National circuit debate is really competitive. It’s supposed to be,  a gathering of the smartest and most dedicated students in the country who are well versed in this year’s topic, government policy, critical theory, social movements and so much more. Many teams are coached by former debaters and full time coaches and most come from privileged backgrounds. By the time they get to Varsity, they likely have several years of experience and have been to at least one intensive 5-7 week summer camp at a prestigious university like Dartmouth, Wake Forest, or Georgetown. 

We have no doubts that WUDL students belong in these spaces. They are just as smart and talented as anyone out there, and should be in every space they want to be in. 

Overcoming the barriers to get our students ready to compete with the best out there has always started with building an eco-system of outstanding local debate that helps students grow and challenge each-other. It also starts with a robust middle school debate program so that students can get even more experience and practice. This eco-system encourages students to work hard, learn from each other, and improve. 

We are exceedingly excited about the accomplishments of this generation of debaters. We reached new heights last weekend, and hope to have many more great moments this season. But as we celebrate these moments, however, I can’t help reflect and acknowledge that they are standing on the shoulders of giants. Each generation of great competitors who came before them set the standard, and often come back and coach now. 

Keoni started it all, making creative strides that took the wider debate community 150 years to make (like invent the critique) in 5 months, and writing cases out of books that we had to go to the Library of Congress to find in English. He, Noah Hinnant, Dash Thompson, and the first generation of WUDL debaters went to these national competitions and won our first trophies. Keoni graduated, and began to coach, passing his wisdom to the next generation, and Noah now coaches at their alma mater, Largo High School. 

They handed the torch to folks like Jonathan Collins, Justin Sayoto, Ernest Ntangu, Paola Almendarez, Lola Rogin, and many others, who led the league competitively pre-pandemic. Zara Escobar and Lucy Chamberlain went to elimination rounds 5 tournaments in a row as under-classmen before the pandemic hit. Many of this generation too began to coach. Ernest restarted a middle school team (Oyster) that would go on to 3 straight (and counting) Middle School Nationals trips, and Zara would run her own team for years, including coaching last year’s national qualifiers for two years. 

While participation grew in WUDL during the pandemic, it was the most competitive elements that took a step back. Competing at this level is hard, and the loses that come with stepping up to a new difficulty level were much harder to absorb when you were alone in your room instead surrounded by the camaraderie of your team. Kailey Ramlal and Michelle Njoku pushed the envelope creatively, and along with Clarke Dickens, Dennis Martinez and Alexa Figueroa, kept the competitive spirit going, reaching new heights in English and Spanish during the first year of the pandemic. Emmanuel Makinde, Nathaniel Banjo and others kept the competitive standard high even as the exhaustion of the 2nd pandemic year kicked in. Dennis and Alexa both coach when they can, and Emmanuel went on to be the first WUDL alumni to compete at the TOC. Kailey wants to learn how to tab. 

Liv Birnstad, Joey Villaflor, and others carried the torch out of the pandemic last year as powerful mentors and role models. A new generation that was debating in person for the first time got to see them make a TOC bid run last season, and see that when they didn’t make it, they’d shrug it off, and come help the novices who were still competing. Each generation has grown, improved, and challenged those who came behind them to be even better. The spark of achievement can be traced straight back to the beginning through the friendly rivalries of great young people, all off to change the world.  

While Keoni passed away 4 years ago, I’d like to think he’s smiling down on us, seeing what he helped start. A natural leader and coach, I know that if he were still here with us, he’d have been huddled in the corner of the prep room with us, cheering the newest generation on and sharing his wisdom. He is sorely missed.