Notre Dame’s Speech and Debate Team gives students the opportunity to compete in collegiate debate formats and offers students the chance to develop critical thinking, public speaking and leadership skills.
The team participates in two primary styles of debate: International Public Debate Association and British Parliamentary. These formats involve structured rounds of timed speeches and rebuttals, with topics ranging from international relations to domestic policy.
Debate topics are also given at varying times, some being announced weeks in advance, others being released 25 minutes before a round begins. According to junior Sam Marchand, president of the team, this helps team members work faster on their feet.
“You have to organize logic immediately, in a way that’s not rehearsed, to portray your intellect,” he said.
The team holds practice on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with general meetings on Mondays. Junior Z Zavala, current vice president and acting president while Marchand is abroad, organizes practices and ensures members are prepared for competitions.
“I host the meetings, coordinate with the coach and make sure every individual who wants to compete gets signed off,” Zavala explained. “We do practice debates, strategy reviews and help people understand the structure of arguments.”
New members also receive extra support through beginner-focused sessions and mentorship pairings.
“We keep things slow for those who are new,” Zavala added. “We do icebreakers every week so everyone can get to know each other. It’s much less intimidating when you know the other person is also struggling with a midterm in chemistry.”
George LaMaster, program director of the Notre Dame Scholars’ Program, serves as the team’s advisor. He has been involved in speech and debate since the 1980s and is now teaching a class on speech and debate to help coach students on the subject. In his position, LaMaster handles logistics such as tournament registration and judge coordination.
“My hope is that this will grow into a vital University program,” he said. “Once upon a time, Notre Dame had one of the best programs in the country.”
LaMaster shared stories of the team’s legacy, including a tradition of public debates with the Navy debate team before football games. He also has national championship debate trophies from the ‘50s and ‘60s in his office.
“There’s a long and rich tradition here,” he said. “We’re trying to bring it back.”
Members can walk away from debate with more than just wins, however. Marchand shared that students can also learn well-rounded information and create conversation maps.
“Debaters can develop encyclopedic knowledge of current affairs,” Marchand said. “They can map out any conversation and spin logic to make their position predominant.”
LaMaster emphasized the deeper benefits on a personal level, saying, “They develop confidence, which is key to any professional field.”
A common cause of pride among those who run the organization is the idea of teammembers developing competence and quick-thinking skills that they could use anywhere.
“It’s amazing to see how they grow. I love not only seeing them gain confidence, but also seeing what they achieve,” Zavala said. “The light in their eyes when they find out they made it to semis, it’s incredible.”
The team’s hard work paid off at their first tournament of the season on Sept. 28. Competing against a field of 19 universities, the team earned second place overall. Sophomore Jack Johnson was named tournament champion in Varsity Debate while freshman Joanna Luan secured second place in Novice Debate within the IPDA.
The team welcomes students from all backgrounds and experience levels, including those from Holy Cross College and Saint Mary’s College. LaMaster also noted how diverse the team community is, showing the importance of a group that is not only intellectually strong, but also one that has a range of opinions.
For students unsure about joining, Marchand encouraged them to give it a try.
“There’s no other activity that shows off the power of your mind like debate,” Marchand said.
Zavala added that the skills gained from speech and debate will help students in their personal development.
“Even going to one practice, you’ll feel yourself progressing. You can only gain benefits from joining,” Zavala said.
