Gardena, CA, September 26, 2013: Serra alumni from the 50s and 60s remember a time when the echoes of debate would reverberate down the school’s hallways. After a long period of dormancy, the Serra Debate team is back, with the help from the nationally-ranked LMU debate program, led by Coach James Kilcup. The LMU debate teams have captured first place in over two hundred national and international invitational tournaments, and more than two dozen teams have placed fourth or better in National Championship Tournaments.
Kilcup has brought with him several members of the LMU crew to help coach Serra’s burgeoning group of interested students. Brittany McKinley, a junior at LMU, will make the weekly trek down the 105 freeway to coach the team after school on Mondays. She brings with her an enthusiasm and infectious attitude that garnered over 50 interested students the first day of practice. A mock debate between the LMU veterans last Monday captured the attention of several passersby, and word has started to spread around the school that debate is back.
McKinley has signed Serra up for a local tournament in October, and she believes the team will be ready to compete by then. “As soon as the team starts to compete, they’ll be hooked,” she said. “Serra is so competitive athletically, there’s no reason that can’t hold true for debate as well.”
Kilcup has brought with him several members of the LMU crew to help coach Serra’s burgeoning group of interested students. Brittany McKinley, a junior at LMU, will make the weekly trek down the 105 freeway to coach the team after school on Mondays. She brings with her an enthusiasm and infectious attitude that garnered over 50 interested students the first day of practice. A mock debate between the LMU veterans last Monday captured the attention of several passersby, and word has started to spread around the school that debate is back.
McKinley has signed Serra up for a local tournament in October, and she believes the team will be ready to compete by then. “As soon as the team starts to compete, they’ll be hooked,” she said. “Serra is so competitive athletically, there’s no reason that can’t hold true for debate as well.”