West Valley
Glendale, Greenway and 59th Ave
Competitive Speech & Debate
$650/student for the year
Registration for the 2026-2027 season opens June 1, 2026
East Valley
Mesa, Brown Rd and the 202
Competitive Speech & Debate
$650/student for the year
Registration for the 2026-2027 season opens June 1, 2026
Help students learn to speak boldly about Christ through competitive excellence and humility in speech and debate.
We function at the level of a travel sport with coaches. All students must register for club and Christian Speech League to participate. Students are required to attend both Christian Speech League tournaments each year. Competitors must be between the ages of 12-18 by October 1st of the competition season.
We support our students in Christian Biblical values and spiritual growth. We expect student behavior to reflect these values, and we seek to work alongside parents in the spiritual growth of students.
Attend all club meetings or ask Coach Julie for an excused absence.
Come prepared for club meetings and tournaments. At least an hour of focused work time at home is expected each week.
Compete in both Christian Speech League Saturday tournaments and the Friday morning club tournament.
Attend at least 5 of 11 club sessions each semester.
Join Slack for club communication.
Help your student(s) with writing and practicing speeches.
Serve 2 full days at Christian Speech League Saturday tournaments and one Friday morning club tournament in roles such as student check-in, hospitality, etc.
$650/year per student.
Discount of $25 for each additional sibling.
Fees include a $50 non-refundable registration fee.
League family membership: $99/year
Tournament fees: $35/speech event
Business professional attire: Varies (our students have found great suits at thrift stores)
Optional Defend Your Faith Debate - 6 week session each semester $30
~Tournaments for students to practice sharing their faith~
Teens will learn how to graciously and kindly answer tough questions similar to how Charlie Kirk responded to those who disagreed with him. For mature students, before club sessions will include analyzing debates, reviewing strategies, information on hot topics, and practice.
In competition, with a partner, your teen will debate against atheism and the progressive ideology through questions asked by a facilitator.
Club is for students ages 12-18 on October 1st of the competition year.
Club runs mid-August through mid-April with 11 sessions each semester.
Parents are critical for a strong club! Getting to know the other students allows you to pour into them. Students blossom from hearing from parents about how they are improving. Please plan to have a parent attend 5 out of 11 club sessions each semester.
Families have received ESA reimbursement for both club and tournament fees.
We recommend club students compete in at least 2 speech events. We've found students grow much more quickly into proficient speakers when they start with 2 or more speech events.
Every student competes in Apologetics. It helps them build a Biblical framework while learning to share their faith! Students learn through judge ballots of suggestions and in-club coaching. They edit their speeches all year long.
Students can compete in as many events as each tournament allows!
Yes! We have a lot of experience with issuing high school credits for our own children and are happy to walk you through the process for the best fit for your student.
If there is room in club, students may join anytime throughout the school year. Club fees remain the same as new students will require additional coaching.
When a student enrolls in club, the fees include a registration fee of $50, which is non-refundable. Should a student withdraw before the 2nd club meeting, the student will forfeit the $50 registration fee.
Should a student withdraw before the 3rd club meeting, 75% of the student's club fees will be refunded. Should the withdraw occur before the 4th club meeting, 50% of the student's club fees will be refunded. After the 4th weekly club meeting, no refund of any club fees will be given.
1. There is one God eternally existing in three persons: the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 3:16, Matthew 28:19, John 10:30, 2 Corinthians 13:14)
2. Man is sinful and therefore separated from God, who is holy and perfect.
(Isaiah 53:5-9, Romans 3:23, I Peter 1:15-16)
3. Jesus Christ paid the eternal penalties for our sin through His death on the cross.
(Luke 24:46, I Peter 2:21)
4. Jesus Christ also resurrected bodily and ascended into heaven and will return one day to fulfill His kingdom. (Matthew 28:6, Revelation 19:11)
5. Only through Jesus Christ and the grace of His provision of salvation, may we be saved from eternal punishment, enter into God’s family and receive eternal life.
(Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 6:23, Romans 8:11, I John 1:9)
6. The Bible is the inspired, inerrant, infallible and authoritative Word of God and the truth for Christian faith and practice.
(2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Peter 1:20-21, John 17:17, 1 Thessalonians 2:13, Psalm 19:7-11, John 6:67-69)
5-8 minute speeches
Demonstration - teach or share with the audience in this exciting new hands-on speech!
Podcasting - one or two students presenting as if giving a podcast on YouTube. Students choose their intended audience, "This podcast is for all ages with tips for visiting national parks."
Monologue - act as a character from a play or literature at our club tournament in February.
2-6 minute speeches
Apologetics - students given questions to prepare notecards ahead of time.
Interview - high school category to practice interviewing in different scenarios.
Impromptu - quickly prepare a speech from a prompt.
Defend Your Faith Debate - Graciously and kindly answer tough questions. With a partner, debate against atheism and the progressive ideology through questions asked by a facilitator.
Basics of Debate - Based on the "Smash, Boom, Best" debate podcast. Learn how to listen to and refute your opponents through this fun two-on-two debate format with a hilarious host. In club only.
Please reach out with any questions!
"If Superwoman had a name, it would be Julie Fritz. Coach Julie is one of the most passionate, intentional, and Christ-centered mentors I’ve ever had. For two years, she coached me through speech and debate, not just to succeed in competition, but to grow in character. She encouraged me when I was nervous, challenged me when I felt unmotivated, and reminded me that people are more important than performance. Her gift is turning fast-talking teens into bold, humble communicators who love Jesus more than applause. Coach Julie changed my life, and I know I’m not the only one."
"Miss Julie is the most influential speech coach I have ever had the pleasure to work with. When I first started speech and debate, I had very little confidence and even less experience. But with her expert guidance and warm encouragement, Miss Julie helped me to grow both as a speaker and as a person. She has coached me for 5 years, and under her mentorship I learned many skills that I still carry with me."
"Julie Fritz’s coaching was instrumental to my growth as a speaker. Julie is able to easily pinpoint key topics of constructive feedback to her students in a caring yet straightforward way. She points out the areas that the students are strong in, but also gives clear and realistic action steps to work on for each session.
One of the most impactful pieces of advice that Julie gave me was: 'Don’t make the speech about you (the speaker). Make the speech about me (the audience).' This piece of advice has stuck with me all the way into my career as a financial advisor. It is my goal each meeting to make sure that the information I am presenting is about the client and their financial life.
Julie’s instruction and counsel has helped me grow so much as a speaker, and it has guided me now as I work professionally as a financial advisor. In my job, it is so important to communicate with clarity and relatability. It is also very important that I can think on my feet and view information with a logical perspective. Julie Fritz has truly helped me in these ways, and I am very grateful for all of her help and guidance."
"All four of our daughters competed in speech and debate from 2012 through 2020, and they benefited greatly from participating in this 'sport.'
Academically, our daughters developed important critical thinking skills; they learned how to make compelling points to support a thesis; and they gained experience in making professional presentations before large and small audiences.
Their years in speech and debate also grew their personal character. They learned how to take constructive feedback, and they saw the benefits from months of challenging work. The experience was highly rewarding for them. They developed deep friendships with teammates and competitors, and the skills and experience from speech and debate helped all of them attend small Christian colleges.
We really valued this experience as the highlight of their homeschooling journey."
“Coach Julie has been a tremendous help through my years in speech and debate! When I was a young novice, she was able to take the daunting task of learning speech and debate and teach it in a simple, understandable way. Her coaching helped me grow, and equipped me to compete at the national level with confidence. To anyone considering speech and debate, I would absolutely recommend Julie Fritz!"
"Speech and debate is, by far, the very best thing we did as a homeschool family. I think my children would've gotten a subpar education had it not been for speech and debate. Through God’s grace, it redeemed me and my lack of abilities."
Fritz Speech, LLC