Sashank Balusu

Ascend Academy - Congressional Debate Coach

Sashank is currently a student at UC Berkeley and a graduate of Archbishop Mitty High School. As a coach, Sashank has helped multiple students reach the NSDA national finals including a top 3 finish. As a competitor, Sashank placed top 3 at the California State tournament for three straight years (LD/Congress), placed 4th and 6th at NSDA nationals, and was the house leadership bowl winner.

Sashank is a firm believer that congress isn’t just a debate event and thus shouldn’t be approached like one. Instead, as a coach, he prioritizes helping students find their niche by incorporating important techniques from both speech and debate—rhetoric, argumentation, delivery, and personality. Most of all, Sashank believes that there’s no one size fits all approach to congress. After teaching the fundamentals, Sashank seeks to help students identify their own strengths and weaknesses and use that to elevate their personal style.

Outside of debate, Sashank is (unfortunately) a Chargers fan, an aerial photography lover, and an aspiring barber. He can’t wait to help coach you!