Best of the Midwest Debate Camp – 2025

Description

Best of the Midwest Debate Camp – 2025
When: August 7-9, 2025
Cost: $150 until 7/1; then $175 
Location: Winnetka, IL (17 miles north of Chicago)

Description:
Ever Ready Speech and Debate, in partnership with Lasting Impact!, is thrilled to announce the “Best of the Midwest” Speech & Debate Camp for Summer 2025.
This 3-day intensive camp is designed for both new and experienced debaters, offering specialized tracks to meet a range of skill levels and goals. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to sharpen your competitive edge, our camp will prepare you for the upcoming NCFCA season.

Tracks Offered:
Beginning Debate: Perfect for new debaters, this track focuses on mastering foundational debate skills and building confidence in competitive settings. Students will learn basic debate skills, with a team policy focus.
Intermediate / Advanced Debate – Team Policy (TP): Tailored for experienced policy debaters, this track emphasizes refining techniques and constructing strong cases under the new NCFCA resolution. Appropriate for intermediate and advanced policy debate competitors.
Intermediate / Advanced Debate – Lincoln-Douglas (LD): Designed for experienced debaters, this track hones advanced skills and strategies while developing compelling cases for the new NCFCA Lincoln-Douglas resolution. Students in this track may be new to the Lincoln-Douglas format but should have at least two years of competitive debate experience.

Additional Camp Information:
See below for the coaches we’ve lined up for this year’s program. Each of our lead coaches has firsthand debate experience and several years of coaching experience. Each year we carefully select our coaches to ensure our campers have a dynamic and engaging learning experience.

We are working hard to ensure that the program this year prepares you for the season ahead while the camp experience helps you connect and grow with the other students. Session titles will be posted by July 1. We hope you decide to join us!

COACHES

Louis Kolssak – Camp Director, Policy Debate Lead
Louis Kolssak brings years of experience as a debate coach and camp director, known for his ability to inspire and guide new debaters. As the Novice Debate Lead, he specializes in teaching foundational skills, helping beginners gain confidence and clarity in Team Policy debate. His leadership ensures a supportive and engaging environment for all camp participants.

Hillary Kolssak – Camp Co-Director, Lincoln-Douglas Debate Lead
Hillary Kolssak, as Camp Co-Director and Lincoln-Douglas Lead, combines organizational leadership with a passion for coaching value-driven debate. She has extensive experience mentoring debaters, helping them master the art of persuasive argumentation in Lincoln-Douglas formats. Her approachable style fosters a collaborative and growth-oriented camp experience.

Spencer Kolssak – Advanced Track Lead, Team Policy
Spencer Kolssak is a seasoned debater and coach with a strong track record in Team Policy debate, focusing on advanced strategies and case construction. He excels at helping experienced students refine their argumentation and adapt to the nuances of the new NCFCA resolution. His dynamic teaching style pushes debaters to elevate their competitive performance. Fun fact: As a student, Spencer pre-qualified for NCFCA Nationals in both TP and LD in the same year.

Nathanael Kolssak – Advanced Track Lead, Lincoln-Douglas
Nathanael Kolssak is an expert in Lincoln-Douglas debate, bringing deep insight into value-based argumentation and case development. As the Advanced LD coach, he guides students in sharpening their analytical skills and crafting compelling cases for the 2025 season. His dedication to mentorship helps debaters excel in high-level competition. Nathanael was highly competitive in NCFCA, winning multiple tournaments as a student, and is currently the debate captain for the Cedarville University Forensics team. Fun fact: Nathanael had two of his students compete against each other in LD Finals in 2025.

Simon Richards – Novice & Advanced Debate
Simon Richards is an enthusiastic coach dedicated to introducing new debaters to the fundamentals of Team Policy debate. With a focus on clear communication and critical thinking, he empowers beginners to build strong foundations for future success. His engaging approach makes complex concepts accessible and fun for novice competitors. Simon and his partner were highly successful during his time at NCFCA and were finalists at Nationals in 2023.