Benjamin Rutten was a dedicated speech and debate student who became a national champion. Today, he is a coach, seeking to pass on his understanding to the next generation of leaders. 

What is Benjamin's competitive experience?

Benjamin competed for five years across Stoa and NCFCA. Ben competed in Team Policy, Lincoln-Douglas, and Parliamentary Debate as well as in Moot Court and Apologetics, Extemporaneous, Impromptu, Mars Hill, Original Oratory, and Persuasive Speaking. Whichever event you seek coaching for, Ben is here to help.

What were the highlights of Benjamin's career?

Ben achieved 44 first-place finishes across all six of his speech events and his three debate events. Ben achieved 6-0 records in Team Policy, Lincoln-Douglas, and Parliamentary Debate numerous times. He went deep in elimination rounds at Nationals in all three, won tournaments in all three, and won speaker points in all three. At Nationals in 2023, Ben argued his way to the final round of Parliamentary Debate and finished 2nd in Mars Hill Speaking. At Nationals in 2024, Ben picket-fenced six speech rooms (including an Extemporaneous quarterfinal room) and went on to place 1st in Extemporaneous Speaking. His favorite event was Mars Hill in which he won 12 tournaments. Benjamin capped off his career by receiving the Tournament Champion award four times and by being ranked 1st in the nation for the majority of his final season. 

What makes Benjamin a good coach?

Benjamin strives to be an even better coach than he was a competitor by passing on his insights and by uniquely tailoring his approach to each student. Benjamin has over 100 hours of professional coaching experience and has led multiple of his students to become national champions. Whether a student is a novice seeking to learn the ropes or a fifth-year debater aiming to win Nationals, Benjamin is honored to help these students excel.