Pay-to-Win: How Private Coaching is Rigging the Playing Field in Speech and Debate

As you enter the next round of the Debate tournament, your heart is racing. You've spent countless hours preparing, including late-night discussions to polish your points, reviewing your material, and rehearsing your speeches. However, something feels wrong when you stand there and observe the room. Some of the other contestants are a few steps ahead. Their delivery is too smooth, and their arguments are flawlessly polished.

It's not because they're more talented or have worked harder than you. The truth is, they could afford a private coach, and that gives them an edge you can't compete with. It's frustrating, isn't it? Speech and Debate, a platform that should celebrate intelligence and hard work, is now a battleground where wealth provides a fast track to well-formed argumentation. Isn't the essence of Debate to honor intellect, skill, and perseverance? Yet, it's morphing into a 'pay-to-win' game; in part, this is a result of private coaching. The playing field continues to tilt toward those with deep pockets. This shift undermines the focus on learning, reasoning, and fair play that is at the very core of Debate.

Just consider the cost. Most students cannot afford even the lower-end rates, starting at $50 per hour, but can reach $500 an hour, which is what private Speech and Debate coaching can cost. And these instructors? They frequently bring insider expertise from their time as elite debaters. Private coaches are adept at preparing students for success. They can provide students with techniques and ideas that would take years to discover independently. But that knowledge is a treasure chest locked behind a paywall, accessible only to those with the key.

During the competition season, wealthier families can fund individual or team coaching each week, rapidly honing the student’s skills and strategies. Additionally, private coaching provides more than just education. Students receive individualized coaching that focuses on the student’s areas of strength and weakness, equipping the student with tailored strategies to outperform peers. They also gain access to extensive case files, meticulously selected arguments, and strategic blocks designed for success. It's like having a secret weapon in a competition that is supposed to be based on skill and effort.

Meanwhile, students from lower and middle-income families must rely on guidance and coaching from their school’s Debate coach, assuming the school has one. School coaches are stretched thin, balancing teaching, sponsored clubs, and other extracurricular activities. A school coach often does not have the time or resources to give detailed, one-on-one feedback to each student that a private coach is able to provide. And in some cases, students don't have a coach at all, leaving them to figure things out independently.

This financial divide means success in Speech and Debate, which provides a path more about money than merit. A student with a private coach might walk into a tournament with a flawless case backed by hours of expert feedback and polished delivery. That student will be prepared for cross-examination and know how to handle rebuttals, even anticipating the opponent's moves. On the other hand, a student without those resources has a case in which they have written independently, with minimal outside input. This student might be less confident, their arguments less sharp, not because they haven't worked hard, but because they don't have access to the same level of guidance.

One approach to address this inequality is offering scholarships to help students cover the cost of private coaching. Another proactive step would be to tackle the root cause by providing free private coaching services. This would offer the benefits of private coaching without the financial barrier. Keep an eye on @thedebatehotline's Instagram for updates on new initiatives to bridge this gap!