Tuesday, 2:15 PM: Ari Parker walks down the halls in Whittier Woods after school with a backpack and a water bottle. He’s greeted by others with high fives and fist bumps.

No, he’s not the star athlete here. He’s the new Speech and Debate coach.

At 22-years-old, Parker hopes to turn the Whitman Speech and Debate team into what he calls the “debate team of the century.”

“When I first heard that the position was available, I thought that it would be an incredible opportunity because Whitman’s team is one of the best in the nation,” Parker said.

Originally from Illinois, Parker has had a passion for debate ever since he was on his high school team.

“We’re really excited to have him aboard—he’s young, fresh, and pumped up,” faculty sponsor Colin O’Brien said. “He brings a lot of great energy and fresh perspective to the team.”

After four years of coaching at Glenbrook North High school for one of the most prominent debate teams in the country, Ari Parker decided to move from Illinois to Maryland to take over the Whitman team, just months after graduating from college this past June.

Parker turned down several offers from prestigious law schools when he heard about the head coach opening at Whitman.

“It’s hard to be a full-time law student and debate coach,” Parker said. “Debate is something I’m not ready to leave yet because I love working with kids.”

When he’s not coaching speech and debate, Parker tutors prospective law students in LSAT prep courses and plans to work for the Federal Communications Commission this fall.

With two jobs and preparations being made for a third, Parker finds his schedule to be very busy.

“I don’t have a lot of time for hobbies, but I like rock-climbing, traveling and tracking down new restaurants,” Parker said. “I also write reviews for ethnic restaurants on my foodie blog.”

The dynamic between Parker and the students is great, says senior Daniel Imas.

“I think he is a great fit for the program and easy to work with,” he said. “He has already struck a good balance as a coach and a friend to most of the kids on the team.”

Parker is well aware of the large shoes he has to fill. Previous coach Anjan Choudhury built the program and led the team through record-breaking seasons for four years. Last year, the National Forensics League named the team one of the top five debate teams in the country.

But Parker has already proven that he can withstand the pressure. This past weekend the team travelled to two of the first tournaments of the year, and continued their success from last year. At Wake Forest University, the team placed second overall, and at the Greenhill School in Dallas, Texas, senior Marshall Thompson won first place out of 124 competitors without losing a round.

“Ari clearly loves debate, and really values the activity, so I think that he will be a great coach for the coming year as well as for years to come,” Thompson said.

Though Parker grew up in a family that loved debate, he says his personal ambition sparks his dedication and drive for the activity.

“You are the ignition,” Parker says. “At the end of the day, you have to take the initiative to find your voice. Debate is where I found mine.”