Policy debate is the one activity that has influenced my passions, interests, long-term friendships, and personality more than anything else in my life.
I credit my time in debate for not only instilling my confidence in public speaking and writing, but also for opening a world of intellectual curiosity for me on a vast array of policy issues.
High School Debate
My debate journey began in high school where I was pushed to join upon the encouraging of my middle school language arts teachers.
Debate played an incredibly formative role for me at this age. I was soon traveling every other weekend to compete at national tournaments across the country. When the school year was over I would spend the summers at debate camp, including at Michigan State University, University of Kentucky, and the University of Michigan.
I spent my freshman year at Chattahoochee High School with a well-established and nationally recognized debate program, but starting my sophomore year I was re-districted to a new high school built in 2009 called Johns Creek High School. Here, I helped establish a new debate program from the ground up and captained a team of 20 debaters for 3 years leading the school to national success and qualification to the Tournament of Champions. Johns Creek High School would go on to permanently re-name their annual student debate award after me. This was one of the most challenging, but rewarding periods of my life.
Topics Debated:
2008-2009 – Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase alternative energy incentives in the United States.
2009-2010 – Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase social services for persons living in poverty in the United States.
2010-2011 – Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially reduce its military and/or police presence in one or more of the following: South Korea, Japan, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Iraq, Turkey.
2011-2012 – Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase its exploration and/or development of space beyond the Earth’s mesosphere.
Collegiate Debate
At the University of Georgia I was a recipient of the prestigious Richard B. Russell debate scholarship and would go on to win speaker awards and place at several national tournaments, including the 2015 National Debate Tournament.
Topics Debated:
2012-2013 – Resolved: The United States Federal Government should substantially reduce restrictions on and/or substantially increase financial incentives for energy production in the United States of one or more of the following: coal, crude oil, natural gas, nuclear power, solar power, wind power.
2013-2014 – Resolved: The United States Federal Government should substantially increase statutory and/or judicial restrictions on the war powers authority of the President of the United States in one or more of the following areas: targeted killing; indefinite detention; offensive cyber operations; or introducing United States Armed Forces into hostilities.
2014-2015 – Resolved: The United States should legalize all or nearly all of one or more of the following in the United States: marijuana, online gambling, physician-assisted suicide, prostitution, the sale of human organs.
UGA vs Oxford Debate:
During my junior year in 2014, I was asked to participate in a unique opportunity. Every 3 years, Oxford University in England would come to UGA for a debate competition. The event was part of a week-long commemoration celebrating the UGA-Oxford exchange program. As of 2014, the two debate teams had faced off 4 times with the record tied 2-2.
I was chosen along with two other debaters to represent UGA against three presidents of the Oxford Union. The topic of the debate was whether or not drone strikes were enhancing the U.S.’s national security objectives. After a fierce debate, the UGA team was declared victorious.
My speech can be viewed here and the full debate can be viewed here.
Volunteer Debate Coach
After my competitive debate tenure ended I stayed involved in the debate community volunteering my time to coach high school debaters. Both at my alma mater Johns Creek High School and more recently at Grady High School in midtown Atlanta I would join weekly team practices to provide coaching and feedback to 20+ student debaters on public speaking, argumentation strategy, communication, persuasion and policy understanding.
Coaching and judging debates exposed me to a different side of debate that I didn’t know I would love – helping younger debaters find their voice and sharpen their critical thinking skills.
Topics Coached:
2012-2013 – Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase its transportation infrastructure investment in the United States.
2013-2014 – Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase its economic engagement toward Cuba, Mexico or Venezuela.
2018-2019 – Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially reduce its restrictions on legal immigration to the United States.
Chetan Hebbale 