Category: Coaching

TP Source – Early Release Announcement, Camps, and More!

Posted on by Heather Neumann

Hello, NCFCA Debaters, Coaches, and Clubs!
Lasting Impact! is eager to announce the release of TWO cases for the 2025 debate summer camp season. We are excited for the upcoming NCFCA season, which will focus on Congressional reforms, and our coaches have been hard at work researching and crafting the quality Lasting Impact! cases you have come to know and love (these may just be some of our best yet)! 

In the past, we have released a source book near the beginning of August. This year will be no exception, but in addition to this traditional release, we also want to help support your summer research and camps by releasing two high-quality cases early. We will be selling one case for $20 or both early releases for $30 per team. The cases include a 1AC, an AFF backup, and a NEG brief. The two cases are: “Pass the TRUST Act,” which deals with insider trading, and “Pass Congressional Term Limits,” which advocates for term limits on U.S. Representatives and Senators. We will be using these sample cases in our own Summer Debate Camps!!
Speaking of… Looking to dive into a Summer Speech or Debate Camp? Sign up NOW with some of the best speech and debate coaching and materials! Our Online Camps will be recorded! If you are still looking to host a camp… check with Heather to see if a coach can come to you Heather@lastingimpact.info, OR we would encourage you to stop by the Lasting Impact booth at the NCFCA National Championship in Minnesota! We will be on campus and look forward to meeting you! If you would like to see a preview of the NCFCA TP Camp Cases, or our other amazing products or materials – come to our booth (and meet our llama)!! We will have copies of the cases and books available for preview. And don’t forget the SALE going on now… (see previous post for details). As always, we love coming alongside your speech and debate journey!

Now is the Time to Seize the Day!

Posted on by Heather Neumann

Yes, I just got off the whirlwind of directing Newsies… but this lesson of “seizing the day” can be implemented NOW, before heading to your Speech and Debate National Championships! I see it all the time… most students are just grateful to get to the pinnacle level- they sit back relax and go into summer mode. Don’t stop now! Seize the moment! I highly recommend 3 things before heading to Nats…

  1. Perspective – Get another perspective on your speech or case. This can be anyone! You don’t need to hire a coach (if you don’t want to). But think and talk about your speech with anyone who will listen AND get you thinking! You have choices… looking at something from a different angle might be just what you need.
  2. Read those ballots… ALL OF THEM! You could even call anyone you might have a question about. Yes… you can do that! If you know a judge (someone who judged you), you can reach out to them! There are no rules about that. Understand their ranking or decisions could impact this last tournament.
  3. Pray. Yep, sounds typical… but I believe in it. Does your speech need tweaking? What does God want from you at Nationals? Maybe you are there for competition, but maybe not. Be open to what He wants!

Your friends are Lasting Impact! are lifting you up during these final steps in the season. And hey- if you are ready to talk next year… that’s ok too! Are you ready for your National Championship? Do you need help? The coaches as Lasting Impact! are standing by! Schedule a coaching call today!

THE FINE ART OF BREAKING YOUR BRAIN AND BECOMING A CHAMPION by Cody Dedon

Posted on by Heather Neumann

The most creative person to ever scam me was a gnarly looking old man I bumped into on 16th street in Baton Rouge. I was 19 at the time, freshly homeschooled, deeply naive, and very, very easy to separate from my money. Over the next half hour, this old man explained to me the sad situation that he was supposedly in.

“I work for that art shop.” He said, pointing to a nearby building. “This afternoon I was working from home. I was on the BRINK of finishing a big charcoal portrait for an elderly lady who’s dying of cancer, but then I ran out of charcoal! Can you believe that?” I could believe that! I DID believe that! He went on. “This poor, dying lady has a daughter, and this daughter’s birthday is tomorrow! The dying lady wants to give my portrait to her daughter as a birthday present, but I can’t finish it in time unless you help me buy some more charcoal! Can you spare a few bucks?” I eyed him somewhat suspiciously. “Why can’t you get the supplies from the shop you work at?” I said pointing to the building. The man’s face fell as he said “I tried. But my car broke down and by the time I made it to the shop on foot, the owner had locked up and left town on vacation. If you don’t help me, this lady may die before I can finish this portrait.” And with that, he held out his convincingly soot stained hand and I opened my wallet. We went back and forth on just how much money charcoal cost, and by the end of our haggling, we settled on a number we were all happy with: a cool, calm 90 dollars.

The next week, I happened to see the owner of the art shop. I asked him about the old man who worked at the shop. His reply? “We’ve never had an old man working at this shop.” I didn’t mention the particulars of WHY I was asking about the old man.

What did I learn from this experience? Well… I learned to NOT give copious amounts of money to anyone and everyone who asks. But perhaps more importantly, I learned that creativity is the key to reaching your goals as a communicator. I’ve been shaken down for 5 or 10 bucks by a common street hustler before, but it took a story of REAL CREATIVITY to pry 90 whole dollars from my hand! NOW THAT’S RESULTS! If you want results as a public speaker, you too will need to get very creative; although, I do advise that you skip the whole lying about your entire backstory technique. Stick to the facts! But GET CREATIVE! Here’s how:

Continue reading “THE FINE ART OF BREAKING YOUR BRAIN AND BECOMING A CHAMPION by Cody Dedon” →

Speech and Debate… Where to begin? With Lasting Impact!

Posted on by Heather Neumann

Ahh! The new speech and debate season is upon us! Are you feeling prepared? Perhaps a little overwhelmed!? Don’t worry… The Lasting Impact! Team is ready to come alongside students, parents, coaches, and clubs! Allow me to introduce ourselves…. Lasting Impact! has been around for a while now! We have literally coached thousands of students nationwide and internationally. We have had the opportunity to coach numerous (too many to count) National Champions. Throughout the year we travel the country from coast to coast teaching the art of communication through Speech and Debate. During the school year, you will often find our coaches on Zoom teaching classes and clubs, or coaching one on one. We offer a variety of products and services to help you navigate the world of speech and debate! Be sure to SUBSCRIBE to our BLOG to be sure you get the latest information, releases, sales, etc. Look what we have just for YOU… the SHOP is where you can find all the amazing offerings…

Clubs/Classes – Our fall 2024 club/classes are gearing up, ready to go! We are offering from everything to Apologetics to Debate to Speech 101 and 102, Extemporaneous to Interp! All clubs/classes are on Zoom and recorded. Our clubs are not only for students! Many coaches have sat in to learn and gain a better understanding of what our experienced coaches have to offer! We are still taking registrations- REGISTER NOW!

Speech and Debate Resources – Lasting Impact! has created a number of “must have” resources! Whether it’s The Ultimate Guide to Interpretive Speech, The Limited Prep Guide, Speech Games, Speech Grab and Go, or our Debate Sourcebooks… our Resources will make your life a whole lot easier! All books are Ebooks, and just one click away! https://lastingimpact.info/shop/

Coaching – Wait until you see the line up of our 2024-25 Coaches! These are truly the best of the best! All of our coaches are actively involved in the speech and debate community. They are club leaders, debate coaches, preachers, tournament coordinators, judges, etc. Book a session with one today, and you won’t be disappointed! https://lastingimpact.info/coach-information/

Blog – Did you know that Lasting Impact! has over 500 articles about speech and debate!? We have a lot of say. We are here for YOU to help you dig deeper and understand the ins and outs of debate resolutions and speech categories. Be sure you SUBSCRIBE to the blog to read what our coaches think or are discovering! https://lastingimpact.info/tag/free/

Membership – Yes, Lasting Impact! is a membership site. But you don’t have to be a member to read the free blog. Members receive discounts on coaching and clubs, access to video gallery, free workshop recordings, etc. Membership is just $35 for the year! https://lastingimpact.info/register/annual-membership-subscription/

We welcome you to be a part of the Lasting Impact! Family! We look forward to coming alongside you in your speech and/or debate journey!

Last Call – Clubs/Classes SIGN UP NOW

Posted on by Heather Neumann

It’s a new speech and debate season – and we have a lot to uncover! Our coaches have been from coast to coast and they are excited to jump into our online clubs and classes with YOU! This year, Lasting Impact! will offer 10 unique speech and debate clubs! Each are less than $150!
Check out all the options here – https://lastingimpact.info/product-category/clubs/
Don’t see something you want or need? We have been known to create one. Need a coach to teach a lesson or help your club? Just contact heather@lastingimpact.info

Join the Lasting Impact! Family NOW!

NCFCA/ASDA TP Res – A Deeper Look and Upcoming TP Online Camp

Posted on by Heather Neumann

“The United States Federal Government should significantly reform its foreign policy toward one or more of the following Central American countries: Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica.”
This year’s NCFCA and ASDA TP resolution asks us to learn about some of our neighbors, who are just a few countries south. Given the number of countries covered under the resolution, it opens the door to a wide range of policies. International policy resolutions are distinct from domestic policy resolutions in that they offer debaters a greater challenge and a good opportunity to be creative. Some of my best years debating in the league were when I was challenged by an international policy resolution.
With a new debate year right around the corner, it’s about that time in the summer when most people (except the most studious debaters who started researching when the resolution was released) start to think about the topic for the upcoming season. You may be asking, “How do I tackle this year’s resolution, and where do I start?” I hope to provide a brief orientation to this year’s topic and pique your interest by examining three broad issues related to the resolution: economics, national security, and global stability. Continuing reading below… or sign up for Lasting Impact!’s Online TP Camp (non league specific)! It starts next week. Also- our TP Sourcebook is COMING SOON!

Continue reading “NCFCA/ASDA TP Res – A Deeper Look and Upcoming TP Online Camp” →

NEW! The Ultimate Guide to Interpretive Speech

Posted on by Heather Neumann

You asked for it… we have been asked for years to come out with a product just for Interpretive Speech! Here it is! Packed with photos, inspiration, tips, tricks, advice, worksheets, games, encouragement, and more. The Ultimate Guide to Interpretive Speaking will be your Guide to walk you though the process of an Interpretive Speech – finding a piece, picking a piece, themes, introductions, honing your characters, as well as tackling specific categories such as duo, open, dramatic, humorous, or biblical.

This is a great resource for students, parents, and coaches! Did you know, Lasting Impact! Has dozens of resources? Check out the SHOP for items such as Debate Guides, Sourcebooks, The Speech Grab and Go, Speech Games Book, The Limited Prep Guide, and more!

https://lastingimpact.info/product-category/books

Purchase The Ultimate Guide to Interpretive Speech today!

Second Semester Clubs Are About to Begin! SIGN UP NOW!

Posted on by Heather Neumann

We are in full gear of the 2024 Tournament Season! Are you reading those ballots and feeling like you just need a little more push, edge, or inspiration!? Join a Lasting Impact! Club for all of the above, including GROWTH and fellowship! Second Semester Clubs are geared for the competition! Our coaches are actively involved in tournaments, judging, watching, understanding the elements of Speech and Debate, and what trends are trending. Are you looking for a little more this season? Sign up for one or more of the club below…

  • Speech 102 – Heather Neumann , along with public speaking pros, will be helping students take a deeper dive into their speeches. Students will practice and hone their speeches and receive feedback.
  • FAST TRACK – Interp – A six week course on quickly on creating a piece. There’s no reason not to jump into an interpretive speech this season! Why not start NOW!
  • LD Strategies – Ethan Tong will lead students deeper through the NCFCA resolution. This will be the place to be for extra practice, analysis, and growth!
  • Limited Prep Club – This eight week course with Honor Hoffmann will help you navigate the limited prep events – Apologetics, Extemporaneous, and Impromptu Speaking. These three events take practice! And typically more than just at a tournament! Come gain insight into these valuable events!

All clubs will be recorded, if you can’t make it. But as always, you will get the most out of being present! Tell your friends! Head to the SHOP and sign up NOW! Looking for more individual growth? Sign up for a one on one Coaching Session or a Script Assessment HERE. We look forward to seeing you soon!

Still Using My Speech and Debate Skills by: Keziah Alatis

Posted on by Heather Neumann


Heart pounding. Palms sweating. Timer beeping. Pause. “Judges Ready?” Although the long, grueling days of speech and debate tournaments are behind me, these words manage to strike a peculiar chord of nostalgia and trepidation. From the first few tournaments when I competed via parental encouragement to the last tournaments when I remember thinking I’d miss these days. My speech and debate career ranged from sheer terror to apprehensive excitement. And even though I received a fair share of awards and plaques, I don’t think there was ever a speech I gave in my entire speech and debate career in which I didn’t tremble uncontrollably. Now, as a seasoned college student, I have noticed my speech and debate training come flying in at the most opportune times. And I’m wildly thankful for it…

Continue reading “Still Using My Speech and Debate Skills by: Keziah Alatis” →

Navigating the Sea of Speech Topics

Posted on by Heather Neumann

Hey there, fellow speech enthusiasts! Ahoy! You might be wondering why I sound like a sailor navigating the high seas. Well, embarking on your speech journey in Speech and Debate is not so different from setting sail. And one of the places we can find ourselves lost in the sea is when we are asked to choose a topic! So how do you find the perfect wind to carry your ship (or in this case, your speech) forward…

Continue reading “Navigating the Sea of Speech Topics” →

Why Rationalism vs. Empiricism Isn’t as Bad as You May Think by: Peter Montgomery

Posted on by Heather Neumann

When NCFCA announced a few months back that rationalism vs. empiricism would be the LD resolution for the 2023-24 season, I was honestly a bit surprised. Even more surprising, however, was the resistance the topic was met with. Despite clearly receiving a plurality of votes, many people were disappointed in the resolution.

As someone who has coached LD for years and competed for years before that, the pushback bewildered me. What was so bad about this topic? I was even on this year’s LD resolution committee and so the research I had done on the topic was extensive. But I still wasn’t sure why people were hesitant to debate it. So I decided to get to the bottom of it, and this is what I found…

Continue reading “Why Rationalism vs. Empiricism Isn’t as Bad as You May Think by: Peter Montgomery” →

2023-24 NCFCA Team Policy Sourcebook is HERE

Posted on by Heather Neumann

Are you ready to dive into over 400 pages of transportation policy? The Lasting Impact TP Sourcebook is an excellent, versatile resource for competitive team policy debaters. It has clear and comprehensive instructions for novice debaters to get a grasp of the basics of debate. And it also has stellar cases across the political and strategic spectrum for advanced debaters to get a start on the season. Coach Eric Meinerding says, “I highly recommend this resource for camps, research hungry debaters, coaches and everyone else in the policy community.”

What makes our Sourcebook different from other Sourcebooks? In addition to the hundreds of hours in content research, we hope to support students, parents, and coaches of all experiences to give them the foot in the door into the resolution, PLUS it provides general information and education on Team Policy.

What else is in the Sourcebook?

  • Resolution Analysis – key terms, departments, legislation, and more
  • 7 Affirmative Cases, and corresponding back ups and negative briefs
  • Generic Briefs
  • Strategy Tips
  • Questionnaires for speaking styles and partners
  • And more!

Can club leaders coach from this? Yes! But please have students purchase their own if they are going to use it. Coaches can use it like a guide. But no handouts.

Can my family share a copy? Yes!

Can our team share a copy? Yes!

Do you give club discounts? Yes!

Is it on sale? Yes! For the rest of the month. ONLY $35! Purchase yours today! Click HERE to purchase. Contact – Heather@lastingimpact.info for group pricing.

Registration for fall clubs and classes are going on now. We have Beginner TP and Advanced. Go to the SHOP and check all of the amazing clubs and register NOW!