Leagues are critical for the expanded opportunities available to MSPDP teachers, students, and parents. Once schools come together to form a league, students can participate in regular competitions for a modest cost and accelerate their learning as well as their debating skills.

Students love competitions. They are intensely academic events where all students can practice and develop their abilities in a constructive and supportive learning environment. Tournaments are also productive social enviroments -- students meet and talk about important issues of the day with other students from all over their city, county, or area. The fun and active learning environment of a tournament gives students extra incentives to prepare, practice, and work hard at debating. All of this increases the benefits that students get out of debate.

Although it is possible to have a debate tournament featuring only students from one school (and many, many schools have school championships every year), tournaments are m ade even better if they involve multiple schools. This is where the league comes in.

A debate league is a collective organization of schools that come together to facilitate a schedule of debate competitions during the school year. Most middle school leagues have 5 or 6 Saturday competitions during a school year. The competitive season might start in November and end in April, with one competition held each month at a league school. Schools pay modest dues into a league treasury so that the league can buy trophies for tournaments. In exchange, schools get to bring contingents to league tournaments at no further cost (except, perhaps, transportation costs). To learn more about forming a league, visit the "Forming a League" link to the left. To see information about existing MSPDP leagues, visit the links on the left.