Behind the top spellers at the Scripps National Bee: coaches who've been there
One week before Faizan Zaki, 13, would don a numbered name tag and ascend the small staircase that leads to the biggest spelling bee stage in the country, he sat on his couch, propped open his computer and began another rapid-fire study session with his coach.
Faizan, who came in second place in the Scripps National Spelling Bee last year and is one of the favorites to win the 2025 contest, is among a growing number of spellers who lean on professional coaching to reach the Bee's upper echelon.
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