Introduction :

Atharv is entering his first year at UBC and has been involved in competitive debate with the VDA for four years. He was drawn to debate for its combination of strategy, competition, and logic. As a coach, he particularly enjoys helping students develop their own instincts and intrinsic confidence rather than simply imparting formulas to follow. His teaching is motivated by the reward of seeing students find genuine enjoyment in speech and debate. His philosophy emphasizes analytical thinking and adaptability, while giving students the freedom to develop a debating style that feels natural to them. He hopes students leave with greater confidence, independent thinking, and clarity in their argumentation, developing both technical debating skills and broader life lessons.