Resources for Coaches

Welcome Coaches!

Welcome to a new year with SEDA! Whether you're returning or joining us for the first time, we’re thrilled to have you as part of our debate community. Your dedication helps students find their voices and think critically.

Debate club registration and benefits 

Why register?

  • Voting privileges at our Annual General Meeting
  • Access to lesson plans and tailored support
  • Access to a club view to track your clubs registrations
  • **NEW** Access to a $200 credit for your students towards tournament registrations
  • **NEW** There is no fee for club membership!

Student membership fees

Students who want to participate in SEDA events must register as a student member and pay the student membership fee of $50. Additional fees apply for:

  • Online tournaments ($20)
  • In-person tournaments ($40)
  • Workshops (variable pricing)

Financial assistance is available and can be requested on registration forms. A parent or legal guardian must fill in the student membership form.

SEDA will provide coaches with a handout for parents to introduce them to SEDA.

Tournament registration & Schedule

The Event Calendar shows upcoming tournaments. Each event has its own detail page and registration link. Please note:

  • Registration opens a minimum of two weeks before and closes one week before the event
  • Coaches or parents can complete tournament registration. Coaches must know the student’s financial aid preference if submitting
  • You’ll receive a link to track your club’s registrations

Volunteer Judges

Our tournaments depend on volunteer judges to support debaters.

  • Each team must provide one judge (parent, family, friend, teacher) at every event they compete in
  • No experience is needed
  • We offer judge training at every tournament

National Debate Opportunities 

If your students are highly competitive debaters who would like to participate in national debate opportunities, please refer to our qualifying criteria in the programs section of our website. This page will list the national opportunities and how to qualify for them.

 

Administering a Club

Like any other activity, debate requires organization. SEDA takes care of a large portion of the organizational aspect of running tournaments and providing other opportunities for your students. It is a coach’s job to be the link between SEDA and their students

First steps

  1. Contact SEDA to register your club 
  2. Check our Calendar to find upcoming tournaments, workshops, and other events
  3. Host your first meeting as a club and establish future meeting times. 
  4. Start teaching the basics of debate. 

The role of a club

As the head of a club, your base responsibilities involve recruitment and education of students within your community. Make sure you set regular club meetings and have a clear set of rules that align with SEDA’s constitution that you can communicate to your students, and their parents. Beyond the basics, coaches have a role within SEDA as well. It is your responsibility to:

  • Be the officially registered member under which the club’s members register for events
  • Designate one person to vote at the annual general meeting
  • Ensure the club is coached and supervised by an adult at least 18 years old and, if school based, is an acceptable chaperone who will represent the school
  • Host an event ideally once per year (in cooperation with the SEDA office)
  • Participate in the governance of SEDA by having coaches run for a position on the board

As a coach, you also need to make sure your students are paying the appropriate fees so our tournaments can function. Read more about membership options here

Make sure your students are informed and up to date about tournament etiquette so they can be a good representative of their club. 

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