Mentorship Program Overview
The National Debate Coaches Association (NDCA) is pleased to offer our mentorship program for the 2023-24 season. The purpose of this initiative is to bring experienced and new coaches together to facilitate mentorship and community building.
Experienced coaches are encouraged to sign up as mentors if they are able to fulfill the responsibilities outlined below. New debate coaches should sign up as mentees if they are interested in the program and can fulfill the expectations outlined for prospective mentees.
The NDCA Board will serve as the organizer of the program; all questions and comments should be directed to the following Board members leading the program:
Jasmine Stidham: jasminestidham@gmail.com
Tim Alderete: timalderete@yahoo.com
Please read more about the expectations of each role below.
11/7/2023 Update
Thank you to everyone who signed up for the 23-24 mentorship program! Applications are officially closed for the current school year, but please be on the look out for additional offerings from the NDCA for new coaches.
10/11/2023 Update
We have sent out the first wave of mentorship groups over the past week. We are still accepting mentor and mentee signups until November 1st!
Updates for 2023-24
Last year was the first time the NDCA has ever offered a mentorship program. We viewed the 22-23 version essentially as a pilot program to test the feasibility, interest, and logistics of organizing an initiative like this. We were thrilled to receive so much support from both experienced and newer coaches; in total, we had approximately 28 mentors and 26 mentees signed up to participate.
With the rollout of a brand-new initiative, one can expect a few bumps in the road and new experiences to learn from. We surveyed participants for feedback and have spent significant time revising aspects of the program with this feedback in mind. Our hope is that coaches will view these improvements as a demonstration of the NDCA’s investment in mentorship; our goal is to make the program better each year, and we are fortunate to have a community of amazing coaches who make this possible.
For the 2023-24 season, we have made the following improvements:
Professional Development - Most teachers are in need of professional development opportunities. We would like to provide such an opportunity. In coordination with your mentors, we will calculate your time invested and work to provide recognition for your hours spent on mentorship. We will provide an official Hours Completed certificate for your school, if requested.
Small groups – last year we typically paired one mentor with one mentee based on survey responses and overall compatibility. This year, we are moving to a small groups format. We would still use survey responses to determine where to place people in these groups -- factors like state/region, debate format, circuit, age/experience, goals/needs, etc. Our goal is to have at least two mentors per group so the work does not fall to one person, which also allows mentees to learn from more than one experienced coach. The number of mentees will vary based on how many people sign up and the number of small groups we create. For example, if five new coaches in Texas sign up as mentees, we would love to place them with two mentors who also coach in Texas. The same idea applies to other states/regions. Another example of a potential small group could be placing four mentees who expressed interest in learning more about the national circuit with two mentors who have significant experience in that area.
Mentorship coordination – this year the NDCA mentorship coordinators will be increasing our involvement and communication throughout the season. With the pilot program last year, we did not want to overwhelm coaches with excessive reminders and check-ins but have since learned that many coaches desire more communication. This means you can expect to hear from the NDCA program coordinators more often; for example, we will be hosting an optional meeting for small groups in November to help get them started. We will also send monthly, short check-in emails to see how each group is doing, along with surveys in December and May.
Updated expectations – in the sections below outlining expectations, we have included a few minor updates. The biggest change is mostly a clarification related to communication. Last year, some coaches expressed confusion about who is supposed to contact who first. To make things easier this year, we are asking that mentors act first and arrange a meeting with their small groups in a timely manner.
Program FAQs
Q: Which debate formats are included in this program?
A: This mostly depends on the mentors who sign up and where their expertise lies. We do expect to have mentors who are familiar with policy debate, Lincoln-Douglas, public forum, worlds schools debate, and congressional debate.
Q: What constitutes an “experienced” coach? How do I know if I qualify?
A: While there is not a strict definition, we think an experienced coach is someone who has at least several years of coaching under their belt. Equally important, a prospective mentor should feel confident in their ability to fulfill the expectations outlined below.
Q: What constitutes a “new” coach? How do I know if I qualify?
A: This program is not exclusive to brand new coaches; we also support new-ish coaches signing up if they feel like the program will benefit them. To use a debate analogy, we would welcome not only novice coaches but also JV ones.
Q: Is this only for coaches who compete on the national circuit?
A: No, this program is not exclusive to coaches or teams who compete in national circuit tournaments. While it certainly includes coaches who either have familiarity or wish to, this program is open to other circuits and styles of debate.
Q: How will mentors and mentees be assigned?
A: Once we receive a sufficient number of responses, Board members will then pair coaches according to their needs and experience level in small groups. We will consider multiple factors when pairing coaches to ensure all parties are satisfied.
Q: When will small groups be assigned?
A: Our goal is to finalize the first wave of pairings by October 4th. Because we anticipate receiving applications on a rolling basis, we will do multiple waves of pairings as needed.
Q: Is there a cutoff date to apply?
A: Yes. If a coach wishes to participate in the program for the 2023-24 season, they should apply by November 1st.
Q: How should small groups communicate?
A: This depends on the preferences of both parties. We assume that coaches might communicate on multiple platforms including email, Zoom, Slack, phone, etc.
Q: If I run into any issues with my mentor/mentee, what should I do?
A: First, we encourage coaches to communicate openly with each other about their needs and preferences. If something is not working, we’d hope that both parties can work towards a solution. If a serious issue arises or if a solution is not feasible, please contact the NDCA Board members listed above.
Q: If I no longer wish to participate in the program, what should I do?
A: Please contact the NDCA Board members listed above.
Mentor Expectations
We recognize that mentors are busy coaches/teachers and therefore may not have an excess amount of time to devote to mentoring. The purpose of this program is not to assign already busy coaches with a mountain of tasks; our goal is to establish a meaningful, yet manageable partnership between coaches.
Below you will find a list of expectations for mentors. Some are general guidelines while others encompass specific objectives. The expectations are structured in this way to give mentors and mentees flexibility since each mentee will have different needs.
As mentioned in the 2023-24 updates section, you will be matched the best we are able with mentees looking for your expertise in your events. We will be using small groups with at least two mentors to provide widespread experience in multiple events.
General guidelines:
1. Respect the privacy of your mentee and conduct yourself in a professional manner.
2. Respect your mentee’s time.
3. Accept and value differences in the way each person approaches debate.
4. Assist in making debate a welcoming and positive experience for your mentee.
5. Actively listen to the needs of your mentee before offering advice.
6. Communicate and coordinate with your fellow mentor(s).
Specific guidelines:
1. Please arrange to meet with your mentee, either in person or online. Please do this in a timely manner after receiving your small group pairing. The mentors should send the first message/email to introduce themselves.
2. We will be hosting a meet and greet for new mentors and mentees in early October. There will be tips for mentoring, break out rooms for events, and general meeting space available for everyone.
3. Assist your mentees in learning about their debate event(s).
4. Answer questions related to running a debate team. For example, how to register for tournaments, recruiting students, fundraising, budgeting, creating a healthy team culture, working with parents, etc.
5. Answer questions related to tournaments and coaching. For example, explaining how Tabroom works, the NDCA Wiki, preparing for tournaments, tips for tournament travel, etc.
6. Answer questions related to teaching debate. For example, how to instruct novices vs varsity students, how to grade in a debate class, fun class activities, etc.
7. Direct your mentee to existing resources. We don’t expect mentors to reinvent the wheel; try to point your mentee in the right direction when it comes to navigating the existing resources in the debate community. For example, tell them about relevant Facebook groups to join, or listservs, Slack groups, etc. Show them important resources like Open Evidence, the NDCA Wiki, and more.
8. Consider allowing your mentee to observe you. This could include in-person practices, a Zoom practice, or giving a lesson in class.
9. Regularly contact your mentee to check in. While the needs of each mentee will vary, we think a monthly meeting is a great place to start.
10. Ask for feedback. Once you've established a routine with your mentee, please check in with them to ensure they are content with the plan you’ve established.
11. You will be asked for feedback in a survey in May, so please be on the lookout for that email.
Mentee Expectations
General guidelines:
1. Respect the privacy of your mentor and conduct yourself in a professional manner.
2. Respect your mentor’s time, commitments, and limitations.
3. Accept and value differences in the way each person approaches debate.
4. Be open to receiving feedback and learning; be willing to accept constructive criticism.
Specific guidelines:
1. Create a list of needs and questions before meeting your mentors. Your mentors will be able to provide better assistance if you have a concrete list of questions and areas of need.
2. We will be hosting a meet and greet for new mentors and mentees in early October. There will be tips for mentoring, break out rooms for events, and general meeting space available for everyone.
3. Consider putting together a program inventory so your mentors understand your unique situation. For example, your team’s budget, events you compete in, team size, tournament schedule, school support, etc.
4. Consider working with your mentors to write a timeline for the season. For example, establishing goals for your team, designing curriculum for your class, increasing school support, etc.
5. Regularly contact your mentors to check in. Both sides should communicate in a reasonable, timely manner.
6. You will be asked for feedback in a survey in May, so please be on the lookout for that email.
Signing up
Our goal is to finalize the first wave of pairings by October 4th. The official cutoff date to apply for the 2023-24 program is November 1st.
If you are interested in participating as either a mentor or mentee, please sign up via one of the following forms: