—— DEBATE MATTERS
More students should get to debate.
Debate Matters exists to get this activity to more students. We help schools and leagues build programs, we train the people who run them, and we work with students directly when a coach runs out of hours in the day.
Competitive debate belongs in schools. We work alongside school programs rather than around them, and we support coaches so their students get extra help without being pulled away from their team.
Where a school has no debate program, we can help build one. And for families who want those skills for their child sooner than that, we can design something that works in the meantime.
—— WHAT WE DO
Three ways we grow debate access
Whether you're a student looking for one-on-one coaching, a parent seeking debate education your school doesn't offer, or an institution building a program from scratch, Debate Matters meets you where you are.
—— WHAT WE DO/INSTRUCTION
We connect students with experienced debate coaches, one-on-one and in structured programs. If you're a former debater who loves the activity, we'd love to have you in our network, set your own schedule and get paid to do something you already know well.
01. debate INSTRUCTION
Whether you're preparing for your first tournament or refining advanced argumentation, we match you with a tutor who fits your event, level, and goals. Sessions are flexible and personalized.
TuTORING
Are you a current or former debater: high school, college? Are you a current debate coach? We recruit knowledgeable coaches and tutors to join our network. Set your own schedule and help students grow their skills.
INSTRUCTORS
ProgramS
Some students want more than an hour a week. The LD Seminar runs September through April with weekly lectures and recordings. Our summer camps run two weeks of full immersion.
See our Programs >
—— WHAT WE DO/PROGRAMMING
A summer debate program is one of the highest-return enrichment offerings an institution can run. It fills residence halls in June, attracts motivated students from outside your community, and builds credibility in the academic world.
Debate Matters handles the infrastructure: curriculum design, staff recruitment, and day-to-day operations. You bring the campus. We bring everything else.
Currently at Macalester College, where we run the Minnesota Debate Initiative.
Host a program >
02. HOST A PROGRAM
Your campus. Our program. Students from everywhere else.
—— WHAT WE DO/EVERYWHERE
Debate is worth learning even if nobody ever enters a tournament.
Most people meet this activity through competition, and competition is not the only reason to learn it. Thinking on your feet, building an argument, listening well enough to answer the actual point rather than the one you wish someone had made: those are the skills, and a student can get them without a trophy case.
We help families and schools get access to debate, whatever form that access needs to take.
03. Debate Everywhere
You do not need a team, a tournament, or a season. Some families want debate as academic enrichment rather than as a competitive activity, and that is a reasonable thing to want. We can put your child with someone who teaches the skills themselves: building an argument, answering one, listening closely enough to respond to what was said, and speaking so that people follow.
Some of these students go on to compete. Many never do.
Get your child started >
For Families
Building a debate program from scratch takes more than enthusiasm. It takes the right format, the right materials, and people who understand how debate works in practice. Debate Matters works with organizations ready to bring competitive debate to their community, providing the knowledge and infrastructure to build something sustainable from the start.
Partner with us >
For Schools
—— OUR FOUNDERS
Built by people who have dedicated their careers to debate education
The same expertise that built championship programs is now available to your student, your school, and your community.
Mike Bietz
CO-FOUNDER
Mike Bietz is one of the most accomplished debate educators in the country. As program head at Edina High School and Harvard-Westlake, he coached over 100 entries to the Tournament of Champions in debate, more than any other program head in that period, and is the only coach in history to win both the NSDA and TOC national championships in the same season with two different debaters. His students have earned national titles at the TOC, NSDA Nationals, NDCA Nationals, and Novice Nationals. As Director of Victory Briefs, he grew the summer institute from 90 to over 600 attendees. And with Harvard-Westlake, built the summer program from scratch to over 200 students summer-after-summer.
Gold Key Society inductee, Emory University
TOC Hall of Fame, first coach from Southern California and first Asian American inducted
Former President, National Debate Coaches Association
Chris TheiS
CO-FOUNDER
Chris Theis is one of the most accomplished combined competitor-coaches in Lincoln-Douglas debate of this century.
As a competitor, he is one of only three juniors ever to win the Tournament of Champions and the only two-time champion in the contest's history. As a coach at The Marlborough School and previously at Palos Verdes Peninsula, Lexington, Apple Valley, and Trinity Prep, he has built program after program into national contenders.
As Executive Director of Victory Briefs, he has expanded its summer institutes nationwide and overseen the publication of widely used textbooks and curriculum materials.
Two-time LD TOC Champion, one of only three juniors ever to win
Executive Director, Victory Briefs since 2014
TOC LD Committee, NSDA LD Wording Committee, NDCA Executive Committee
—— OUR MISSION
Debate Belongs to EVERYONE
Debate Matters exists to grow the reach of competitive debate. We believe every student deserves a coach, a classroom, and a place to compete, and we build the programs, partnerships, and pathways to make that possible.
SKILLS THAT LAST
For families who want critical thinking, public speaking, and argumentation skills, you make debate education accessible whether or not they ever compete.
EXPERT MATCHING
Every tutor and coach in our network has genuine competitive experience at a high level. Browse profiles and choose the person who is the right fit for you.
INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERSHIP
We work alongside schools and organizations from planning through execution, handling the debate-specific expertise and operations that most institutions don’t have in-house.
DEBATE BELONGS IN SCHOOLS
Competitive debate is an academic activity, and it belongs inside school communities alongside the coaches, teammates, and programs that make it meaningful. Everything we do is designed to strengthen school-based debate, not replace it.
—— OUR PARTNERS
Built with leading institutions
Our work gains depth and credibility through collaboration with organizations that share our commitment to expanding debate education.
OFFICIAL PARTNER
NATIONAL SPEECH AND DEBATE ASSOCIATION
Working hand-in-hand with the NSDA, Debate Matters is helping design and launch the NSDA Middle School Debate League of Los Angeles, creating structured competitive opportunities for 6th–8th grade students and establishing a pipeline of engaged debaters entering high school programs.
Learn more at LADebates.org >
INSTITUTIONAL PARTNER
Macalester College
Debate Matters is partnering with Macalester College, through the Macalester Forensics Team, to build their summer debate workshop, bringing together curriculum design, staff selection, and operational planning to create a rigorous and welcoming commuter & residential debate experience rooted in Macalester's values.
Learn more at MinnesotaDebateInitiative.com >
—— WHO WE SERVE
Wherever Debate Happens, WE Can Help
Students, families, schools, and national organizations, debate access looks different for everyone. We meet each of them where they are.
Students
From middle school beginners to competitive high school debaters, we connect students with coaches who meet them at their level, whatever event, whatever goal.
Parents & Families
If your child's school doesn't offer debate, we do. We help families access the critical thinking, public speaking, and argumentation skills that debate uniquely develops.
Schools & Colleges
We partner with institutions ready to launch or scale summer debate programs, from first-year summer camps to established residential workshops.
Organizations & Leagues
We work alongside national organizations like the NSDA to build infrastructure, develop curriculum, and expand competitive access at every level.
—— GET INVOLVED
LET’S TALK
Debate Matters works with students, families, schools, and organizations at every level. Whatever brings you here, we want to hear from you.
If you’re interested in becoming a tutor, please go directly to application.