Whanganui debater Olivia Simpson off to Vietnam with New Zealand team

Olivia Simpson (centre) with her Central North Island teammates and coaches. Photo / Supplied

Collegiate Year 13 student Olivia Simpson will soon take on the world’s best secondary school debaters.

She was part of the Central North Island (CNI) team that made it to the semifinals of the recent National Debating Championships in Wellington.

A narrow loss to Canterbury ended the team’s run but that didn’t stop her from being named in the five-strong national squad.

Simpson said she was shocked and overwhelmed when her name was read out.

“The nationals went really well for CNI. It was the first time we’d broken into the semifinals in a long time and we beat an Auckland team for the first time in 20 years.

“You try not to think about it (national selection) when the tournament is actually happening.”

The world champs are on July 18, with a warm-up event in Thailand beforehand.

There would be a lot of training, both via Zoom and in person, between now and then, Simpson said.

Her teammates are from Auckland, Canterbury and Wellington.

“We’ll be up against 50 to 60 teams from all over the world. There will be a lot of talented, skilled debaters there,” she said.

“At CNI I was the second speaker but our national team is a bit interesting - we’ve got three firsts and two seconds.

“Who knows, maybe I’ll have to try a new speaker position. That will be exciting.”

Teams are made up of three speakers.

Collegiate debating coach Costas Thrasyvoulou travelled to Wellington for the second half of the nationals.

“I started getting nervous when other people started telling me how well she (Simpson) was doing,” he said.

“Liv was the fifth person to be named (on the NZ team) and coincidently, it was the last award of the whole prizegiving. It was all a bit nerve-wracking.

“It isn’t a shock to me because she has been getting better and better every year. She takes it really seriously.”

He said the last female debater from Collegiate to make the national team was Jennifer Dutton (nee Savage), in 2008.

Seven Collegiate students have made the team since its inception in 1988.

“A lot of debaters are really good technically and structurally and produce really good arguments but I think Liv has an extra quality that separates her,” Thrasyvoulou said.

“She brings a bit of humour in and she had a great persona that comes across when she’s speaking.”

Simpson said she argued a lot before getting involved in debating and it had helped turn that into something a bit more constructive.

“People like Mr Thrasyvoulou and my other coaches, who are so passionate about it and give up their time, have been amazing.

“You meet great people too. You become really good friends with them and with the people you go up against.”

The offer of pizza was “a big drawcard” in promoting debating at Collegiate, Thrasyvoulou said.

“That is the food of choice for debaters but there is also a really good culture around it (debating) here.

“Liv and the other guys in the senior team are at a different level, where they feed off each other and coach each other.

“Part of my role is not getting in their way sometimes.”