I have had the pleasure of knowing Sully as my daughter’s Public Forum debate coach for 3 years and cannot begin to describe the influence he has made on her acumen. Through his commitment and support, Sully teaches his pupils and their peers the virtues of patience and dedication that will stay with them in their future paths. He ensures confidence in his students and always teaches the values of collaboration through healthy competition. Notably, Sully guided my daughter through her most outstanding achievement in high school debate at the 2024 Harvard National Speech and Debate Tournament, where she earned 5th place in a field of 352 entries. Sully’s influence on my daughter’s debate career is profound, and he even inspired her to continue the activity at the university level.

Sully is not only a debate coach but also a mentor and a foundational support throughout my debate career. I started as an anxious public speaker, not really interested in debate. Fast forward two years, and Sully transformed me into a confident and excellent debater. In my first year, Sully got me Gold qualified and cleared in the Tournament of Champions, and the following year, he helped my partner and me place 3rd in the country by collecting 14 TOC bids. Sully has really shaped the way I think, reason, and construct arguments, creating a lasting impact on my life.

Sully took my partner and I from barely breaking at local tournaments to becoming one of the most decorated teams in TOC history. We were fortunate enough to reach the semifinals of the Berkeley and Stanford tournaments with his coaching. He taught us to commit to excellence in our preparation, maintain our composure under pressure, and love the activity of debate while competing at the highest level. The skills and experiences I have gained from Sully continue to give back beyond debate.