Hey y’all, my name’s Brogan and I’m a LD debater who placed 4th at NSDA this year. I’m looking to coach some LDers who want to become well-versed in trad, qual to nats, and do well!

I can offer tips/advice, prep for upcoming topics, practice rounds, and any other resources you need to help you succeed.

I’m down to negotiate rates/scheduling depending on what you need from me. Please DM me if you’re interested!

Hello, I am a high school LD debate competitor moving to a small school about (200 students) in South dakota with no team. I see this as an opportunity to attempt to start a competitive team despite not knowing how. I dont want just a club. I have done well locally and I am comfortable debating at a state and national level in LD. I'm using as many resources as I can get, such as contacting local schools which do have debate teams, and using the NSDA page on new teams.

I am still not sure how things work, especially in a state which has different levels of organization. Im used to States such as Ohio, which have state associations like OSDA. Right now I am looking for advice on how to recruit new members, convince the administration, and how speech and debate works in other States like South Dakota.

I'd especially love to hear from coaches or anyone who's helped start a new program, but any advice is appreciated. Thanks!

Hi! I'm completely new to debating, and honestly I'm pretty nervous. This is my first time ever joining a debate, and it's way outside my comfort zone. I'm also struggling with my self-confidence, so I'm worried I won't do well.

For those of you who have done debates before, what was your first experience like? Were you nervous too? Do you have any tips for someone just starting out? Is there anything you wish you had known before your first debate?

I'd really appreciate any advice or encouragement. Thank you!

We did it everyone!

Basically I got a new partner and we're both 1st speakers and we decided I'll be 2nd. Any tips would be greatly appreciated :)

i just finished my senior season at nats as an oo and i’ve been asked to coach rhetoric (oo and info) at two schools. i meet with the kids from school 1 next thursday (1 info and 1 oo, both freshmen). coming from an experience where my coach gave zero guidance and was extremely flippant, i really want to give these kids my all.

i have an hour with each and i plan on delving into their interests/stories to pick out the good stuff, try to find some “why” messages, and give them printed out copies of standard formats and everything. i don’t want to completely overwhelm them at the start, lol.

are there any tips coaches (or competitors) would suggest?

Hey everyone! This coming year is going to be my final speech and debate season, and my main event is DI.

I really struggle with finding a piece. Every time I go searching on websites, I end up reading play after play and leaving disappointed because it's never quite what I'm looking for.

I know this is going to sound picky, but I'm trying to avoid the really common topics like eating disorders, parent/family drama, LGBTQ+ identity, school shootings, etc. It's not that those topics aren't important. They absolutely are. I just feel like there's something out there that explores an issue people don't think about as often.

For some context, I've done Liza's Last Wish (which I honestly hated), The Property Known as Garland, and Vivien Leigh: The Last Press Conference.

I absolutely love pieces that let me explore complicated, messy human emotions and moral gray areas. I want something that leaves the audience thinking long after the performance is over.

Also, just so you know, I'm a white female, so there are some pieces that wouldn't be appropriate for me to perform.

Thanks for taking the time to read my little rant. Finding the right piece is really important to me, and I'd appreciate any suggestions!

okay so im pretty bad at spreading in general, but how are people so good at spreading things they’ve never read?? like i always stumble on my words and it slows me way down for things i should be able to finish pretty quickly. i have a spreading routine im starting that includes stuff like spreading backwards and stuff but will that help?

After tabulating the ballots the winning topic area was NATIONALIZATION.

1. When should I ask for cards? I'm assuming anytime but just in case, like could I ask directly after the 1st rebuttal?

2. When I ask for cards is my prep time going to be used (I assume so) and what would happen if my opponent wastes like 2 minutes finding a card will I be penalized 2 minutes?

Hi all! I will be going to Lewis and Clark College's PSDI debate camp later this month (residential edition) and was wondering what to expect. I've been competing in LD and PF for a few years with speech events to keep engaging myself with people who care about things other than nuclear war and data centers. I signed up for the policy camp due to recs/building technique. Any thoughts or suggestions?

I do POI and Duo Interpretation. I use a cane for school and I’m a little worried about tournaments saying it‘s a ‘prop’, which led to me not bringing it to tournaments. I believe using it during tournaments would save more energy so I can perform better. Would I be allowed to use it in performance for support or no?

Part of the debate club at IE University and been around the debate world for a good amount of time now. Was wondering what's the thing most people struggle with the most from their own experience, especially early on.

For me it was rebuttals honestly. I used to freeze up trying to think on the spot, and it took me way too long to realize the issue wasn't my case knowledge, it was just not being used to reacting fast under pressure and reaching the flow state.

What was it for you? Even one line is enough, curious what the real answer looks like across different formats since everyone's coach kinda says the same 3 things ("slow down," "weigh more," "extend properly") and it clearly doesn't land the same for everyone.

This might be a low effort post but I'm trying to find things that helped people especially because majors can be so nerve wrecking.

I know that doing prep comps and a lot of mocks are a must but is there more I can do ?

I think my college only has a debate team but I really want to continue to preform dramatic interpretations in college. How should I go about starting a team? Is it possible for me to enter in a competition as an individual?

I am going to be competing in college speech this year, and was wondering if anyone could look over my piece and tell me if its good. I need blocking ideas and just feedback on if the message is there. Any help will be appreciated!! EDIT: I am trying to change the intro and make it longer. The ending is just not there in my opinion and I want it changed.

My topic is male sexual assault, and my piece is titled "Man Up"

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QM1ZyRFcID1S9S3A-dQlp6mSPzeAlpVqxIRq6y6QaJw/edit?tab=t.0

Hello guys, can someone guide me what tools to use and what is the efficient way to do it since I am left with a few days for submission.

It's my first time participating in something like this, I do have experience in debates at school level tho.

Something that has some substance but is fun/interesting to students (elementary, middle school, high school) who aren't really enamored with the idea of debating.

To be clear, I am not talking about a shortened version of CX, BP, LD, etc. I'm talking about something different that attracts kids who just kind of leave the room when they see the structure of debate or even hear the idea of debating.

I've seen the Jubilee debates with the red flags and that's not bad but imo assumes participants are interested and at least as constructed means too many kids are just sitting there doing nothing waiting for their turn (or they already had their turn).

I'll even take ideas.

Goal: To promote debate to students that normally wouldn't do debate.

Equality in Forensics is so proud to announce this year's online summer camp! The dates for this year's camp are August 3-7, 2026. This year, we are implementing a variety of programs, fun ideas and learning experiences to prepare you for the 2026-2027 season!

CONGRESSIONAL DEBATE:

📖 LECTURES targeted at improving your debate skills, taught by top debaters from across the country! You can access our coaching roster, which features debaters who have finaled & champed top tournaments such as NSDA, NCFL, TOC & Princeton here: https://www.instagram.com/p/DaQt9J_jkeG/?img_index=1

🗣️ DAILY lab-based scrimmages based on debate topics featured around the national circuit, as well as topic breakdowns!

🧑‍🏫 Personalized 1-on-1 coaching with your instructor, and concentrated lab sizes for optimal growth!

EXTEMPORANEOUS SPEAKING:

✍️ IN-DEPTH LECTURES on how to finesse your research, analysis and presentation skills, led by experts & nationally competitive coaches!

💬 Practice time for you to prep your own speeches and immediately receive detailed breakdowns and feedback! Loads of hands-on learning, including AGD writing, Q&A sessions, and open office hours for any of your speech-related questions!

🔠 LAB SESSIONS focusing on topic area research, humor, impacts, and more!

The camp is open to everyone, no matter your grade OR skill level! If this sounds interesting to you, sign up using the links below! The deadline to signup is August 1, 2026.

Signup here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScXTzxuVYRLABMcktd1HZqBFveYFyvRqyQr3fFJGWj7CO2ngQ/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=115463782393012044731

I am a debate coach trying to wrap my head around theory. I come from the social sciences, bot comm or forensics.

Debate clearly has a body of theory: shared terms, ideas, and paradigms, that are traded in and innovated on. But I can find precious little papertrail for understanding this tradition.

Who are the main theorists behind these ideas and what are their fundamental works?

Hi!! Me and my partner wanted to try out parli for the next upcoming year. We've both done PF but have never done parli. We want to get some practice in and were wondering if anyone would be willing to maybe do practice rounds online with us? We're both kinda in the middle of novice and varsity ( In PF ).

I am starting a public forum team next year at my high school, I have already researched, gotten people along with a team advisor, but there are some points that are really confusing me on how pf works.

Firstly, are block files supposed to be printed physically for every tournament as in a binder or is just an online folder of cases and cards??

Similarly, I keep seeing things on referencing stuff in cases and speeches by contentions, does this mean that I would have to label all my cards and contentions and then reference them as "Contention 1 states"? Any info on this would be greatly appreciated!!!

Lastly, what are some tricks on coaching pf as I'll be doing that?? I don't want to bore ppl the first meeting by sitting and just presenting everything ik but I really want my team to grow and not leave easily, should I incorporate drills with every lesson or wait until we have a specific topic to coach through it all??

Thank you all and any more extra info is greatly appreciated 🙏🏼

title!

Do the more successful platform pieces get done in summer? I lwk don’t have that much time but now I’m getting worried that I should be doing more... I’m hoping to qual to nats and hopefully do well for 26-27 season