Why Debate?

Debating can take time and effort, yet millions of people have found it a rewarding experience.

Debating is fun. You may debate with a partner and against others. You will make friends and meet interesting people. You will engage in thrilling contests and perhaps travel to other locations to stage debates.

Debating is a sport of the mind and voice. You compete using your brain and your voice. You have a chance to win and learn. Unlike some sports that require speed, height, or other special physical characteristics, debate is for everyone. You don’t have to be book-smart or test-smart to be a good debater. If you feel you can learn and if you think you are clever, debate is for you.

You control debating. You speak, you pick the arguments, and you develop your strategy. No one tells you what to do; in debate you can create your own agenda and follow ideas and issues that interest you. While program producers may have suggestions, whether or not to accept them is up to you.

Debating creates the skills you need for success. Studies show that employers are looking for people with oral communication skills, and debate helps develop these. Studies also show that those with good oral communication skills are identified as “leaders” and get promoted faster on the job. Debating will help you succeed wherever your life may lead, long after this series of debates has concluded. We are constantly engaged in a struggle to improve our lives and those of the people around us. Through debate your voice can be a powerful instrument for change—in your community, in your nation, in your world, and in the future