In any sport, your team is your go-to for help. Maybe that support comes through competition, practice, or simply spending time together. No matter the form it takes, your team can be one of the biggest forces driving you to keep going. This idea isn’t limited to college football or middle school Math Olympiad squads—it applies just as much to high school debate.

However, debate presents a unique challenge that many other activities don’t. Competition often pits teammates against one another. While sports like basketball teach you to pass the ball and math teams are rewarded based on collective performance, debate can make collaboration uncomfortable. For some, it’s a PF partner with whom communication is strained. For others, it’s fellow congress debaters who may end up being direct competitors in a round. This leaves us with an important question: what should the real relationship of a debate team be? Is it possible to grow as a top-notch communicator and innovator when forming genuine connections with teammates can feel so difficult?

To begin answering this, we first have to ask whether debate teams even need to prioritize relationships at all. After all, debate is a sport where you are fundamentally competing against your own teammates, and often against friends from other schools as well. Outside of sharing prep or representing the same school, what’s the point of collaboration?

The answer goes far beyond competitive success—it’s about wellbeing. Debate can be mentally and emotionally exhausting, and having a supportive team makes a real difference. An article from the University of British Columbia, published in August 2019, explains that most kids and teens experience mental health benefits from participating in team-based extracurriculars. Much of this comes from a sense of belonging and peer support. Whether you place first or fail to break out of prelims, it feels better knowing someone has your back.

That support can go even deeper than teamwork. Sometimes, it takes the form of a second family. An article from MentalHealth, published in May 2024, notes that teens can experience significant improvements in mental health and personal development when they are part of a family-like community outside the home. Many students struggle to find stability or connection in their personal lives, and activities like debate can provide a sense of belonging that fills that gap. When viewed through this lens, debate teams become more than just extracurricular groups—they become spaces where students feel seen, supported, and valued.

If the benefits are so clear, then why does debate culture often feel so toxic? This is a question not only debaters ask, but one that coaches across the country actively grapple with. After spending years working with high school students, coaches have worked to master the challenge of uniting individuals who are simultaneously teammates and competitors.

Former speech and debate participants, such as Rashaan Davis of the NFHS, have spoken about this challenge. In August 2025, Davis emphasized that coaches dedicate countless hours not only to scheduling tournaments, managing Tabroom entries, and handling student records, but also to fostering meaningful connections among their students. When you think about it, this effort is visible in many debate programs. Coaches organize team lunches before tournaments, take students across the country to compete together, and hold practice sessions designed to help everyone improve collectively.

These efforts aren’t just well-intentioned—they work. George School, for example, shared in a school blog post that cultivating a family-oriented debate culture helped students grow both competitively and personally. By encouraging collaborative prep, topic discussions, and practice rounds after school, they saw improved performance alongside a stronger sense of belonging. Coaches play a crucial role in building this environment, and recognizing them as mentors—or even parental figures—helps strengthen the bonds within a team.

Of course, building a debate “family” isn’t something coaches can do alone. It takes effort from every member of the team. Fortunately, the steps are simple. Work together to elevate learning by engaging in discussion, giving and receiving feedback openly, and running practice rounds with different teammates. Make space for fun by finding common interests outside of debate, sharing jokes, or just spending time together. Sometimes, sending a funny video or meme is enough to spark a connection.

Most importantly, support one another through both the highs and the lows. Just as you return home to family after a long day, your debate team can be a place of comfort after a tough round. Learning how to support others in this environment prepares you for collaboration in adult life as well. Along the way, remember to appreciate your coaches. Give them the respect they deserve and the trust they need to continue strengthening the team’s sense of unity. It comes through aspects both in and out of the debate circle. If a common interest isn’t there, just remember to have the courtesy of helping your teammates, and giving them the support they need. If you have something that pushes you away from each other, just remember to show basic courtesy to one another. Everyone has their issues with each other, but it’s important to find how those issues can be solved by collaborating with each other on a deeper level. Even if that doesn’t work, it’s in everyone’s best interest to treat each other with respect for better growth.

When you step back and look at the group you’ve grown with, you’ll realize something important. You’re no longer just teenagers who argue for hours on weekends. You’re a family—one built on diversity and complexity, intelligence and collaboration, and above all, empathy and community. 

Your team is the place you’re supposed to go to become better. When stuck as a team, you become a simple debater. When united amongst your peers, you all can become true communicators