Speech and Debate Team Starter Kit: Coach Handbook, Meeting Agendas & More

Start your speech and debate season with confidence! This comprehensive Speech and Debate Team Starter Kit provides new and seasoned coaches with everything needed to build, manage, and grow a successful high school forensics program. Forget spending months compiling forms and handbooks—this premium, print-and-go resource has it all.

Designed specifically for high school speech and debate coaches and advisors, this mega-resource includes a fully editable team handbook, 36 weeks of structured meeting agendas, 20 skill-building practice drills, a budget request template, tournament checklists, a judging training guide, and so much more.

📋 WHAT’S INCLUDED (100+ Pages of Premium Content):

1. Team Handbook (20+ Pages) A complete, customizable handbook covering team mission, code of conduct, speech & debate event overviews (PF, LD, Policy, Congress, OO, DI, HI, etc.), attendance policies, academic eligibility, dress code, parent communication guidelines, a comprehensive glossary, FAQ, and a signature acknowledgment page.

2. 36 Meeting Agenda Templates An entire season of structured 90-minute practice plans (Weeks 1–36)! Each agenda includes a weekly theme, objectives, group instruction topics, breakout session activities, and coach notes sections. Progresses logically from kickoff and event selection to championship prep and end-of-year wrap-up.

3. Event Calendar Planner A season-overview matrix, a blank monthly planning calendar, and a tournament date tracker to keep your team's schedule organized and communicate key dates to families.

4. 20 Practice Drill Library Targeted, skill-specific drills covering vocal delivery (One-Breath, Pen-in-Mouth), physical performance (Character Walk, Pop & Freeze), debate strategy (4-Step Refutation, Impact Calculus, Rapid-Fire CX), and extemporaneous speaking. Each drill includes an objective, time estimate, materials needed, step-by-step instructions, and a Coach's Pro-Tip.

5. Student Recruitment Flyer A premium, ready-to-print recruitment poster. Simply customize the bracketed placeholders with your school's info and post it in hallways to recruit your next team members!

6. Budget Request Template A detailed, line-item budget spreadsheet (pre-filled with common speech and debate expenses like NSDA memberships, tournament fees, and travel) and a justification narrative guide to help you secure funding from administration.

7. Tournament Preparation Checklist Never miss a detail with four comprehensive checklists: 2 Weeks Out, 1 Week Out, Day of the Tournament, and Post-Tournament.

8. Judging Training Guide A complete workshop for parent and community judges. Covers judging philosophy, speech vs. debate event criteria, speaker points rubric (1-30 scale), ballot writing do's and don'ts, and two practice scoring exercises to train your judges with confidence.

🎯 SKILLS COVERED:

Public Speaking & Stage Presence Argumentation & Logical Reasoning (Claim-Warrant-Impact) Cross-Examination Techniques Research & Evidence Evaluation Extemporaneous Speaking Prep Interpretation & Character Development Refutation & Clash Time Management & Organization 🛠️ HOW TO USE:

This resource is designed to be customized. Simply print the PDF and write in your specific details, or use a PDF editor (like Adobe Acrobat) or the Kami extension to type your school's name, dates, and coach information directly into the bracketed placeholders. Print the drills, agendas, and checklists as needed for each practice!

🎓 GRADE SUITABILITY:

Specifically designed for Grades 9–12 (High School). The content, event overviews, and glossary terms align directly with NSDA (National Speech & Debate Association) high school competition rules and expectations.