By Jack Boeglin <[email protected]>

The debate team began the year with a promising callout on Aug. 22.
Amanda Richmond, team coach and sponsor, said first day turnout, (the callouts lasted two days) was nearly 60 students. This was the highest number of students she said she has seen since she began coaching.

Richmond said that although many important members of the team graduated last year, the team is still retaining several key debaters. “I expect senior James Peng will be very strong this year. Tianyi Zhang and Ariel Aisen, too,” she said.

Peng, team captain, said he is equally excited about the strength of the callout, which, according to him, brought 80 potential debaters over the two days.

He said he hopes that the number of students interested indicates that the team will be especially dedicated this year.

Peng said that while this is his first year as captain he is confident in his ability to lead the team, since he has been a co-captain since his sophomore year. “It will be the same, except without Mustafa (Hameed ’07),” he said.

The team’s first meet will be a novice meet occuring at Kokomo in early October. Peng will serve as a judge while first-time debaters get their first opportunity to demonstrate their abilities.