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Building a successful debate and speech team is not just about skill development—it's about fostering a culture of collaboration, shared growth, mutual accountability, and inclusivity. Effective team building and well-organized practice sessions help transform a group of individual competitors into a dynamic, supportive, and high-performing team. Whether your program is just beginning or expanding internationally, intentional planning around team development and practice structure will ensure long-term success.
Building a Team Culture
Building a Team Culture
Foster Inclusion & Belonging
New members, especially those with limited English proficiency or public speaking anxiety, need to feel safe and encouraged. Strategies include:
o Pairing novices (new debaters) with experienced mentors
o Celebrating progress, not just trophies
o Encouraging every voice during meetings and critiques
Students who feel included are more likely to grow, stay involved, and eventually lead. Thinking through how to structure the team is also important – will there be event captains? A team president? Providing leadership roles inspires students to stay involved and support their teammates.
Define Your Mission & Values
Start by clarifying your team’s purpose and identity. Ask questions such as:
o Why do we debate? Why do we participate in speech events?
o What do we value on our team? Respect, effort, excellence, inclusion?
o How do we want to grow together? How do we handle disputes or disagreements?
Make these values visible—in team meetings, handbooks, and recruitment materials. A shared mission empowers students to take ownership and pride in their program.
Celebrate Wins - Both Big & Small!
Recognition fuels motivation! Be sure to celebrate:
o Tournament achievements
o “Firsts” (first round won, first speech delivered)
o Improvement over time
o Acts of leadership and sportsmanship
Highlight milestones at team meetings, on social media, and through team awards.
Recruiting & Maintaining Team Members
Recruiting & Maintaining Team Members
Successful programs plan for both short- and long-term team growth. Some recruitment tips include:
o Host demo debates or performances at school events
o Visit English, social studies, or drama classes
o Invite interested students to a no-pressure intro session
o Use peer ambassadors and social media to spread the word
Focus on attracting diverse talents—not just traditional “strong speakers.” Interpretation, research, logistics, and tech skills are all vital.
Recruitment only matters if you can retain your students. Some tips for retention include:
o Provide early wins: low-stakes scrimmages or novice tournaments
o Assign students meaningful roles (e.g., outreach coordinator, warm-up leader)
o Keep practices engaging and student-centered
Retention grows when students feel like they’re part of a team!
Organizing Practice rounds
Organizing Practice rounds
Effective practices are the engine of a successful team. They help students internalize skills, refine arguments, and build chemistry.
Structure of Weekly Practice
Aim for two to three practice sessions per week, adapted to your students’ schedules and school resources.
Suggested weekly breakdown:
o Day 1: Skill-building and drills (e.g., rebuttal sparring, interpretation critique)
o Day 2: Practice rounds or speech run-throughs
o Day 3: Research sessions, team meetings, or topic prep
Balance structure with flexibility—don’t over-program every minute. Leave space for Q&A, peer feedback, and fun.
Setting Up Debate Practice Rounds
Whether in Public Forum or World Schools Debate, rounds should follow formal tournament procedures whenever possible. Use Tabroom.com ballots, timers, and judge roles.
Tips Setting Up Debate Practice Rounds:
o Rotate judging duties among students and coaches
o Use video recording for self-review
o Pair stronger and weaker teams to ensure growth opportunities
o Practice both sides of the resolution regularly
o In World Schools, simulate impromptu rounds with limited prep time (45 mins or less). For Public Forum, assign practice topics based on current or past TOC resolutions.
Structuring Speech Practices
Speech events benefit from targeted coaching and repeated performance.
Tips for Structuring Speech Practices:
o Create “speech blocks” where students perform in rotation (OO, DI, Impromptu)
o Use warm-ups (tongue twisters, emotion lines, topic spins) to loosen up
o Provide written and verbal feedback immediately
o Focus on one element per round (e.g., introduction, transitions, vocal variety)
o Interpretation students benefit from standing rehearsals, character development exercises, and script annotation.
Using Technology to Organize Practice & Feedback
Take advantage of free and low-cost tools to streamline your practices.
o Google Drive/Dropbox: Organize cases, scripts, topic briefs, and ballots
o Tabroom.com: Register for tournaments, track feedback
o Remind or Slack: Communicate schedule updates and reminders
o Canva or Notion: Create team calendars, handbooks, or shared goals
o Create templates for practice rounds, ballots, and feedback forms to save time and maintain consistency.
Mentorship & Peer Feedback
Mentorship & Peer Feedback
One of the most powerful tools in team building is a structured peer feedback model. It empowers students to take ownership and builds a learning community.
Mentorship Models
o Novice/Varsity Pairing: Experienced students guide new ones on events, tournament prep, and confidence-building.
o Leadership Pods: Divide the team into groups with student leaders responsible for communication and morale.
o Topic Leads: In PF or WSD, assign certain students to lead prep on specific motions or issues.
Peer Feedback Framework
Encourage a simple, repeatable model like:
o “Glow, Grow, Goal”
o Glow: What worked well
o Grow: What needs improvement
o Goal: One actionable next step
Coach-facilitated feedback sessions can also help reinforce judging standards and build critique skills.
Planning Team Goals
Planning Team Goals
Set team goals at the beginning of each semester or season. Examples include:
o Qualify 2 teams to TOC
o Host a scrimmage with another school
o Launch an outreach program to recruit middle school students
o Publish a newsletter or social media update after each tournament
Make goals visible, trackable, and inclusive—everyone should contribute to and benefit from team progress.
Building Tradition & Identity
Building Tradition & Identity
The strongest teams have a sense of identity that outlasts any individual class or captain.
Ideas for building tradition & identity:
o Create a team motto, logo, or colors
o Establish rituals: pre-tournament chants, post-tournament reflections
o Keep a team archive of photos, recordings, and success stories
o Host an end of year awards ceremonies and create custom awards for Best Debater, MVP, Most Improved, etc.
o Invite alumni back to judge or lead sessions
These traditions become part of your school’s culture and make the program more sustainable.
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