WA State Debating Team
Want to represent WA? Registrations for the State Debating Trials are opening soon.
State Squad Trials
Key Facts
Dates: Sat, 7 November – Sun, 8 November
Venue: TBA
Time: 8:00 am – 4:00 pm
Registration Link: Coming Soon
Eligibility: Years 7-12
Debating Style: 3v3 (8 minutes, impromptu)
Contact: stateteam@wadl.org
Registration Fee: $0
What are the Trials?
The State Squad Trials are designed to identify a squad of 14 students from which the 2027 WA State Team to the National School’s Debating Championships will be selected from. Trials are also intended to be a positive development opportunity, giving students the chance to debate with feedback opportunities from WADL accredited adjudicators.
Success Critera
Participants will be assessed using the usual WADL scoring framework of matter, manner and method. However, selectors will consider your performance more broadly than simply comparing your individual speaker scores. This includes:
Application of feedback
While your adjudicator may change between rounds, feedback is recorded and shared across the selection panel. Strong candidates demonstrate an ability to respond to feedback and make noticeable improvements throughout the trials.
Teamwork and preparation
This year, adjudicators may sometimes observe team preparation. Trials are an individual selection process, but debating remains a team activity. Keeping strong ideas to yourself or attempting to maximise your own speech at the expense of your team is therefore not strategic. Strong candidates contribute ideas openly, help develop their team-mates’ arguments, listen to others, divide material effectively and work towards producing the strongest possible team case.
Adaptability
Teams, positions and motions will change throughout the trials. Strong candidates demonstrate that they can work effectively with different team-mates, adapt to different roles and perform across a range of debate styles and subject areas.
What to Expect
There will be six trial rounds across the weekend (3 per day).
You are welcome to attend and participate in all six rounds. However, you must compete in at least three rounds to be considered for selection.
Trials operate on an individual basis. You do not register or trial as part of a permanent team.
For each round:
- Participants will be placed into teams by the organisers.
- Teams will be randomised and will change between rounds.
- You may debate alongside students from different schools and levels of experience.
- Speaking positions and sides may also vary throughout the weekend.
Selection Process
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01
Register for Trials
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02
Compete in the Squad Trials
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03
Join the State Squad
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04
Make the State Team
State Debating Squad
At the conclusion of the State Debating Trials, 14 of the top-performing students in the Trials will be invited to participate in the State Debating Squad. The squad starts training in Term 4 and concludes in Term 1 the following year. In the squad, students engage in workshops, development activities, and debates to enhance their skills in case-building, response, preparation, and collaboration.
State Debating Team
Four students are selected from the State Debating Squad to represent Western Australia at the National Schools Debating Championships. The National Schools Debating Championships is Australia’s most prestigious high school debating and public speaking competition. NSDC 2027 will be held in Western Australia in early May 2027.
Contact Us
If you have any questions or concerns about registrations or the trials process, please don't hesitate to contact the 2027 State Team Coaches by email or the contact form.