As the start of the season kicks off, Speech and Debate has been coaching incoming members to participate in upcoming meets along with welcoming them to the team through the annual Speech and Debate Chicken BBQ dinner.
As new members trickle in, the Speech and Debate team has begun coaching novices, or new participants, in their first official tournament, kicking off the start of the season on Saturday, Oct. 26, at Homewood-Flossmoor High School. Club sponsor Jordan Mayer and his students are anxious and excited for what’s to come.
“It’s so much fun, they all dress up in costumes. It’s Halloween themed and you get to meet people from all over the Chicagoland area. You’re going to be meeting and networking with people that love performing arts,” Mayer said.
Sparking excitement across the room, Mayer also mentioned that the Speech and Debate kids have also sold almost 900 tickets for their upcoming annual Chicken BBQ Dinner, taking place from 4:30-6:30 p.m. before the football game. The team has gone door to door, parading tickets and doorknob hangers in order to promote their clubs funding and fun.
Senior and speech president Niah Maduakolam has been working with Mayer to coordinate events for the months to come.
“There’s a travel team, which is basically the kids who went to state last year,” she said. “They are coaching the novices right now, so we’re going to be getting them speeches, which the majority of them are premade. They’re from commencement addresses, Ted Talks, movies, books; it’s really just excerpts.”
The students in speech have various types of speeches they learn to act out throughout the season. From demonstrative speeches, to impromptu and toasts, speech and debate novices are being trained not just to compete, but to win. Being trained by experienced speech and debate coaches like English teacher Ben Boruff, new acting coach Ryan Kelleher, and Don Fortner, who was recently awarded by the state league’s Indiana Speech and Debate Association for his 45 years of coaching the team, the team has been training for success.
“During practice, the kids that write their own speeches usually draft those for the first two months of the season- writing them and getting them really put together,” Maduakolam said. “Some people have boards so they’ll be making those. Then, for the kids who already have premade speeches, it’s really just memorization. Then we add what is called tech and blocking, which is like moving around as if there’s a stage and a scene happening.”
Whether at the wall or to each other, practice makes perfect. The coordination and effort displayed by teammates is not only impressive to watch, but heartwarming to feel.
“We’re trying different practice techniques in general to improve and get more members,” Vice President Claire Han said. “Me and Niah run practices together typically. We are making activities to make it fun for people.”
