How to join
No experience is needed to join, and none is expected. The coaching staff teaches the fundamentals from the beginning and works with new debaters until they are ready for their first rounds.
Joining at a glance
- Who can join
- Any student at Whitefish Bay High School, in any grade.
- When
- Any time during the fall semester. The season starts in early October.
- Practice
- Mondays and Wednesdays at lunch, and Thursdays after school.
- Cost to start
- Nothing. No fees are due on the first day and there is no equipment to buy.
- Sign up
- Email Coach Clark at charles.clark@wfbschools.com, come to a practice, or join the team's Remind group with the code @debatewfb.
Earlier is better, because the season starts in early October, but nobody is turned away for showing up late.
Practice
| When | Where |
|---|---|
| Mondays and Wednesdays, during the lunch period | Whitefish Bay High School |
| Thursdays, after school | Whitefish Bay High School |
Practice is where cases get written, evidence gets found and rounds get run against teammates.
What to bring on the first day
- Something to take notes on. A Chromebook is ideal.
- A good attitude.
- An open mind.
- A willingness to debate.
That is the whole list, and a student does not have to know which event they want yet.
Three ways to sign up
- Email Coach Clark at charles.clark@wfbschools.com.
- Come to a practice. Any of the three above. No notice needed.
- Join the team's Remind group with the code @debatewfb, which is how practice changes, tournament deadlines and travel details reach students and families.
Parents are welcome to email on a student's behalf.
What happens next
New debaters learn one event first, practice rounds against teammates, and go to their first tournament when they and the coach agree they are ready. Students choose which tournaments they attend; a typical Wisconsin tournament is a Saturday at a host high school, arriving around 8:00 AM and competing into the afternoon.
The parent questions page covers costs, travel, the time commitment and what parents are asked to do.