Speech & Debate

In 2020, I entered my first debate tournament not knowing how to structure a case or deliver a speech without shaking. But somewhere between the adrenaline of rebuttals and the quiet moments after a loss, I fell in love with the craft. Debate became my way of storytelling, a space where logic met empathy, and words carried the weight of belief.

The journey was far from smooth. For every hard-fought win (there were twice as many losses!) I learned that debate isn't about natural talent or where you start; it's about persistence, curiosity, and the motivation to keep improving.

Being part of WSDC Team Vietnam was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that solidified that truth. I trained under brilliant coaches, faced world-class debaters from all over the world, and found a family who shared the same restless drive to think, speak, and care deeply. WSDC Team Vietnam wasn't just a team: it was where I learned that debate is, at its heart, a community built on passion and shared purpose.

Even now, I carry that spirit forward, eager to keep growing and to share this journey with peers I'll meet in college and beyond.

Judging shifted everything I thought I knew about debate. Now, I wasn't the one speaking but listening. I began to notice not just how arguments were made, but why people made them. Each round became a window into someone else's story: the nervous first-timer trying to find their voice, the seasoned debater fighting for clarity, the team discovering their rhythm mid-speech.

Through judging, I learned that debate isn't sustained by competition but by connection. It's about building a space where voices, old and new, can rise together. Giving feedback, encouraging young debaters, and helping them refine their ideas felt like giving back to the very community that shaped me.

Working with the Vietnamese debating circuit reminded me that the sport thrives because people care enough to teach, to listen, and to stay. It's a cycle of growth and gratitude, and every time I judge, I feel that same spark I did when I first spoke years ago. Except now, I help others take off.

Now, as a coach, I've learned that teaching is just another form of debating—only this time, I speak through others. Guiding new debaters reminds me that skill can be taught, but passion must be sparked. Watching them find their voice, stumble, rise, and finally own their story feels like watching flight all over again. And in every round they take, I see the same fire that once encouraged me to take off.