How to run a practice round that teaches

A practice round is worth ten drills if the debrief is good and nothing if it is not. This plan runs a full round with a debrief in about ninety minutes and works for a coach with no debate background, a sponsoring teacher, or a team captain.

By Andrew Thomas, Charlotte Urban Debate League | Published September 9, 2025 | Updated September 2026 | 6 min read

Before the round (10 minutes)

Set the format and speech times on the practice timer and assign a timekeeper who is not debating.
Assign one judge (a coach, teacher, or older student) and hand them a printed flow sheet and the one-page judging guide.
Give everyone not debating a flow sheet too. Watching and flowing is practice.
Tell the debaters the debrief question in advance: "What is the one thing you will change before the next round?" It focuses the round.

During the round (45 minutes)

Run the round at full speed with real timing. Stopping to coach mid-round teaches students that time limits are negotiable.
The judge flows and takes notes for the ballot. Observers flow and write one question they would have asked in crossfire.
Prep time counts. Students who run out learn more from that than from any lecture about prep.

The debrief (30 minutes)

Debaters first (5 minutes). Each debater says what they think the round came down to and who won. They are usually wrong about at least one thing, and that gap is the lesson.
The decision (5 minutes). The judge announces the decision and gives the reason in two sentences, then one specific thing each debater did well and one thing to fix.
The flow walk (15 minutes). Go argument by argument through the judge's flow. Where was an argument dropped? Where did a response fail to explain its impact? Where did weighing decide the round? This is where students learn what judges actually see.
One change each (5 minutes). Each debater states one concrete change for the next round and writes it down. Check it at the next practice.

Variations for small clubs

Two students: run Lincoln-Douglas, with the coach or a third student judging. Switch sides and run it again the same day.
Three students: one debates both sides against the other two in successive rounds; the third judges each time.
No judge available: record the round on a phone and have the debaters judge their own round from the video with the judging guide. It is uncomfortable and very effective.
Half rounds: run only the constructives and first rebuttals, then debrief. Useful when time is short or the team is new.

How often

One practice round a week, plus one drill session, is enough for a team to improve visibly over a semester. Two rounds a week in the two weeks before a tournament. CUDL coaches can judge practice rounds at partner schools and can connect two schools for a practice scrimmage; ask us.