Mike Bietz

Mike Bietz is one of history’s most successful debate coaches, with a career of over 25 years as a program head for Policy Debate at Apple Valley High School 1998-1999 (Minnesota); Lincoln-Douglas at Edina High School 1999-2005 (Minnesota); and the full program at Harvard-Westlake School 2007-2024 (California). He has been inducted into the Tournament of Champions Coaches Hall of Fame and a member of the Coach’s Gold Key Society at Emory University’s Barkley Forum for High School Debate – two of the most prestigious honors a national circuit debate coach can earn. He is the first and only debate coach from Southern California to receive such honors.

Mr. Bietz has coached Qualified 98 entries to the Tournament of Champions as a program director, Won 14 National Championships (2 NSDA, 2 TOC, 1 NDCA, 1 MSPDP, 8 Novice Nationals), 11 National Runners-Up (3 TOC, 3 NDCA, 5 Novice Nationals), 14 National Semi-finalists, and total of 101 National Elim Round Participants. Beyond the National Championships, his students are consistently contenders at every invitational at every level of competition. Beyond being a successful debate coach, Mr. Bietz is a trusted member of the community. He is a member of the Tournament of Champions Advisory Board (current) and the Los Angeles Metropolitan Debate League (current). He has served as President of the National Debate Coaches Association and was a board member. He also currently serves as a Tabroom staff member or event director at the National Speech and Debate National Tournament, the Tournament of Champions Digital Debate Series, The Stanford National High School Invitational, The Cal Invitational (Berkeley), the Jack Howe Invitational (CSU Long Beach), and the Trojan Invitational (USC)
Coach Mike Bietz Bio – Chinese and English