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online debate clubs, camps, tournaments
"My Ready Set Debate club has changed the way I speak and how I think. With the information and experience that debate club has given, I have learned how to change the way people think so that lives can change for the better, and this will help me in the future with job opportunities and giving presentations."
Anuhya D.
Age 13
Now young people, anywhere, can join a debate club, camp, or workshop, make friends, and learn the skills to help them debate at the highest level! That’s because we’ve taken our great Debate League in-person clubs and “gone global” with online debate clubs under the Ready Set Debate banner.
Come grow with us!
Is online
as good?
Maybe better! The heart of debate is all there with our online clubs, as members get to know teammates from all over the country (and sometimes the world). Literally face-to-face with their coaches, teammates, opponents, and judges, members utilize the same skills they’d use in person – presentation skills, perceptual dominance, and, most importantly, persuasion!
What makes us unique
We have seriously cracked the code to rapid learning in debate. If your child has the interest, we have the coaches to leverage that desire into incredible results. View the video below from our August 8, 2020 Ready Set Debate Tournament Final featuring debaters from 11 – 14 years old. These debaters had zero experience in debate 3 months before.
Ready Set Debate members debating the topic:
“U.S. public schools should not reopen
for in-person teaching until a vaccine
for
SARS-CoV-2 is broadly available.”
THE VALUE OF LEARNING DEBATE
“These skills, loosely categorized as elements of emotional intelligence, include the capacity to persevere through setbacks (grit), the facility to bring existing knowledge to a novel situation (creativity), comfort in working with others and knowing when to lead and when to follow (collaboration), the capability to confront the seemingly infinite volumes of information on any topic and select the relevant data (research), and sensitivity to what a target audience is thinking so that such data can be presented persuasively (empathy). The debate curriculum teaches young people much of what they’ll need to know in these areas by active, engaging, and highly direct means.”
From “Making the Case for Teaching Students to Debate”
"
Program director //
Julia Morgan
Julia is the founder of Ready Set Resources, LLC and creator of Speakers League and Ready Set Debate. She has been teaching speech since 2008 and debate since 2014. Julia specializes in simplifying the complex.
"
Head Coach // curriculum consultant
Price Morgan
Price T. Morgan is a twelve-year veteran of speech and debate programs. As a member of the Southern Methodist University IPDA debate team, he won several debate championships including a 2018-2019 national championship title. Price graduated Phi Beta Kappa with dual degrees in economics and public policy in 2019, and now debates in the Pro Division..
use the tabs below To CHOOSE YOUR DIVISION
and select your club
and select your club
Division 1 (ages 8-11)
Division 1
Ages 8-11
No experience necessary.
Division 1 debate focuses on quick, fun, and creative activities, and debate sparring to learn the relevant skills for any format of debate. Debate sparring sessions are short, fun, and easy, one-, two-, or three-person debates on topics that don’t require deep research, e.g., “School uniforms should be required,” “The rise of selfies is a troubling cultural problem,” “Italy vs. England, scoped to food, clothing, and shelter,” etc.
Additional activities are used to instill skills like speaking clearly, note-taking (referred to as flowing), thinking on your feet, organizing your thoughts, being creative and adapting, and determining what is relevant in material.
Emphasis is placed on structuring a case, referred to as the “Constructive,” developing a “Weighing Mechanism” (or “Framework”) (for how the judge should decide the winner), understanding your opponents’ case through “Cross-Examination,” effective techniques for “Rebuttal”, and how to crystallize and convey your win to the judge in a “Summary”.
Some homework is assigned to help reinforce what’s been learned and to prep for debates.
There may be Tournament options available at additional charge, if there is interest from Division 1 members.
Email us at info@readysetdebate.com if you have questions, or enroll now at this link.
DIVISION 1 (ages 8 – 11)
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Days |
Times |
Dues* |
Typical Coach/Member Ratio |
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$50 one-time registration fee +$50/month dues (or $500 annually)* |
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$50 one-time registration fee +$50/month dues (or $500 annually)* |
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$50 one-time registration fee +$50/month dues (or $500 annually)* |
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$50 one-time registration fee +$50/month dues (or $500 annually)* |
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$50 one-time registration fee +$50/month dues (or $500 annually)* |
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* There are no refunds for club registration fees or dues, once paid. Monthly dues are charged year-round even though we don’t meet in the summer. See our faq page for details. Financial aid is available based on need, not merit. |
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Division 2 (ages 12-15)
Division 2
Ages 12-15
No experience necessary.
New members to Division 2 debate clubs learn high-level debating skills that are relevant to any form of debate, through our coaching, training videos, proprietary handbook, in-club and home exercises, debate sparring, and full debates. Additional activities are used to instill skills like speaking clearly, note-taking (referred to as flowing), thinking on your feet, organizing your thoughts, being creative and adapting, and determining what is relevant in material.
Emphasis is placed on structuring a compelling case, referred to as the “Constructive,” developing a “Weighing Mechanism” (or “Framework”) (for how the judge should decide the winner), understanding your opponents’ case through “Cross-Examination,” effective techniques for “Rebuttal”, weighing “Impacts,” and how to crystallize and convey your win to the judge in a “Summary” speech.
A primary focus in Division 2 is to prepare for (and optionally participate in) our four annual tournaments. Tournament topics are chosen through a vote of all Division 2 club members. Typically, members will work on the tournament topic for three meetings, and then interested members can compete on that topic at the online Tournament, either debating with up to two other members from their team, or solo. There is an additional fee to participate in tournaments, to cover professional judges.
2020-2021 Online Tournament Schedule (depending on number of entries, the Tournament may extend into Sunday).
- Saturday, November 21, 2020
- Saturday, February 13, 2021
- Saturday, April 10, 2021
- Saturday, May 29, 2021
Some homework is assigned to help reinforce what’s been learned, and to prep for debates.
Division 2 (ages 12 – 15)
|
Days |
Times |
Dues* |
Typical Coach/Member Ratio |
|
2nd & 4th Mondays (Sept-May) |
5:30pm – 7:30pm (Central) |
$50 one-time registration fee +$50/month dues (or $500 annually)* |
6:1 |
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2nd & 4th Tuesdays (Sept-May) |
11am – 1pm (Central) |
$50 one-time registration fee +$50/month dues (or $500 annually)* |
6:1 |
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2nd & 4th Wednesdays (Sept-May) |
7pm – 9pm (Central) |
$50 one-time registration fee +$50/month dues (or $500 annually)* |
6:1 |
|
1st & 3rd Thursdays (Sept-May) |
11am – 1pm (Central) |
$50 one-time registration fee +$50/month dues (or $500 annually)* |
6:1 |
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1st & 3rd Thursdays (Sept-May) |
1:15pm – 3:15pm (Central) |
$50 one-time registration fee +$50/month dues (or $500 annually)* |
6:1 |
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* There are no refunds for club registration fees or dues, once paid. Monthly dues are charged year-round even though we don’t meet in the summer. See our faq page for details. Financial aid is available based on need, not merit. |
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Division 3 (ages 16-19)
We are currently only taking names of people interested in Division 3. Please email us.
watch the video belowfor an introduction to debate
hear what they say
"Debate really opened the world to my son this year. It challenged him to substantiate his claims, learn how to research a topic, see the advantages and disadvantages of both sides of an argument, and get up and debate."
"I love how Ready Set Debate is preparing me for the future, and I look forward to improving even more. I really appreciate the time and dedication of the coaches.”
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