Club finds coach, begins season
While previously preoccupied by their lack of a coach after last year’s coach retired, members of the speech team are now turning their efforts to preparations for their season.
After nearly three months of searching for a new coach, the position was filled by social studies teacher Jean Scheaffer. Language arts teacher Peter Redmond will also help the team prepare throughout the season as a speech liaison.
Redmond said he chose to take the position because he values the learning experiences speech team provides.
“(It teaches) skills you guys can use wherever you go, whatever career you choose,” Redmond said. “It teaches you poise, it teaches you to be articulate (and) it teaches you to do research. The list goes on and on.”
With coaching positions filled, the team turned its focus to preparing for the season. It hosted an interest meeting Nov. 29, and will have another Dec. 6.
Junior captain Claire Tollefsrud said she is encouraged by the larger number of people who attended the first interest meeting.
“We might have a bigger team this year. During the past few years we’ve had six or seven people, but we’d like to boost that up,” she said. “Ten people (showed) up to the first meeting, so we’re pretty good.”
With both experienced and new members on the team, Tollefsrud said she hopes to see growth while they compete.
“I am expecting we will get a few people into finals in the invitationals,” Tollefsrud said. “I am hoping we will get somebody to State this year, which we haven’t done while I’ve been here. And I want to have fun doing it.”
Redmond said he agreed that winning was a goal for the season, but he also wants to place emphasis on learning for the members of the speech team.
“Hopefully Ms. Scheaffer and I can make sure the students have the skills they need to be successful. Not just winning, but having skills and growing,” Redmond said. “When I was doing it (before) I had kids who never won, but learned and had fun. It’s about camaraderie.”
The speech team will hold an informational meeting at 8:10 a.m. Dec. 6 in room C365 for students interested in joining.
