About Washington Debate Union

By students, for students.

Our Mission

Washington Debate Union was founded with a simple goal: to make high-quality debate education accessible to all high school students. We believe that the best teachers are those who have recently walked the same path, understanding the challenges, anxieties, and triumphs that come with competitive speech and debate.

Our curriculum is built on real experience—lessons learned from countless rounds, tournaments, and late-night prep sessions. We're not just teaching debate theory; we're sharing the strategies and techniques that actually work in competition.

What Drives Us

Accessibility

Quality debate education shouldn't be limited by geography or resources. We provide comprehensive curriculum that any motivated student can follow.

Practicality

Every lesson is designed to be immediately applicable. We focus on skills that will help you win rounds, not abstract theory.

Community

Debate is better together. We're building a supportive community where students can learn, grow, and succeed alongside peers.

Meet Our Coaches

Our coaching team brings years of competitive experience and a passion for helping others succeed.

Fred Coddon

Fred Coddon

Lead Coach

Fred coaches Extemporaneous Speaking with an emphasis on efficient research, crisp organization, and strategic weighing. He helps students turn current events into clear, compelling speeches under time pressure and refine delivery for consistent competitive success.

Extemporaneous Speech Structure Current Events Analysis
Andrew Ma

Andrew Ma

Lead Coach

Andrew coaches Extemporaneous Speaking, focusing on fast, reliable question breakdown, evidence selection, and polished delivery. He works with students to build repeatable prep systems, write clean outlines, and speak with confidence and clarity.

Extemporaneous Prep Systems Public Speaking
Ruike Pan

Ruike Pan

Lead Coach

Ruike coaches Lincoln-Douglas debate with a focus on argument strategy, clean extensions, and persuasive weighing. She helps students write efficient cases, execute confident cross-examinations, and adapt to different judging styles while staying grounded in strong warranting.

Lincoln-Douglas Case Writing Cross-Examination

Start Learning Today

Choose your event and begin your journey to competitive success.

LD Curriculum Extemp Curriculum