Introduction
Tailored Program
Who is this for?
Program Director
#1 Ranked Faculty
Our Lectures
Tournament Schedule
Student Testimonials
The Schedule
Tuition and Fees
FAQ

The 2026-2027 National Debate Club (Travel Team)

A full service competitive team elevating students to the highest levels of debate competition. NDC is where small group coaching meets large team resources.

Add to CartBook a Consultation
130+

Bids

450+

Students Coached

98%

Student Satisfaction

3000+

Rounds

40+

Championships

Early Bird Reg Deadline


May 15th, 2026

Registration Deadline


Rolling

Classes Begin

August 15th, 2025

First Tournament

First week of September

The only debate academy that won't charge extra for coaching hours

A Tailored Program to Make Top Debate Champions.

See Our ResultsIndependent Entries
Drill Sessions & Lectures Weekly

In addition to weekly classes, students will engage in practice and small seminar-style learning sessions focusing on collapsing, weighing, and more! The supplemental programming includes practice rounds, drills specific to each skill, and lectures by our expert coaches.

90-Minute Weekly Classes

Our weekly 90-minute classes are the core of the NDC program. Taught by the same teacher all season*, the sessions focus on the everchanging topic landscape and foundational skills such as efficiency and round vision. To maximize individualized teaching, each group is kept to four to six students.

No Tournament Upcharges

Yes, that's right. Unlike other debate clubs, we provide our tournament services for the National Debate Club at cost, meaning we will not profit off of taking students to competitions. Online tournaments generally range from $125-$200, including all fees and judging. In-person tournaments cost $750-$1500, covering all expenses.

All Team Practices (New)

Bi-weekly sessions open to every NDC member, on top of regular small group practices. These are large-format sessions designed to build team cohesion and expose students to a wider range of arguments and speaking styles. Our 6:1 student-to-coach ratio keeps them targeted — no generic lectures, just semi-private coaching where every debater gets real feedback on their individual performance.

Smallest Student to Teacher Ratio

NDC's unique ethos emphasizes personalized attention as critical. We offer semi-private instruction focused on individual growth, avoiding cookie-cutter slide shows. Our best-in-industry (6:1) student-to-teacher ratio is just the beginning, ensuring each student's development is tailored & specific.

Who is this for?

Competitive PF debaters in middle and high school who want more than a school team can offer — dedicated coaching, national-circuit tournament access, and a team culture built around getting better every week. Whether you're trying to break at your first regional or qualify for TOC, NDC meets you where you are and pushes you forward.

Tournament Logistics

Tournament Logistics

Competing at tournaments is essential to being a top debater. At CDA, we handle all the travel logistics. In fact, we offer all of these services at cost, meaning we do not make money from tournaments, keeping competition as affordable as possible.

Prestigious Tournaments

We offer a robust schedule of both in-person and online TOC bid tournaments. Our teams consistently attend Harvard, Grapevine, Stanford, and dozens more.

Full Logistic Service

We understand that parents have lives of their own and cannot take their kids to tournaments every weekend or don’t have the time to coordinate schedules with partners and look up flights and hotels. At CDA, we handle everything from judge registration to hotels and flights. With our exclusive corporate partnerships, we ensure the lowest travel prices available.

Seminars

Seminars

In addition to classes, prep, and practice rounds. The NDC Elite Staff holds multiple lectures a month focused on complex topics like the settler colonialism K or how to break the “clash” of a certain topic.

Taught by Experts

With such a talented coaching staff, our lectures are given by experts in the subject, ensuring a nuanced understanding by students and an engaging lecture.

Engaging Presentations

Our seminars are not simply words on a slide show, we make it a point of emphasis to engage students through questions and drills throughout the session. It's an active learning experience.

Prep Support

Prep Support

Every top-debater has been a top researcher. At the National Debate Club we focus on teaching efficient research strategies while also providing necessary prep support throughout the topics.

100s of Pages of Coach Made Prep

For every topic, our coaches produce a ready-to-read block file and progressive argumentation file totaling over 150 pages.

24-Hour Card Request

One of the most difficult and time-consuming parts of debate is finding evidence. Our 24-hour card request helps students focus on argumentation while still receiving the evidence necessary for their success.

Practice Rounds

Practice Rounds

Outside of class time, students are offered numerous opportunities to practice their skills in a simulated environment. This allows for real-time feedback, and experimentation, building confidence before real rounds.

Challenging Competition

Our competitive debaters are some of the best in the country. Every practice round is paired based on skill level, ensuring a challenging but rewarding experience.

Flexible Scheduling

We understand our students are busy, all of our practice rounds are scheduled to fit into their schedules.

Weekly Classes

Weekly Classes

Our weekly 90-minute classes are designed to provide students with a structured learning environment. Each session focuses on different aspects of the curriculum, ensuring comprehensive coverage and consistent growth.

Consistent Practice

A consistent 90-minute weekly class allows students to build repetition and snowball their learning from one session to the next, maximizing improvement and success.

Maximum 4:1 Student-Faculty Ratio

Each class has one coach with a maximum of six students (rarely 4:1 due to student numbers), ensuring personalized attention and time spent on every student’s needs.

Team Camaraderie

Every class is taught by the same coach and attended by the same students, building a sense of community within each cohort as well as an accountability partner.

Program Director

Katheryne Dwyer leads NDC's day-to-day coaching and program development. She's one of the most respected voices in Public Forum debate — a member of the NSDA's PF Topic Wording Committee and a coach whose students consistently perform at the national circuit's highest levels.

Katheryne's approach combines deep technical knowledge of PF with a genuine investment in each student's growth. She doesn't just prepare debaters to win rounds — she builds the critical thinking and communication skills that carry well beyond competition.

#1 Ranked Faculty (2026 Staff TBA After TOC)

NDC faculty are not just award-winning debaters, they are some of the most effective teachers. Each staff member goes through dozens of hours of training and is dedicated to the success of every student

William Hong

Travel Team Staff

University of Pennsylvania

Stavan Shah

Travel Team Coach

UCLA

Saanvi Goyal

Travel Team Staff

Dartmouth University

Kunal Goel

Travel Team Staff

University of California San Diego

Kayte Chan

Travel Team Staff

University of Southern California

Justin Wang

Travel Team Staff

University of California San Diego

Charlie Yang

Travel Team Staff

University of Pennsylvania

Ava Dasari

Travel Team Coach

University of Texas at Austin

Arrman Kapoor

Travel Team Coach

University of Texas at Austin

Derek Song

Travel Team Staff

Georgetown University

Dylan Liu

Travel Team Staff

Yale University

Cailyn Min

Travel Team Staff

Georgetown University

Aidan Krishnaney

Travel Team Staff

University of Pennsylvania

Michi Synn

Travel Team Staff

Harvard

Aumrita Savdharia

Travel Team Staff

University of Southern California

Kaushik Sathiyandrakumar

Travel Team Coach

Meharry Medical College

Gabe Seidman

Founder

Carleton College

Adithya Vaidyanathan

Founder

The Ohio State University

Katheryne Dwyer

Director of Debate

University of Chicago

Sienna Vaughn

Lead Coach

George Washington University

Sana Mehra

Travel Team Coach

Stanford University

Ali Sidiqyar

Lead Coach

Vanderbilt University

Our Lectures

NDC coaches don't just know debate — they know how to teach it. Every staff member completes dozens of hours of training before leading a session. Lectures cover topic analysis, round strategy, and skill-specific workshops designed to translate directly into competitive results.

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2026 - 2027 TOC Tournament Schedule

NDC students compete at top national-circuit and regional tournaments throughout the season. We handle registration, judging, and logistics — your student just shows up and debates.

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Student Testimonials

CDA has given me the resources and community I never had as a small school competitor. Every practice and drill is tailored to my needs and reflective of where I need to improve. Further, the close-knit support system of students and coaches has made me feel included in the community and helped me improve greatly.

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2024
Nathan Lee

CDA has smoothed out my transition between local competition and debate at the national level with generous considerations regarding my family’s financial situation. From the weekly lectures to the tight-knit labs, the tailored education at CDA has helped me hone my technical debate skills and become a better speaker.

-
2025
Adonay Mahatsente-Tewelde

CDA has helped me grow a lot as a debater. The coaches and the class schedule are great for enhancing prep and in-round strategy as a debater. I would recommend this club if you want to join a good environment and become a better debater.

-
2025
Riki Balu

What your typical month will look like

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Tournament Briefing & Role Assignment
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Intensive Practice & Scenario Drills
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Final Case Lock & Evidence Review
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Light Prep & Travel Readiness
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Travel Team
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Full Competition Day
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Elimination Rounds, Debriefs and Return
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Elimination Rounds, Debriefs and Return
Final Case Lock & Evidence Review

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How much does it cost

Affordable Excellence in Debate Education

Civic Debate Academy makes high-quality debate coaching affordable for all. With flexible pricing, financial aid, and scholarships, no student is held back by cost. We're here to ensure everyone can excel in debate, without breaking the bank. If you want to join the program, cost won't be the reason you don't.

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Tuition and Financial Aid

Tuition Amount

$
5295

Comprehensive Prep Package

Included

$800

Weekly Mocks and Drill Sessions

Included

$960

Average Financial Aid Award

-$

1300

Early Bird Discount

-$

300

Financial aid is awarded on a case-by-case basis. Click here to schedule a financial consultation with us.

What’s on your mind?

Frequently Asked Questions

Does CDA offer online or in-person classes?

CDA offers both online classes across the country and in-person class in Chicago to fit students’ needs, ensuring flexibility and access to high-quality coaching regardless of location. The National Debate Club Travel Team is hosted online with in-person and online tournaments.

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How can I get started with CDA?

Getting started is simple! Explore our class options with our easy to use class search tool or apply to join the National Debate Club for a competitive travel team.

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What makes CDA different from other debate organizations?

CDA provides a full-service academy experience, combining accountability, regular progress evaluations, competitive travel teams, and introductory classes. With everything students need to excel in debate, CDA ensures you never have to look elsewhere.

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What is the National Debate Club?

The National Debate Club is CDA’s elite competitive travel team, designed for top-performing students who are ready to compete on the national circuit. Members receive advanced coaching, access to top-tier tournaments, and support to secure TOC bids and achieve success at the highest levels of debate. Click here to learn more!

What is Civic Debate Academy (CDA)?

Civic Debate Academy (CDA) is a premier debate coaching organization dedicated to helping students improve critical thinking, communication, and leadership skills through expert-led classes, workshops, and competitive travel teams.

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Debate feels overwhelming? Let’s make it easier—schedule your free consult today!

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We have just launched CDA Camps!

CDA camps are now open for registration — structured programs for middle and high school students, led by experienced classroom teachers and top-ranked debate coaches. From beginners to advanced competitors, every student has a clear pathway to grow.

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