Meet the Coaches

Natalie is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Communication, coaches college policy debate, and teaches Persuasive Argumentation at the University of Wyoming. Natalie’s thesis focuses on adaptation of Instructional Communication styles to individuals’ unique Learning Styles in an online classroom environment. Natalie has a BA in Psychology with an emphasis on Educational Psychology.

Natalie has been a Debate coach since 2014. There are more common Speech and Debate formats that she's coached than formats that she hasn't. Natalie wants to give students the ability to explore different formats, styles, and genres of expertise in order to help each student find the voice that works best for them.

As a competitor, Natalie:

• Qualified for the National Debate Tournament (one of the national championships of Policy debate) and ranked with her partner as the 33rd team in the country (2013)

• Double octa-finalist at the Cross-Examination Debate Association's National tournament (the other College Policy championship national championship) in the same year (2013)

• Won the San Francisco State University inter-collegiate tournament in Policy Debate (2012)

• Was the first speaker at the CSU Northridge college tournament in Policy Debate (2016)

• Received the Cross-Examination Debate Association's Summa Cum Laude Award (2016)

• Received the Cross-Examination Debate Association's All-American Award (2016)

As a competitor, Sana has received various awards, including:

• 2019 National Speech and Debate Tournament Octofinalist (World Schools Debate)

• 2019 Philalethic Tournament Champion (1st place Lincoln Douglas)

• 2018 & 2019 NCFL Nationals Qualifier 2018 Dempsey Cronin Tournament Champion (1st place Lincoln Douglas)

• Outstanding Distinction Merit in the National Speech and Debate Association

• Winner. California Coast District Communicator of the Year

Sana believes that it’s important to treat students like they can do anything. Instilling confidence in students makes them far more willing to learn, and to try their best. Sana believes that regular practice can be customized to work on each student’s individual strengths and weaknesses. 

Sana believes that strong debaters have very individualized styles. When students are comfortable in their own knowledge and skill set, they will be able to expand their own abilities easily, without having to focus on replicating someone else’s style. Sana wants to help students sharpen their skills while making sure that their debate style is really their own, and not just copied and pasted style of their coach.

As a competitor, Sameer qualified to TFA state twice where he cleared both times and reached the bid round at multiple national circuit tournaments.

• Vice President of the Hebron High School policy debate team (2019-2020)

• Top 32 teams in the state (Double-Octo finalist) (2019)

• Top 16 Teams in Texas (Octofinalist) (2020)

• Two time qualifier for the Texas Forensic Associations State Debate Tournament (2019)

• Newman Smith Spontaneity Champion (2019)

• Naaman Forest Tournament Finalist (2018)

Sameer’s teaching style is very personalized in the sense that how he goes about teaching depends on the student’s argumentative interests as well as how the student prefers to learn. Because we’ll be discussing the nuances of complex critical theory, it is important that we understand how our students learn prior to any actual discussion of critical literature. 

Whether they are a visual learner and would prefer the addition of diagrams and images to lessons, an auditory learner and would prefer a simple lecture to listen to, or tactile and would like to see how these theories would be applied to debate in real time, Sameer will ensure that lessons are built in a way where students with any distinct learning style can feel comfortable. 

Having participated in circuit debate, lay debate, critique debate, and policy style arguments, Sameer is very fluent in what makes each type of debate style distinct and will be sure to apply that knowledge when teaching students from all debate backgrounds to ensure every student receives access to a quality education.