your passion control your voice and your actions.

I especially recall one APOL ballot this year. At the end of the round I had three students tied for first place. How did I break the ties? Two of the three used a boatload of appropriate scriptures so they received the top two slots. Then, one of those two spoke in a way that sent chills up my spine three times during her speech. For that she earned my top slot.

It doesn't matter what kind of speech you are giving. Speak with emotion. And I'm talking about Extemp speeches too. Prove to the judges you have a good handle on your topic and what you are sharing is important. Who says you can't be passionate about an Extemp speech? If you are, that may give you the edge over all the speakers on your ballot.

I think the piece of advice that I most often share with students is speak in such a way that you give yourself chills. Because if you're feeling it, your judges are feeling it!  They will pick up on your emotions and cannot help but be impacted by it.

Now debate is a different animal. In debate you can't win by just being an emotional speaker. Or at least you shouldn't. There's another factor in debate that is as important and more so than passion. And that's preparation. You must know your case well and be prepared to counter any argument that comes up against you. 

When I think of debate one student immediately comes to mind. He's a graduating senior and this year was his first to ever break in debate. I talked with him and he told me the difference this year was that he made preparation a priority. And when I judged him this year I was amazed by his growth as a debater. Preparation made him a confident and compelling speaker. And he held his own this year against our region's best LD debaters. At our regional championship he made it to the LD quarter finals. I'm so hoping for his sake that he'll have enough at-large points to earn an invite to National's. But even if he doesn't, I still consider him an NCFCA success story.

Am I the only person that loves judging? Not at all! I talked with one community judge this year who judged his first round at the 2025 Cypress Region 12 Championship. He loved it!  And he said that next year he plans to use vacation days so he can be available for the entire tournament. Young people, your words are changing lives!

Students, you play a part in my walk with Jesus. Every time I hear your stories I'm inspired to draw nearer to God. Please, never doubt that your words aren't making a difference. And I'm convinced that other judges would agree that you are building up the body of Christ, and maybe influencing others as well.

Your fan, 

Mr. Steve Henrickson