By Kim Oberhamer
Contributing Writer
Cara Lynn sauntered to the front of the classroom. She wiped her clammy hands against her low-rise jeans as she felt a bead of sweat trickle down her spine. Her breath shortened and her stomach felt like it was knotted into a pretzel when she thought about speaking for nine whole minutes.
That was Cara Lynn at her first Pepperdine debate tournament last year. Now Lynn is sweat free and the top debater in the United States.
“Debate is really fun and addictive, “ said Lynn. “It’s an adrenaline rush.”
The brown haired, blue-eyed sophomore from Springhill, Tenn. said she was drawn to Pepperdine because of the campus’ location, and the large scholarship she received from the university.
Despite the scholarship and sunshine Lynn found herself feeling homesick during her first semester at Pepperdine.
“My family is really important to me so it was hard to be away from them,” said Lynn. “I talk to my mom everyday.”
Lynn’s mother encouraged her to join a club so she would feel more involved at Pepperdine. The only problem was Lynn didn’t know which club to join, and then one day at convocation Lynn found her answer.
“I was sitting at convo and a slide came up for the debate team,” said Lynn. “As soon as I saw it I decided that was the one I was going to join.”
While Lynn’s decision was spontaneous, it wasn’t too off the wall because she had excelled at mock trial in high school. While not exactly the same, Lynn still decided debate might be interesting.
Lynn attended her first debate meeting and was told she was immediately going to run Pepperdine’s debate tournament that weekend.
“I saw what debate was like at the tournament,” said Lynn. “I thought to myself, ‘I can’t learn it.’ Debate is so hard to explain. It took me awhile to figure out how it all works.”
After watching a tournament at Arizona State University and learning the debate structure, Lynn was ready and competed in for her first debate at Chico State as a novice, which is someone who didn’t debate in high school. She placed second.
“I was so nervous,” recalls Lynn. “I thought nine minutes was forever to speak, but now it’s not enough.”
In two following tournaments Lynn didn’t do as well. Lynn failed to place at her second tournament and received fourth at her third tournament.
“Cara has an outgoing and talkative personality, “ said Lynn’s friend Stephanie Johnson. “I think that’s why she’s so good at debate.”
Over the summer, Lynn and the entire Pepperdine debate team went to debate camp at ASU for 10 days to learn about this year’s topic.
“I know it sounds really geeky,” said Lynn. “But, it actually helps a lot.”
At debate camp, Lynn and her fellow debaters learned about and practiced debates on the five treaties that comprise this year’s topic of treaty ratification.
Lat fall, Lynn returned to Pepperdine prepared to win. Lynn won all three fall tournaments she competed in, which propelled Lynn and Hyson to first in the nation. National rankings are based on number of wins, size and difficulty of the tournament, and total speaker points, which are tabulated by judges during each round.
“Cara is amazing,” said Lynn’s assistant debate coach Kristen Reid. “In addition to being a successful debater, she has really improved our team. She has been a driving force for the members of our team becoming friends outside of a debate setting.”
The Pepperdine debate team as a whole received the sweepstakes award by winning the most debates in their region. The team is currently ranked 11th in the nation.
“Debate takes up so much of my time,” said Lynn. I have to keep researching the different topics and I’m always gone for tournaments.”
With the little time she does have, Lynn plays on the Pepperdine intramural soccer team, The Crossbones, but debate remains her top priority.
“Debate has to be my main passion,” said Lynn. “I have to work hard to be good at debate.”
Lynn hopes to use her debate skills in law school. She aspires to be a domestic lawyer for a lobbyist or non-profit organization someday.
“I would love to rid the death penalty from the world,” said Lynn. “I am also very pro-women’s rights.”
Whether Lynn decides to practice law or lobby for a good cause, there’s no doubt she’ll be able to order all the pizza delivery her heart desires.
April 17, 2003