Coaches’ Network
Over the years, our focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion has evolved to reflect our community’s breadth of identities and ideologies. This focus warrants new opportunities to support our coaches and teams by providing infrastructure that encourages networking and relationship cultivation, as well as ensuring productive, streamlined communication – including an effective reporting structure to document the concerns of our stakeholders and provide recommendations for the national office to consider.
Each group within the Coaches’ Network will be led by two coaches, meet at least three times per year (including an in-person meeting at the National Tournament), and utilize multiple approaches to meet its coaches’ needs. Meeting approaches may include (but are not limited to) open conversations with recommended action items, multicultural education, and professional development sessions. The leaders of each group will meet with the NSDA Director of DEI to communicate the ideas and concerns of their group members.
Coaches’ Caucuses
The NSDA Coaches’ Caucuses promote diversity, equity, and inclusion through networking, mentorship, and general support from coaches and judges from historically underrepresented and marginalized populations. Each caucus meets virtually twice throughout the year and in person at the National Tournament.
Black/African American Leaders
Adesuwa Omoruyi, TX
Jharick Shields, MS
Black/African American Caucus
Thursday, February 15 – 7:00 p.m. CT
Hispanic/Latine Leaders
Tony Ugalde, CA
Victoria Beard, TX
Hispanic/Latine Caucus
Monday, March 18 – 7:00 p.m. CT
LGBTQ+ Leaders
Heath Martin, TX
Elle Barts, NE
LGBTQ+ Caucus
Tuesday, April 9 – 7:00 p.m. CT
Women’s Caucus Leaders
Jamelle Brown, KS
Kim Lenger, MO
Women’s Caucus
Sunday, March 3 – 7:00 p.m. CT
Asian/Pacific Islander Leaders
David Long, PA
Kris Igawa, OR
Asian/Pacific Islander Caucus
Tuesday, April 16 – 6:00 p.m. CT
Abilities United Caucus Leaders
Jan Pizzo, OR
Jesse Meyer, IA
Abilities United Caucus
Monday, March 4 – 7:00 p.m. CT
Indigenous Persons Leader
John Samqua, KS
Indigenous Persons Caucus
Monday, March 11 – 7:00 p.m. CT
Coaches’ Interest Groups
The Coaches’ Interest Groups provide coaches space to discuss and address unique barriers faced from the viewpoint of the schools and teams they serve. These groups were created in 2024 and will have their first meetings at the 2024 National Tournament.
Coaches’ Interest Group Leaders
Small Schools Interest Group
Katy Russell (OH)
Scott Caron (MA)
The Small Schools Interest Group is geared toward coaches of schools with a population of under 1,000 students. This group seeks to share the traditions that define small schools while strategizing for their growth by maximizing quality despite quantity.
Rural Coaches Interest Group
Justin Cartwright (KS)
Christine Hubbard (ID)
The Rural Coaches Interest Group will focus on helping and supporting coaches in rural communities gain access to team resources. The group will provide ideas, materials, and curriculum to ensure members are well-equipped to help their students.
Non-Public Schools Interest Group
Renea Moss (FL)
Gail Nicholas (SC)
The Non-Public Schools Interest Group (NPSI) supports the growth of non-public schools (including but not limited to private, parochial, faith-based, virtual, homeschools, etc.) and their coaches. NPSI will focus on supporting coaches in navigating their participation in the National Speech and Debate Association so that they may fully develop their craft and equip them with the necessary skills and resources to thrive.
2024 National Tournament Meetings
Sunday, June 16
Group |
Time |
Location |
Hispanic/Latine |
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Asian American/Pacific Islander |
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Indigenous Persons |
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Rural Coaches Interest Group |
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Women’s Coaches Caucus |
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Small Schools Interest Group |
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Black/African American |
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LGBTQ+ |
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Non-Public Schools Interest Group |
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Abilities United |
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FAQs
It is up to the groups to decide in advance whether they want their meetings to be private or open to all. In doing so, they should decide the purpose and guidelines for each visit.
If you are looking for a space to discuss how to be effective allies, increase your multicultural competence, or discuss issues of equity and inclusion, please consider participating in the Multicultural Learning Alliance or joining one of the Coaches’ Interest Groups.
As a member of a coaches’ caucus, you will engage in conversations about issues related to the identity group the caucus represents. Members of interest groups will discuss issues specific to the school or team a coach serves. If you cannot openly and honestly use the pronouns “I” or “we” within the group you’re considering, you might want to think about a different group.
You might want to consider participating in the Multicultural Learning Alliance (our DEI learning community for coaches), taking one of our courses on NSDA Learn, or completing the Belonging and Inclusion Advocate training.
The creation of additional caucuses and/or interest groups in the future is certainly a possibility. Please feel free to share your ideas at dei@speechanddebate.org.