What we offer
Weekly private coaching, with topic prep included.
Every Sun Debate Academy student gets a weekly 30-minute, one-on-one lesson, prep files for every topic and a team to compete with.
Weekly lesson
30 minutes a week, one-on-one with James
Each lesson is built around the topic your child is debating now.
- Topic-specific guidance. The arguments, evidence and strategy that matter on the current topic.
- Drills. Focused practice on speaking, rebuttals and cross-examination.
- Practice rounds. Full scrimmage rounds against James, with feedback afterward.
- A practice plan. What to work on between lessons and before each tournament.
Included with lessons
At no extra cost
Topic preparation for every topic
A variety of cases and rebuttal files for each topic, made with top college policy coaches and competitors.
A team to compete with
Students can compete with Debate Oasis, our nonprofit partner, at independent tournaments their school may not attend.
Practice partners
Practice rounds with a national-caliber network
James connects students with a network of accomplished debaters for practice rounds. For one student, he lined up rounds against a national finalist and two Washington State elimination-round debaters within hours.
- Experienced opponents. Rounds against varsity debaters who’ve gone deep at national and state tournaments.
- New styles to prepare for. Opponents who argue differently from your child's usual practice partners.
- Arranged by James. He finds the right opponents for what your child needs to practice.
Analytics
Cutting-edge analytics for Washington State debate
Sun Debate Academy rates every Washington Lincoln-Douglas debater with an Elo system built for debate, updated after every round. Watch the top 30 change across the 2024–25 and 2025–26 seasons.
Washington LD Elo ratings
Top 30 debaters by initials and school, 2024–2026
Ratings will appear here as tournaments are added.
View current standings as a table
What students get
The chart is a small sample. Students get the full analytics behind it.
Opponent scouting
Ratings, records and head-to-head history for the debaters your child will face, plus the arguments and styles they prefer.
Judge analytics
Each judge's decision history, how often they disagree with the rest of a panel and how they give speaker points, plus a data-based adaptation strategy.
Live ratings
Your child's rating and statewide rank, updated after every round, so season-long progress is easy to see.
Matchup odds
Win probabilities for upcoming pairings, based on both debaters' ratings and how settled they are.
Tournament reports
A round-by-round breakdown after each tournament: upsets, close calls and what to work on next.
Field previews
Who has entered an upcoming tournament, how strong the field is and where your child will likely land.
How we coach
Coaching built around how debate is actually played
Every student starts from a different place, so coaching is shaped around your child's experience and goals.
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01
Start where your child is
New debaters learn structure and how to give a speech. Experienced students focus on strategy and the current topic.
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02
Teach what wins now
Lessons follow the current topic and the arguments winning at tournaments this season.
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03
Practice like a tournament
Students give full speeches and practice rounds, with specific feedback after each.
Start with a consultation.
We'll talk through your child's experience and goals, and find a lesson time that suits your family.