This past weekend, WUDL took 44 students and 11 adults up to New York for the NY Fall Face-Off. This tournament brings together the best competition from the NE and the Mid-Atlantic, which really serves as a mid-way evaluation point – how do you stack up and what work do you have to do for the second semester. 

This tournament also serves as a qualifier for the Tournament of Champions. Coming into the tournament, BASIS DC’s Jack and Margaret had already qualified for the competition, but teammates Sitara and Daniella were still one bid short. Many other WUDL teams are in the hunt, advancing to elimination rounds at previous tournaments. 

Competitions like this have high stakes and tensions run high. Sometimes, that tension can manifest and questionable ways. As our students spoke up and made their arguments this weekend, they ran into racism and harassment from several opposing coaches who let the excitement of competition overshadow their role as educators and role models, and mockery from more affluent opponents. 

Despite the adversity, our students made their arguments, won their rounds, and took the high road. 

The competitive outcomes couldn’t be better: 

BASIS DC’s Sitara and Daniella got their 2nd bid to the Tournament of Champions, booking their tickets to Kentucky this spring. After qualifying as sophomores, the first in league history, now they get to do so again as seniors, and to do so with company. 

Teammates Jack and Margaret had already qualified, and actually got their 3rd bid to the tournament, and did so in dramatic fashion. 

Losing their qualifying round to a strong team from Bronx Science, they pivoted their entire advocacy to object to Bronx leaving D.C. out of their advocacy. Donning a “Free DC” shirt, Jack and Margaret went all in the importance of recognizing D.C. and how its omission has led to a history of abuse and racism. 

Both teams have used their platforms to advocate for real world issues, testing strategies and tactics and raising awareness of important issues in their communities. 

BASIS DC was hardly the only team that had a good weekend, though they were our only elim participants this weekend. Tournaments this large usually break to a “Double – Octo” final, aka the top 32 for elimination, but this one stayed with the top 16 despite the expanded field of competitors. 

Teammates Leah / Saron had a bad news bears outcome this weekend, finishing 4-2 but not advancing to elimination rounds on speaker points. 

DC International’s Addie / Toumani also went 4-2, particularly impressive as a freshman – freshman partnership, with Toumani going to his first regional with a partner he doesn’t usually compete with. 

School Without Walls Simone / Amelia, and Marie-Celeste / Bobby, DC International’s Ella / Marianne, siblings Madison / Marshall of Banneker,  and Forest Park’s Marcus / Salaar also went 3-3, a great outcome for a bunch of relatively inexperienced folks. 

Big shout out to all the folks who helped out this weekend: 

WUDL Staff: Danielle Dupree, McAlister Clabaugh, and Dennis Martinez

Alumni: Stephan Agbor (College Park, now at Towson), Parker McCauley (Banneker, now at Howard), Alex Montgomery (Girls Global, coaching at Digital Pioneers), Eric Esparza (DuVal, now at PGCCC), Eric Clarke (Columbia Heights, now in grad school at Georgetown, coaching at Walls) and Aisha Bah (E. Roosevelt, now at Wesleyan, Coaching at E. Roosevelt), along with Coaches Messai Yigletu (BASIS DC) and Larry Jones (Digital Pioneers)

Come out and join us Dec. 13th and Dec. 20th for our local competitions before Christmas!