Mike Bietz

Head Debate Coach, Harvard-Westlake School, 2007-2024 · Summer Debate Program Director, Harvard-Westlake School, 2014-2024 · Director, Victory Briefs, 2001-2014 · Head Lincoln-Douglas Debate Coach, Edina High School, 1999-2005 · Head Policy Debate Coach, Apple Valley High School, 1998-1999

• Key Accomplishments

  • The first and only coach from Southern California to be inducted into the Tournament of Champions Coach Hall of Fame and the Barkley Forum Coaches Gold Key Society

  • The first and only Asian-American coach inducted into the Tournament of Champions Coach Hall of Fame

  • The only coach to coach the TOC LD Champion and NSDA LD Champion in the same year

  • One of only two coaches to coach two TOC LD Champions and two NSDA LD Champions in the same year

  National Championship Accomplishments (Tournament of Champions, NSDA, NDCA, Novice Nationals)

  • Qualified 98 entries to the Tournament of Champions as a program director

  • National Championships: 14 (2 NSDA, 2 TOC, 1 NDCA, 1 MSPDP,  8 Novice Nationals)

  • National Runners-Up: 11  (3 TOC, 3 NDCA, 5 Novice Nationals)

  • National Semi-finalists:14

  • National Elim Round Participants (Total): 99

• Awards & Recognition

  Awards

  • Coach Hall of Fame, Tournament of Champions / 2024

  • Coaches Gold Key Society, Barkley Forum for High Schools, Emory University / 2022

  • Chuck Ballingal Community Service Award, Trojan HS Invitational, University of Southern California / 2018

  • Coach of the Year, Minnesota Debate Teachers Association / 2004

  • Assistant Coach of the Year, Minneapple Debate Tournament, Apple Valley HS, MN / 1996

  Current Appointments

  • Tournament of Champions Advisory Committee Member since 1996

  • Board member, Los Angeles Metropolitan Debate League (Urban Debate League)

  Previous Appointments

  • National Debate Coaches Association (NDCA) Board Member

  • President of the NDCA Board

  • Consultant with the NSDA Online Migration Project

  Tabroom Event Director

  • UC Berkeley High School Invitational

  • Stanford National HS Invitational

  • Jack Howe Invitational at CSULB

  • USC Trojan Invitational

  • Peninsula Invitationalon text goes here

• Biography

  Description text goes here

Areas of Expertise

Lincoln-Douglas Debate · Policy Debate · Public Forum Debate · Middle School Public Debate Program (MSPDP) · Classroom Prep · World Schools Debate · Parliamentary Debate

Teaching Interests

I have coached all types of debate in grades 4-12. From the main debate events (Lincoln-Douglas, Policy, Public Forum, World Schools, and Middle School Parliamentary), to written debate formats such as IPPF, to shorter/experimental types of debate, I believe that the core debate skills are fundamentally the same.

I can also organize a bespoke debate experience that includes instruction and practice debate rounds for for multiple students who may not be on a debate team, but would like to learn the skills taught in competitive debate.

If you have a few families interested in this type of solution, or if you have any questions about working with me, please reach out using the contact form below the booking options.

Book an Appointment or Free Consultation

Do you have questions for Mike? Reach out using the form below: