Awe! Summer… Speech season is over! It’s time to relax, take a breather… No wait! You need to secure the ultimate duo or debate partner!! Ask people in your club, your state, even someone out state!? Time is of the essence… You need someone, anyone… Even though you have a sibling you could choose!? You need to find them NOW! (This paragraph reminds me is Veruca Salt, in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl, she wanted anything, it didn’t matter at what cost. Ultimately she ended up down the nut shoot. Don’t be a Veruca Salt)!…
I see this all the time, you gotta act quickly or all the best partners will be snatched up. After all, the early bird gets the worm, right? No! Slow down… Your quest should not be for the most fantastical, epic partnership that is guaranteed to crush all competition (um- that rarely can be planned). Your goal should be to pray to God about who the best partnership could or should be. This is not something you need to strive for the moment the season is over. Perhaps there is a new person in club that would be your perfect duo partner, perhaps you haven’t thought of everyone! The objective is not to find any partner, but the best one for you!!
Some of the best Duo partnerships don’t happen until the season starts… When inspiration or realization kicks in! Kristi and I wrote a resource specifically for Duos- The Ultimate Duo Handbook. This should be the first thing you reach for when thinking about finding a partner! This is something that should be in your hands from start to finish. We cover all the basics and then some:
What Makes a Great Partner- Do you two have similar goals? Questions to help you figure out whether or not this will be a match made in heaven.
Duo Partner Worksheet- Four pages of questions to help you figure out if you and your potential partner on on the same page.
Duo Rules- Making sure you know what the rules are and how to follow them.
Finding Your Duo Style- We break down the different types or kinds of duos, so your team can pick the best one for both partners.
Teamwork- When the going gets tough, do you have what it takes to keep going?
Creating Characters- Knowing what kind of character your partner is willing to be, is essential to know before you get started. Also included is our exclusive Character Analysis and Worksheets!
Tips for Practicing- You will be spending a lot of time together, keeping things fresh is important.
Duo Mis-steps- Mistakes are going to happen! How can you recover from them!?
Duo Activites- Is this a new partnership or someone you have known for a while. Regardless, we have some ideas for you to do, while not practicing!
When I started writing The Duo Handbook, I was just writing an article! little did I realize that Kristi and I have a lot to say when it comes to Duos (ok- maybe I did speculate)!! There are almost 50 pages full of practical, helpful, inspiring information for you and your partner to gain insight to make this a fantastic season! There are color pictures, links to awesome speeches, activities, and so much more! You want to be on the same page with your partner more than anything, as well as each other’s parents. This resource is for you all. Let The Ultimate Duo Handbook be your guide from start to finish!
The Ultimate Duo Handbook is available in Ebook form, as well as in our Shop.
The Speech and Debate Season is long! You do not need to feel rushed when finding a Debate or Duo partner! It is more important to be walking in step. Be open to His timing.
Note- This is the first article in a three part series on partnerships.
photo by: Jean Rule
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