Participation in speech and debate requires a significant time commitment—often greater than that of a typical school subject. Students are expected to attend weekly club meetings for instruction, guidance, and practice. In addition to club time, varsity students should plan on dedicating at least 2 hours a week outside of meetings to research, write, and prepare their speeches and debate materials.

While the amount of time invested varies by student, growth and success in competition are closely tied to both the quality and consistency of that investment. For team-based debate and speech events, we strongly encourage students and their families to have open conversations about availability and expectations to ensure alignment between partners and households.