Hall of Fame

About the Hall of Fame
Introductory Essay
I. Mr. Bruno Jacob, Secretary-Emeritus, shall name the first ten members of the Hall.
A. The initial ten inductees shall be, in the opinion of Mr. Jacob, the all-time greatest NFL coaches (currently coaching or retired, living or deceased) based upon:
1. Service to the NFL 2. Chapter awards (largest chapter, leading chapter) 3. Record at the National Tournament 4. Record at district and State tournaments
II. Additional coaches may be elected by:
A. An “old timers” committee composed of Mr. Jacob, Mr. Odom, and Mr. Winfield may recommend retired or deceased coaches to the members of the Hall. A 2/3 vote of the living members is required to elect these members.
B. District Chairmen or members of the District Committee may suggest retired or inactive coaches they consider worthy of election to the Hall. These names shall be submitted to all coaches holding three diamonds or more. The two nominees each year receiving the greatest number of votes by preferential ballot shall be inducted.
III. Additional persons, not coaches, may be elected by:
A. A unanimous vote of the Executive Council (these persons shall have rendered great, unstinting and continuous service to NFL).
Mr. Jacob wrote the reasons for his founding member selections in the September 1978 issue of Rostrum: “In selecting the coaches to be nominated to the Hall of Fame, I set up two criteria:First, that coach shall have demonstrated over a number of years a consistent ability as a superior speech teacher and speech coach as demonstrated by several tangible achievements: the number of students qualified to reach the finals in the national speech tournament; the winning of championships in that tournament; the winning of the Tau Kappa Alpha [now Pi Kappa Delta/Bruno E. Jacob] Trophy (or the tournament sweepstakes [now the School of Excellence] award); attainment by the coach of the NFL Diamond Key Award.
Second, devotion to the NFL [now the NSDA] as indicated by service as District Chairman, National Director, National Officer, or as host to the National Speech Tournament.”
Mr. Jacob then named ten founding members to the new Hall of Fame. By unanimous vote, the Executive Council had earlier named Mr. Jacob to the Hall of Fame. Rostrum editor Albert Odom, himself later elected to the Hall, wrote in the September 1978 Rostrum: “Bruno E. Jacob was presented the NFL Hall of Fame membership number one. It wasn’t a surprise to anyone except Mr. Jacob that he would be the number one selection.” The award was presented on behalf of the 450,000 members of the NFL. Karl E. Mundt, Former United States Senator and longtime National Forensic League President, was posthumously awarded membership number two. The 12 initial members were officially inducted at the National Tournament banquet held during the 1978 National Tournament hosted by Northwestern University. An elegant ceremony was performed at McCormick Place, the Chicago convention hall on the Lake Michigan shore. Each living member spoke, but the premiere speech was delivered by Mr. Jacob. Frail and ill, Mr. Jacob poured out his heart about the meaning of the National Forensic League and the wonderful people who rendered great service to the organization and to the youth involved in speech activities. Unfortunately, no audio or video copy of that speech can be found, but perhaps Mr. Jacob’s retirement speech, delivered at the 1969 Washington, D.C., National Tournament banquet, can provide a glimpse of Mr. Jacob’s emotions and the power of his oratorical skills. “…What can a man say at a moment like this. There are moments in life when a heart is so full of emotion… The book of my life is nearly finished. We are writing the pages of the last chapter now. I am haunted by the words of the dying Cecil Rhodes…, ‘So much to do, so little done.’ As I look back I am distressed by the opportunities neglected, the blank pages in my book. But the moving finger writes; and, having writ, moves on. Nor all my piety or wit will lure it back to change half a line, nor all my tears wash out one word of it.” The Hall was expanded at the Spring 1987 Executive Council meeting: “Moved by Mitchell, seconded by Fernandes, that this year the Hall of Fame admit three retired and three active coaches. Passed. Unanimous.” At the Fall 1987 Council meeting, a special committee was established to discuss Hall of Fame membership qualifications. The committee was comprised of Jean Boles, Charline Burton, Ralph Carey, Carmendale Fernandes, Richard Sodikow, L. D. Naegelin, H. B. Mitchell, and James Copeland, acting NFL Secretary. That committee recommended that four nominees should be elected each year: two by the three-diamond or higher coaches, and two by the living Hall members. Twenty-five years of service or retirement was required for nomination. An “old timer’s” committee and Honorary nominees could also be elected. Originally, the names of nominees elected were kept secret, like the Motion Picture Oscars, and announced at the national banquet. After a few newly elected members failed to attend the banquet or failed to qualify students to the National Tournament and did not attend, it was decided that, like the National Baseball Hall of Fame, the new inductees would be announced in advance. In 1987, a separate Hall of Fame banquet was established, hosted by Billy Tate, to induct the new honorees prior to their public presentation at the Donus D. Roberts Diamond Assembly. Two Hall of Fame members, Jean Boles and Ruby Krider, deserve special commendation. Jean Boles served as Hall of Fame secretary from her induction in 1983 until her death. Ms. Boles, a former student of the legendary debate coach H. B. Mitchell and later an outstanding Texas coach herself, corresponded with Hall members, spearheaded the establishment of Hall of Fame scholarships for the winners of the National Tournament supplemental events, and was instrumental in obtaining a federal not-for-profit designation for the Hall of Fame. Mrs. Krider, inducted in 1979 and one of the finest teachers of oral interpretation in the NFL, originated the idea for a Hall of Fame pin. She and her husband Clem designed an octagonal, gold pin with the NFL key as the escutcheon, bearing the image of the eye which sees all sides of a topic, the lamp of knowledge, and the initials NFL diagonal across the key. The words “Hall of Fame” border the edges of the pin, which is still in use and highly treasured to this day. It took more than 50 years for the National Forensic League (now the National Speech & Debate Association) to establish a Hall of Fame. After almost four decades, what is the state of this elite, yet important, organization now? Some Halls of Fame are so large that the honor seems meaningless. Once during a performance of the Grand Ole Opry, the aging Roy Acuff, once the Opry’s greatest star, and an early member of the Country Music Hall of Fame introduced a singer by saying, “Please welcome a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame… I think he is a member… They’re gettin’ so many in there it’s hard to keep track…” Bruno Jacob’s decision to limit Hall induction to only those coaches who have achieved consistent superiority in teaching and coaching and have performed exemplary service to the organization is a standard which has stood the test of time. Although one may argue that deserving coaches not yet tapped deserve election, no one can persuasively argue that any previous inductee did not earn that special honor. Only one individual elected to the NFL Hall of Fame refused induction! The great Minnesota teacher R. J. Happe coached many champion debate teams and two future Minnesota governors. Happe was also the first four-diamond coach in NFL history! Yet he refused induction because he was angry that Mr. Jacob did not choose him as one of the original members. Some Halls of Fame are governed by politics: membership is determined by friendships and marred by campaigning. The famous Oklahoma coach Charline Burton insisted during a 1987 meeting of the Special Hall of Fame committee that Hall recognition “not be political!” Her words were true then and true now. Voting to enshrine a coach should never be based upon friendship, never be decided upon state or regional pride, and certainly never be influenced by competitive animosity. Campaigning by a coach or their supporters is out of character. This ultimate honor should seek the person! So how stands our Hall? Strong and vibrant! Ninety-two years after the founding of the NFL, the careers of more than 200 members in the National Speech & Debate Association Hall of Fame will continue to serve as a beacon to those who spend their careers “Training Youth for Leadership.” John West, an honorary NFL member and great supporter, knew of an Association of Halls of Fame. Members include Halls with huge museum displays and auditoriums, which are visited by millions of people yearly, as well as smaller Halls, only marked by a small plaque or a book of names. But all of these Halls have one thing in common: members who have achieved uncommon and sustained excellence. The National Speech & Debate Association Hall of Fame is neither the grandest nor the smallest Hall, but it is one of the strongest and most elite: honoring almost a century of fine teaching and coaching of speech activities for almost four decades. Its members invite you to achieve membership: Bruno Jacob and more than 200 honorees have marked your path.Author's Note
Hall of Fame Selection Process
Individuals with 25 years of NSDA coach membership prior to the start of the National Tournament (e.g., a merit date of June 15, 2000, or earlier), or who are retired from coaching and teaching, are eligible to be nominated by their fellow member coaches for this prestigious award. Annually, the current living Hall of Fame members and NSDA coaches with three or more Diamond Awards vote to select that year’s four inductees for the NSDA Hall of Fame. In 2025, as part of the Centennial Celebration, expanded voting will allow all living Hall of Fame members and NSDA coaches with three or more Diamond Awards to cast a vote for up to six individuals for induction. The first three inductees shall be the three individuals receiving the most total votes from the Hall of Fame member vote only. The fourth, fifth, and sixth inductees shall be the three individuals receiving the most total votes from the combined votes of Hall of Fame members and three-diamond coaches. The vote of Hall of Fame members with three or more diamonds is double in weight. If any of the top three vote getters are the first, second, or third choice of the Hall of Fame only vote, the induction goes to the next place winner(s) of the combined vote. If there is a tie for the sixth inductee using the combined vote, the preference of the Hall of Fame only vote will break it. The primary standards to be considered are the following:- Service to the National Speech & Debate Association
- Chapter awards and recognition
- Record of student success in NSDA competition and state tournaments
Hall of Fame Legends Selection Process
As part of the Centennial Celebration in 2025, any coach, student, alum, or speech and debate supporter may nominate an individual for consideration as an NSDA Hall of Fame Legend. A Hall of Fame Legend is a coach or non-coach adult who is worthy of consideration for this high honor. The individual may be older or deceased. The individual is not required to have ever been on a regular Hall of Fame ballot, but could have been and would still be eligible. A Legends nominee typically is not someone who appears on the current Hall of Fame ballot. It is recommended (but not required) that the selection committee seek out individuals who have either appeared on the ballot several times with no selection and have since fallen from annual consideration due to failed attempts at selection or who have never been considered on a ballot due to the unique situation of their relationship with the organization (longtime staff, collegiate coach, longtime supporter, etc.). The current NSDA Board President selects a committee of current Hall of Fame members who will serve on the Hall of Fame Legends Selection Committee. The committee will consist of both newly selected and longtime Hall of Fame members, as well as individuals who represent diversity of geography, school size, ethnicity, etc. Individuals can be selected to the committee multiple times, but not consecutively (beyond the two mentioned above) and never more than twice in a five-year period. The selection committee will accept nominations from current members and the Executive Director, as well as do their own research into potential nominees for that year. This research will be provided as documentation to the committee to determine the credibility of the nominees. Documentation may include NSDA district and national level competition, service, and leadership accomplishments as well as testimony of contemporaries of the time. Noteworthy awards and forensic accomplishments may be included. After year one, the current committee may also consider people who were considered by the previous committee. In April, the Legends Selection Committee will deliberate and select the individual(s) as that year’s Legends pick(s) for the Hall of Fame to be announced with the other elected inductees.2025 Inductees

Susan L. Anderson
Inducted 2025 North Dakota
With a 47-year career in North Dakota forensics, Susan L. Anderson has profoundly influenced generations of students and coaches. A five-diamond coach with more than 100 service citations, she has led students—including Academic All Americans and Four-Time Competitors—to 32 appearances at the NSDA National Tournament.
Nationally, Sue has contributed significantly to the NSDA through her service on the Centennial Celebration Committee, membership in the 1925 Society, and recognition as the 2017 High School Coach of the Year. She has served on the National Tournament Congressional Debate tabulation team for over a decade.
Sue has been integral to the North Dakota Roughrider District since its 1992 inception, serving on its District Committee and as chair for over 20 years. Her teams have secured 18 state Student Congress championships, 11 Class B Speech titles, and two Class B Play championships. Recognized with 14 Coach of the Year awards, her excellence is well acknowledged. A CSTAND member since 1978, she revitalized the organization in 1985 and currently serves as Annual Convention Coordinator. Inducted into the CSTAND Hall of Fame in 1990, she has also been honored as CSTAND Teacher of the Year (2003) and for Service to the Profession (2022).
Reflecting on her influence, Roughrider District alum Mathew Foolish Bear shared: “Sue’s advocacy empowered me to unveil my indigenous history at NSDA Nationals and the Harvard tournament… her legacy will live on through people like me.”

Leonard Augustine Jr.
Inducted 2025 Louisiana
Leonard Augustine Jr. left an indelible mark on speech and debate education in Louisiana. A 1955 graduate of St. Augustine High School in New Orleans, Mr. Augustine returned in 1959 to teach English and establish the school’s speech and debate program, which he led for 33 years. Under his guidance, the team became a formidable presence in local and national leagues. In 1967, St. Augustine became the first Black school to compete in the previously segregated Archbishop Chapelle Speech Tournament, with five of nine students reaching finals and one earning top speaker honors.
Beyond accolades, Mr. Augustine was a pioneer in integrating competitive speech events and mentoring young Black men, many of whom credit him with shaping their lives. His influence extended across Louisiana as a mentor to coaches and organizer of tournaments. Former students include attorneys, educators, and civic leaders who reflect on his impact. Attorney Douglas Carey noted, “I modeled my courtroom demeanor after his,” while national finalist Rory Verrett stated, “I owe everything in my career to the skills I learned from Mr. Augustine.”
Mr. Augustine was a quiet giant with high expectations and a deep love for teaching. His contributions to forensics and education endure as a cornerstone of excellence and transformation.

Dr. Sandra Berkowitz
Inducted 2025 Minnesota
Dr. Sandra Berkowitz has devoted more than four decades to advancing speech and debate through coaching, mentorship, and service. Her career is marked by a deep commitment to education and student empowerment—values she has shared with her husband and fellow coach, Shane Stafford, and passed on to their daughter, Hannah, who is also a debate coach.
Sandy began her debate journey at Niles West High School and continued at Northwestern University. Over the years, she has coached high school and collegiate teams across the country, producing numerous state and national champions. Most recently, she served as assistant debate coach at The Blake School in Minnesota.
A gifted educator and internationally recognized debate advocate, Sandy has taught at top summer institutes and presented to a European Union committee on the value of speech and debate. A bridge-builder across cultures, Sandy played a key role in developing diversity programming for The Blake School’s John Edie Holiday Debate Tournament and has been a dedicated mentor to young women, empowering them to use their voices with confidence.
Her accolades include the 2015 Minnesota Coach of the Year, 2015 Bronx Achievement Award, 2018 Golden Apple, and 2022 NSDA Pelham Award. She has served the NSDA in roles such as co-chair of the PF Wording Committee, Nationals tab room official, and head of the USA Development Team (2016–2023). Though she retired in 2024 due to health challenges, Sandy continues to support her students with unwavering dedication. Her legacy is defined not only by competitive success, but by the countless lives she has touched with her compassion and integrity.

Janice Caldwell
Inducted 205 Texas
“Winning isn’t everything, but wanting to is.” Students or peers of Janice Caldwell heard this phrase constantly. Janice Caldwell led speech and debate teams at Terrell High School and Lindale High School in Texas for 38 years, guiding them to state championships and national qualifications. She was instrumental in creating the UIL District of the NSDA, providing rural and small Texas schools access to competition. Her coaching produced several national finalists in Congressional Debate and state championships across UIL disciplines.
Starting as an English and speech teacher, Janice embraced debate as a self-described “total novice,” learning the trade and eventually founding the Northeast Texas Debate Association. This organization transformed Northeast Texas into a competitive hub, primarily composed of smaller and rural schools. Her legacy endures through former students who now lead programs across Texas. Janice’s accolades include the Kinzie Outstanding Educator Award, UIL Sponsor Excellence award, and honors from the National Federation of State High School Associations. Known for her personable and optimistic nature, she emphasized educational opportunities over competition results.
In an activity that can sometimes be confrontational and closed, Janice was personable, optimistic, open, and friendly. She led her teams to care less about the result of the ballot and more about the educational opportunities.

Lois Gorne
Inducted 2025 Washington
For over 40 years, Lois Gorne was a transformative force in speech and debate at Federal Way High School in Washington. Reviving the program in 1977, she led students to consistent success across Speech, Congress, and Lincoln-Douglas Debate. She qualified over 135 students to the NSDA National Tournament in 31 consecutive years, with many advancing to final rounds at top invitationals.
Often the sole coach, Lois ensured her students accessed high-level competition, tirelessly fundraising and even paying out of pocket. Her influence extended beyond her team; she served as president of the Washington State Forensic Association from 1994 until her 2018 retirement. She was the first inductee into the Washington State Hall of Fame and received the National Federation Outstanding Educator Award for Section 8 in 1996. In 2017, she received the Golden Apple Award at the MinneApple tournament.
Lois was also a respected tournament leader and tab room official. She was calm, fair, and always focused on students. In 2017, she received the Golden Apple Award at the MinneApple tournament and was recognized by her district for 50 years of teaching and coaching service. Upon her retirement, one of her NSDA national semifinalists initiated a scholarship in her name at the Washington state tournament.
Lois is among an elite group of coaches who have earned the honor of being a seven-diamond coach. She was quiet and humble. She was focused on “kids” and the community at large. Lois exemplified humility, integrity, and dedication, with her legacy living on through the countless lives she shaped.

Chuck Nicholas
Inducted 2025 South Carolina
Over the last 40 years, Chuck Nicholas has become the model servant leader and educator to his students, to his school, to other educators, and to the NSDA. A six-diamond coach, the first in South Carolina, Mr. Nicholas has taught and coached thousands of students with over 100 qualifying to the NSDA National Tournament, numerous national finalists, and two national champions. The recipient of the Don Crabtree Distinguished Service Award – 10th Honors, he has worked for decades in the National Tournament tab room, served on the South Carolina District Committee, and volunteered in tab rooms throughout North and South Carolina.
He was named the South Carolina Educator of the Year by the NSDA and also the 2022 Coach of the Year for Mock Trial in South Carolina. In Mock Trial, Mr. Nicholas has coached numerous regional and state champions. While he and his students have earned countless honors, it is Mr. Nicholas as a person that distinguishes him.
An individual beyond reproach, he values the honor and integrity of the NSDA Honor Society and expects nothing less from his students and other colleagues. As half of Team Nicholas, he always gives credit to his wife, Gail, for any team success. Mr. Nicholas helps with judge training, he educates new coaches not only about the activity but also the “process” of coaching, and he even serves as the team’s bus driver. Chuck Nicholas will do anything and everything to provide speech and debate opportunities to all who are willing to learn.

Shane Stafford
Inducted 2025 Minnesota
Shane Stafford’s 45-year career in speech and debate spans high school and collegiate levels nationwide. He has coached multiple national and state champions across various formats and contributed significantly to the USA Debate team, including judging in Bali and Croatia. His accolades include Minnesota Coach of the Year, the Bronx Achievement Award, and the Golden Apple Award.
Recognized for his extensive service to the NSDA, Shane’s expertise in tournament tabbing ensures smooth operations. He has been instrumental in promoting World Schools Debate domestically and fostering international connections. As a mentor, he helps coaches refine teams and shares strategies to foster global connections. His leadership at the Cornell summer workshop has shaped curriculum development, staff training, and support for school-based debate programs.
A leader in promoting diversity and inclusion, Shane has worked to diversify judging pools and supported various tournaments’ inclusion initiatives. His contributions to debate discourse through Rostrum and other publications underscore his passion for advancing debate education. As a former Public Forum student noted, “Shane taught me debate is an educational practice, not just a game.”

Suzanne Terry
Inducted 2025 Tennessee
For over 30 years, Suzanne Terry has served Morristown West High School in Tennessee as a forensic educator and coach. In a rural community where nearly one in three residents lives in poverty, her classroom has been a haven of encouragement and growth. Students entering Room 444 often face generational poverty and systemic oppression, but under her guidance, they find confidence and aspiration.
Suzanne’s quiet philanthropy and loving spirit have altered the trajectories of countless students’ lives. Most students enter her classroom feeling unworthy of aspiration due to generational poverty, systemic oppression, and a dearth of role models. But when this fearless fashionista greets them on the first day of school, the evolution begins.
Though she prefers to work behind the scenes, Suzanne’s selfless dedication makes her a beacon of hope in rural East Tennessee. Her impact is profound, providing students with the tools to overcome adversity and achieve success.

Douglas (Doug) Tschetter
Inducted 2025 South Dakota
In the centennial year of the National Speech & Debate Association, it is fitting to honor the legacy of coaches who embody the values set forth by NSDA founder Bruno E. Jacob—namely, the pursuit of excellence through competition, mentorship, and impact. Among those who best exemplify these ideals is Douglas (Doug) Tschetter, a dedicated speech and debate coach whose career spanned nearly four decades in South Dakota, primarily at Milbank High School.
Mr. Tschetter’s impact on the forensic community is extraordinary. From 1978 to 2015, he guided large squads of students from a small-town program to statewide and national recognition. His commitment, consistency, and passion for coaching earned him eight Diamond Awards, placing him fourth all-time among thousands of coaches.
The Diamond Award, created by Bruno Jacob himself, was envisioned as the highest mark of distinction for speech and debate coaches. By that measure, Doug Tschetter stands in rare company. Hundreds of coaches have earned multiple diamonds, but fewer than 50 have reached the milestone of four or more. Mr. Tschetter doubled that. His extraordinary record and lifelong dedication to student growth, competitive excellence, and the spirit of the NSDA make him not only deserving of Hall of Fame induction—but emblematic of what it means to be a coach in the truest sense.

James (Jim) Wakefield
Inducted 2025 Florida
For 37 years, James (Jim) Wakefield, a six-diamond coach, was a trailblazer in speech and debate. He made his mark on every level, including regionally, state- and district-wide, and nationally. Jim was one of the first mentors to new coaches in the Broward County Speech and Debate Initiative, the second largest in the world. He won several back-to-back state championships, was named the Florida Forensic League’s Regional Coach of the Year multiple times, and State Coach of the Year in 2020.
Jim was always an advocate. He lived the “why” of speech and debate. His philosophy was always, “every student can and should do debate.” As a leader in Broward County, Jim helped foster several programs for students who otherwise would not have access to the activity. He insisted on giving back and pushed for opportunities. No student in his program was denied participation due to lack of resources.
His ongoing influence in the community will always continue, not only with his demand for a Diet Coke in every tab room he worked (which was many) but also his establishment of several speech and debate programs in Florida, the National Tournament of Champion Committees, and as a longtime member and chair of the NSDA Manatee District.
Jim’s service, passion, and dedication as a coach and mentor helped shape the world of speech and debate in Florida and nationwide. His legacy lives on through the impact he made in his alumni and coaches. Jim Wakefield was more than a mentor, coach, or friend. He was a treasure.

Derek Yuill
Inducted 2025 California
Derek Yuill is a seasoned coach and mentor at Gabrielino High School in the Los Angeles area, where he has led the speech and debate team for over three decades. A former competitor at Lafayette Jefferson High School in Indiana under Denise Walker, Derek has built a distinguished career in forensics, earning six Diamond Awards for his work.
Under his leadership, the Gabrielino team has achieved remarkable success, qualifying for the NSDA National Speech & Debate Tournament for 28 consecutive years. His students have earned five national championships, and the team has consistently ranked among the top 20 schools nationwide for over 15 years. In 2017, the team was honored with the Bruno E. Jacob/Pi Kappa Delta Trophy for earning the highest number of cumulative rounds in main events at Nationals.
Derek’s impact extends beyond coaching. He has served on the NSDA East Los Angeles District Committee for several years, both as a member and chair, and received the Best Chair Communications Award in 2004. He is also the Vice President of the Southern California Debate League (SCDL). His contributions to the activity were recognized in 2003 when he was named NFL/NSDA National Coach of the Year, and in 2023 he received the California High School Speech Association (CHSSA) Service Above Self Award.
Derek Yuill is considered a highly respected coach, leader, and mentor in speech and debate due to his unwavering dedication to student success and leadership in the community.
2024 Inductees

Carol Biel
Inducted 2024 Indiana
Carol Biel served as the head coach of both Lincoln-Douglas Debate and Congressional Debate for over 30 years at Chesterton High School in Indiana, where she created a legacy of excellence in debate. During her tenure, Chesterton High School won five consecutive national team championships.
Carol began her coaching career in Congressional Debate. During that time, she coached five Congressional Debate state finalists in the House and Senate and eight state champions. Her students also excelled at NSDA Nationals. Thirty-two Congressional debaters advanced to the National Tournament with Adam Anderson placing fourth in the nation in 1988 and Heather Ransford placing eighth in the House in 1989. Lincoln-Douglas Debate emerged during her era, and Carol decided to also embrace this format! She wanted to expand opportunities for her students and valued the skills it provided. At the state level, her debaters won six state championships. In 1983, her debaters began to qualify for NSDA Nationals. Over the span of 21 years, 34 of her debaters qualified to NSDA Nationals and four were named among the top 12 in the nation. Adam Anderson was the national runner-up in 1989; Thomas Marlow placed 12th in 1990—and returned to win the national championship in 1991. Additionally, Antoun Nabhan placed ninth in 1992. Without a doubt, Carol’s state and national level success is exemplary.

Brian Eanes
Inducted 2024 Texas
Brian Eanes’ membership in the NSDA is practically lifelong. As a student at Churchill High School, during his senior year, he was a multi-year state finalist and a national finalist in Oratory. Brian competed and succeeded with grace, humility, and an abiding love of this activity.
After graduate school, upon the sudden death of his first coach and mentor, Lanny Naegelin, Brian realized his heart was still with speech. Throughout his 25-year career at Churchill and, currently, Reagan High School, he has coached students to 13 individual state championships, eight state team championships, and five national finals. He has always encouraged his students to use their voice. Perhaps the greatest pride has been coaching his daughter to her own successes over the past four years, including a state championship and four-year qualifications to state and Nationals.
Brian’s commitment to competitive speech is not limited to his team; it can be seen in his service to the speech community, too. Brian served as the Central Texas district chair for more than 10 years, earning the Gold Award for excellence in district leadership. He’s also served on state and national speech committees throughout his career. A four-diamond, TFA Hall of Fame, and Texas Speech Communication Association Educator of the Year coach, Brian has brought honor, generosity, and passion to so many students and coaches.

Adam Jacobi
Inducted 2024 Wisconsin
Adam Jacobi has been a fierce advocate for marginalized communities throughout his entire career as an educator in speech, debate, and theatre, where he uplifts students by building their confidence and love of the activity. A three-diamond coach, Adam has coached numerous state and national finalists and championships across speech and debate events, most of which at his alma mater, Rufus King High School in the Milwaukee Public Schools.
While working for the NSDA, he expanded the Middle School National Tournament and helped build international speech and debate curriculum, later teaching and coaching in China. As executive director of the Wisconsin Interscholastic Speech & Dramatic Arts Association, he has fostered more accessibility and bridged partnerships with like-minded organizations. Students and coaches alike respect Adam for his incredible sense of empathy, how he models integrity, and the countless hours of service he has given to various speech, debate, and theatre organizations. Jacobi was the 2021-2022 recipient of the NFHS National Citation for Speech, Debate, and Theatre Education.
Adam has been a longtime leader in bringing consistency, credibility, and competitiveness to Congressional Debate, running several high-caliber tournaments and contributing to committees and conversations involving rules changes. Adam constantly invites new and different coaches to be part of running competitions so they can learn and network.
In 2018, Adam was elected to the NSDA Board of Directors, where he pushed for a more deliberate process of competition rules review and implementation, informed by pedagogical outcomes. He was also appointed to the NFHS Speech, Debate, and Theatre Advisory Committee, where he contributed to initiatives to promote standards and best practices across state associations. Adam’s colleagues will tell you that he is a constant advocate for diversity, equity, accessibility, and belonging.

Renee Motter
Inducted 2024 Colorado
Renee Motter has been a vital and impressive leader, coach, and educator in the Colorado and national speech and debate communities for the past 25 years. As an English teacher and head coach at Air Academy High School, she has consistently empowered students to develop their voices and refine their leadership skills. She has coached numerous state qualifiers, state finalists, state champions, national qualifiers, national finalists, and NSDA Academic All Americans, earning her three-diamond coach award in the process.
Renee shares her passion for education and speech and debate with others by supporting educators, coaches, and students every day. She serves on the NSDA Board of Directors and is the co-chair of the Curriculum Committee. She listens to others, gathers feedback, and advocates for positive change. She dedicates time and talent to plan and organize the Colorado Coaches Conference. Renee loves to share her knowledge by presenting at local and state conferences for her district, the Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA), as well as national conferences for National Council for Teachers of English, Advanced Placement, and the NSDA. She has served as the Colorado Grande district chair for more than a decade. She has directed the Colorado State Tournament multiple times. Renee understands the power of speech and debate and wants to ensure educators, coaches, and students have the opportunity and resources to thrive in the activity.
Renee was named the 2017 NSDA Educator of the Year and has been recognized as the NSDA Chair of the Year. She was a finalist for the 2018 Colorado Teacher of the Year. She was honored by CHSAA and the Colorado community with the Sharon Wilch Lifetime Achievement Award.

Steve Schappaugh
Inducted 2024 Iowa
Steven Schappaugh, having retired from coaching, is currently the principal at Roosevelt High School in Des Moines, Iowa, and is best known for his determination to create important opportunities for young scholars to achieve their best, even in situations where they may be at a disadvantage. Steve is the champion of all coaches with a personal drive for expanding opportunities and creating connections that is unparalleled. Steve’s competitive journey in speech and debate has been at the highest level of achievement at every program at which he has worked. His coaching took him from Iowa to North Carolina, and then to Florida, where he concluded his coaching career at Nova Southeastern University School in Fort Lauderdale.
While at University School, his team won multiple School of Excellence Awards in speech and debate and an Overall School of Excellence Award. Additionally, Steve has coached an NSDA national champion in Humorous Interpretation, TOC champions in Public Forum Debate, NSDA finalists in Congress and Storytelling, and semifinalists in numerous events. Steve’s programs have won several state championship titles, and he has coached over a dozen students to state championships in their events.
However, it is Steve’s work as a leader in the speech and debate community that makes his candidacy stand out. Steve, as NSDA district chair in Broward County, helped bring county and state programs back, and he mentored new and veteran coaches to improve the NSDA district tournament. Steve is the youngest person to ever be elected to the NSDA Board of Directors and the youngest person elected to the NSDA Hall of Fame. Additionally, he has served on the Lincoln-Douglas Rules Committee and has spent many years on the NSDA National Tournament tabulation staff. Even in retirement, Steve is still an active leader, volunteer judge, and passionate advocate for this activity.

Demond Wilson
Inducted 2024 Texas
Demond Wilson has assisted coaching many students to the national final stage, with multiple champions, for various programs across the country over the last 25 years. His love is interpretation, his passion is performance, and his drive is being able to show students the path to excellence.
Between thousands of hours of coaching, Demond has created multiple opportunities for students to be able to access the benefits of forensics. His most recent success came in response to the COVID pandemic with the creation of the MASQ and MASQ Jr. Online Tournaments to prepare students for the abrupt switch to the NSDA online national championship. These tournaments created financial opportunities for judges as the tournaments paid out more than $30,000 for hired judging rounds to be able to support students.
His entrepreneurial spirit has also led to the successful establishment of the National Individual Events Tournament of Champions, which over the past decade has awarded more than $500,000 in student scholarships to its champions. This is coupled with affording equitable access for students via multiple scholarship opportunities to be able to attend the tournament.
Demond’s charitable nature, creative genius, and dedication to inspiring youth to explore performance arts has made him into one of the premier ambassadors for forensics across the nation. His level of personal dedication is unparalleled in this activity and is truly noteworthy. In recognition of his brilliance, Demond’s hometown of Plano, Texas, has honored him by naming August 12 the official “Demond Wilson Day.”

David Yastremski
Inducted 2024 New Jersey
David Yastremski began the speech and debate team at Ridge High School in 1998 with five students. Since then, his team has earned multiple state and national awards including NSDA champions in Congressional Debate, Programmed Oral Interpretation, US Extemporaneous Speaking, Impromptu, Prose, Commentary and Extemporaneous Debate.
David has served as a district leader in New Jersey for over twenty-five years. In 2024, he was inducted into the University of Kentucky Tournament of Champions Coach Hall of Fame and was awarded the NFHS Citation in Speech & Debate. In 2011, he was awarded the Marcella E. Oberle Award for Outstanding Teaching in Grades K-12 by the National Communication Association.
Watching David with students is a sight to behold. He is charismatic and forthright, a taskmaster yet empathetic. He models for students and coaches alike a code of ethics worthy of emulation. The level of support needed to maintain a team like Ridge is only maintained when someone can lead, guide, and foster the love of this activity. David exudes that love and passion, continuing to encourage, validate, and ensure a voice for those who yearn to be heard. Overall, David serves as a model of excellence of competition, dedication to equity and justice, and commitment to empowering the next generation of leaders both inside and outside of this organization.
2023 Inductees

Jonathan Alston
Inducted 2023 New Jersey
Jonathan is a high school English teacher and a two-diamond coach for Newark Science High School in New Jersey, who first earned his NSDA membership as a student in 1985, soon qualifying for NSDA Nationals in LD in 1988. After graduating from Yale University, Jonathan has coached eight NJ state LD champions, was the coach of the 2018 NDCA Dukes/Bailey winner, and has had debaters make it to late elimination rounds and top speaker positions at Stanford, Emory, Greenhill, Wake Forest, Harvard, the Tournament of Champions, and the NSDA Nationals, including the second speaker in LD in 2015. He has also coached two members of the USA Debate team. Jonathan has generously given of his time and talents to the speech and debate community and the NSDA. He served on the Lincoln-Douglas Wording Committee for many years. He has also served as the co-chair of Lincoln-Douglas Debate at the NSDA National Tournament for the past four years. Because of Jonathan’s commitment to leadership and service to the speech and debate communities, he was named 2014 National Debate Coach Association Educator of the Year, 2016 Glenn Pelham Award winner, and a member of the prestigious Barkley Forum Key Society.

Martha Benham
Inducted 2023 Colorado
Martha Benham has been an integral part of the speech and debate community for more than 20 years. She has coached numerous state qualifiers, state finalists, state champions, national qualifiers, and national finalists. Although the success experienced by her students is impressive, her dedication to promoting speech and debate is even more so. For years, Martha has been instrumental in the planning and logistics of the state speech conference. Each year, she collaborates with others to teach new coaches the basics and make them feel welcome. At the national level, Martha has served on the LD Wording Committee and is the chair of her NSDA district. She has presented at the NSDA national education conference and was site host for the conference in 2017. She is constantly looking for ways to bridge local programs and local students with national resources to support their involvement in this life-changing activity. Martha’s dedication to her students as well as the state and national speech communities has resulted in her induction into the Colorado High School Activities Hall of Fame, receiving the Ralph E. Carey Award for Distinguished Career Service and other prestigious awards.

William Bennett
Inducted 2023 New Mexico
William Bennett’s record at the National Tournament is among the strongest in history. Bill qualified more than 40 students—nine reached the final round; five won the championship. His Lincoln-Douglas debaters closed out the final round at the 1986 Nationals—the first time in NFL/NSDA history debaters from the same school reached the final stage. He coached seven Extemp speakers to the national finals; three won the championship. What is truly amazing is that his record was accomplished in small schools, on small budgets, and with no national circuit participation. Bill coached in Wyoming, Nebraska, Illinois, and New Mexico. Bill was a staunch supporter of the NFL, supporting chapters in four different high schools. His state records include over 60 champions. He was very proud that his daughter qualified to Nationals in three different years. Her point record is still the highest total in her chapter after 17 years. Bill was an educator who shared his skills with the entire forensic community. He published quality textbooks and handbooks starting in 1973, writing with clarity about the theory and practice of contest events as well as how to coach students to excel in these events. Bill and his wife Catherine conducted speech and debate summer camps since the 1980s.

Matt Heimes
Inducted 2023 Nebraska
Matt Heimes is an exemplary teacher and four-diamond coach who has spent more than 30 years coaching forensics. Early in his career, Matt started two NSDA chapters in rural Nebraska before moving to Lincoln Southwest to open the school and start their chapter in 2002. Since then, Matt has built the program to one of the top 100 programs in the country. Competitively, Matt has qualified 365 students to Nationals and coached over 20 national finalists, including the 2022 NSDA national champion in Expository. On the state level, Matt’s teams in South Platte, Wauneta-Palisade, and Lincoln Southwest have captured district and state team championships. In addition to competitive success, Matt leads by example through service to the local, state, and national forensic community. He has served on the Nebraska Speech Communication and Theatre Association board for 25 years, advocating to update practices to reflect the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Matt was a founding member of the NIETOC and has served as its president since 2018. Perhaps his most endearing quality is his integrity. Matt coaches his students tirelessly, not only developing their communication skills but teaching them to be well-rounded, responsible citizens beyond high school.

Sarah Rosenberg
Inducted 2023 New York
With a career spanning more than five decades, Sarah Rosenberg has helped bring the joy of public speaking and competitive acting into the lives of thousands of students across the country. From her humble beginnings as an English and Speech/Drama teacher at Maclay Junior High School in the San Fernando Valley, to producing critically acclaimed off-Broadway re-imaginings of Shakespearean classics like A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Tempest, her career has transcended the mere ordinary. From coaching state and national champions, to countless finalists at the state and national levels, to her most recent recognition by the NIETOC with the Josephine Dukes Award in recognition of her contributions to teaching and the fine arts, her passion for helping youth discover their voices is unparalleled. She is willing to work with every student, no matter the challenge, to help them to discover their own talent. Her example has motivated many of her students to go on to become actors, teachers, and playwrights themselves. Her commitment to bringing out all of the finest attributes of America’s youth— leadership, equity, integrity, humility, and a dedication to service above self—is exactly how she has thrived for so long and still serves as an exemplar for us all.

Raphael Scott Waldrop
Inducted 2023 Mississippi
Raphael Scott Waldrop is the head coach of Mississippi’s Hattiesburg High School nationally recognized speech and debate team. A former high school and collegiate debate champion, Scott is a four-diamond coach, twice named the Mississippi Forensic League Coach of the Year. He has coached dozens of MHSAA state champions in speech and debate. His program received the 2012, 2014, 2015, and 2016 NSDA School of Excellence Award for Speech. He has coached two NSDA Students of the Year—Cory Williams in 2010 and Jarrius Adams in 2015—and had a third finalist for the award in 2017, Derek Collins. A 2018 recipient of the NSDA Frank Sferra Director’s Commendation, he has been awarded the Gold Key Service award. Inducted as a Key Coach at the Barkley Forum for High Schools at Emory University, his students have received the Melissa Maxi Wade Social Justice Award and multiple silver keys. He is the coach of the 2018 NSDA champions in Duo Interpretation and the 2022 NSDA champion in Dramatic Interpretation, and he has coached numerous NSDA finalists. Scott and his wife, Chan, are members of the NSDA 1925 Society. A Silver Life member of the NAACP, Waldrop has been recognized by the national organization for closing the achievement gap in Mississippi through speech and debate activities.
**Steven Schappaugh of Iowa was also elected but is deferring official induction to 2024 due to an unavoidable conflict.
2022 Inductees

Jennifer Jerome
Inducted 2022 Nebraska
A coach for 33 years, Jennifer has emerged not only as an advocate for speech education but as an advocate for all children being in safe learning environments both mentally and physically. She has served on the Nebraska District Committee since 2004, with six years as district chair. Always doing her best to provide opportunities for her students, Jennifer is deeply involved with the NSDA and NCFL. As a four-diamond coach, she has served in the tab room for the NSDA Middle School Nationals from 2012 to 2014 and as a bud from 2015 to present. She has received a plethora of coaching awards including the Nebraska District Coach of the Year in 2015 and 2018, the NSDA Nebraska Educator of the Year in 2018, as well as multiple Don Crabtree Distinguished Service Awards. In her role on the NSDA Board of Directors, Jennifer always strives to make decisions based on how a rule, a policy, or a standard will positively or negatively impact students. Her proudest moment as a coach occurred in 2019 when one of her students was named NSDA National Student of the Year.

Sheryl Kaczmarek
Inducted 2022 Massachusetts
Anyone who knows Sheryl knows of her dedication to service to her students as well as to the community. Nearly every weekend of the competitive season, Sheryl volunteers her time working in tab rooms with the goal of maximizing competitive equity and ensuring fairness for students. Sheryl has served on multiple boards of local leagues in Massachusetts in her home at Lexington High School. Sheryl has also served as a member of the NSDA LD Wording Committee and in the Nationals tab room. She is a long standing member of the TOC Policy Advisory Committee and has served on the NDCA board. The number of state and national champions she has coached is numerous, but competitive success was never as important to her as empowering her students to be the best versions of themselves as possible. She unlocks the potential in young people to be forceful and passionate advocates for what is important and what is right—skills that persist long past their time as her students. Sheryl’s work with students fundamentally changes their lives for the better.

Michael Patterson
Inducted 2022 Oklahoma
In his 42 years at Guymon High School in Oklahoma, Michael has won numerous accolades and sent hundreds of students to Nationals—many into deep out rounds. However, his service to the speech and debate community is the reason he embodies all the characteristics of one who belongs in the NSDA Hall of Fame. Guymon is rural and only graduates about 100 students per year. However, during his career, Michael has grown his program larger than football or band. As a six-diamond coach with five service plaques, Michael’s coaching successes are tremendous. He has won 15 Oklahoma team championships and coached more than 100 individual event state champions. He has been named West Oklahoma District Coach of the Year, Oklahoma Speech and Debate Coach of the Year by the NFHS, H. B. Mitchell Speech and Debate Coach of the Year by the Oklahoma Speech, Theater, and Communication Association, Guymon Public Schools’ District Teacher of the Year, and was one of four finalists for Oklahoma State Teacher of the Year in 2019. In over a decade as the West Oklahoma district chair, the district won the award for highest retention and most votes cast per capita in a committee vote. He has also served as a Nationals official for more than two decades, co-chairing Lincoln-Douglas Debate for the last three. Michael runs one of the regional tournaments in the spring, and he runs the Oklahoma state championships, all of which he does in service to the community he loves.

Josette Surratt
Inducted 2022 Louisiana
Josette has spent 45 years in education with more than 20 of those years as an active coach. For years, her squads at St. Thomas More and Teurlings Catholic dominated the competition in Louisiana. She coached state champions in Policy, LincolnDouglas, Congress, Extemp, Oratory, Declamation, Oral Interp, Humorous Interp, Duo, and Duet Acting during her time as an active coach. Her teams won 14 state championship sweepstakes awards. She coached first place winners at the Harvard Invitational in Duo and Dramatic Interp and finalists in Oratory. She had first place winners at the Glenbrook South Invitational in Oral Interp and finalists in Oratory. Her success at NCFL Nationals was also significant having coached numerous finalists in Duo Reading, Oral Interp, Declamation, Lincoln-Douglas, and Policy. Her students were NCFL Duo Reading Champions in 2013. Her squad won the NCFL Debate Sweepstakes in 1993. Josette is also a triple diamond coach who served on the Louisiana NSDA District Committee. To her credit, Josette coached numerous NSDA qualifiers in United States Extemp, International Extemp, Original Oratory, Duo Interp, and Dramatic Interp that resulted in a number of semifinalists and quarterfinalists. Her students were no strangers to the stage as she has the distinction of having coached the same two students to the final round of Duo Interp for three consecutive years. In addition, she coached the NSDA champion in Commentary (2001), the second place finalist in Expository (2000), and the second place finalist in Prose (2003). Her teams won the NSDA School of Excellence Award twice in 2004 and 2007.

Karen Wilbanks
Inducted 2022 Texas
Karen is an unsung leader and coach. She was an educator who expected excellence from all her students; it was the same standard she held for herself. Any student who had the honor of being taught by Mrs. Wilbanks walked away with a strong sense of self, ability, and what it meant to truly “do the work.” Karen served the speech and debate community for more than 30 years, earning five diamonds as an educator/coach. She served the NSDA Lone Star District Committee as chair for two years and was on the District Committee for more than 10. She served in the Nationals tab room for many years and served on the NSDA Interpretation Committee. She assisted with four National Tournaments held in GCISD and Dallas in 2006, 2011, 2015, and 2019. She coached five national champions and had many more finalists, a number of whom have gone on to careers in film, television, theater, and several who are household names. Her programs have been named National Schools of Outstanding Distinction as well as Schools of Excellence in Speech and in Debate. Karen also served her state community with distinction. She served on the Texas Forensic Association Executive Council, including a term as president. She was named to the TFA Hall of Fame and was Secondary Speech Teacher of the Year for TSCA. The PTA recognized Karen with a Lifetime Membership for Distinguished Service. During her tenure, her school was the #1 sweepstakes school at the TFA state tournament for 10 years in a row. She epitomized excellence to all fortunate to be her students or her colleagues. Through it all, Karen demonstrated leadership, extraordinary generosity, humility, and quiet strength and grace.
2021 Inductees

“In theological language, ignorance is a curse and speech education is a blessing.”
– Brother Anthony K. Cavet
Brother Anthony K. Cavet

“But here’s the amazing thing about this activity, you don’t have to win the national championship or even a state championship to revolutionize your life.”
– Dr. Rich Edwards
Dr. Rich Edwards
Inducted 2021 (TX)
Dr. Rich Edwards, a professor and past forensics coach at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, is an NSDA alum of Newton High School in Iowa. Dr. Edwards participated in four years of debate at the University of Iowa and earned his Ph.D. in Communication Studies in 1976. In high school circles, Dr. Edwards is most well-known for his creation of the TRPC and TRIEPC tournament tabulation software which revolutionized and modernized the facilitation of speech and debate competitions throughout the United States and internationally. In addition, Dr. Edwards has been one of the most prominent authors of publications in the field of speech, debate, and communication in the past four decades. As the author of the topic introduction issue of Forensic Quarterly since 1972 and an active member of the national Policy Debate topic wording process, Dr. Edwards has literally shaped the educational landscape of debate in and out of the classroom throughout his entire career.
As a volunteer in the high school community, Rich has devoted hundreds of thousands of hours to running and facilitating local, state, and national level tournaments. When many would believe that his role in the activity could not get any more impactful, it was Dr. Edwards who created the first comprehensive system for tabulating the National Speech & Debate Tournament. His insight and revolutionary thinking allowed for levels of efficiency and accuracy that has led to thousands of students gaining access to the event.

“Whether you are Tommie Lindsey Jr or Liz Cheney, the power of speech is necessarily tethered to the art of public service…Sure, trophies and championships are fine, but if we can teach kids to revere each other as people, I believe we will have done the world a greater good.”
– Alphonse Michael Marks
Alphonse Michael Marks

“We’re all about the volunteers. This is an honor organization that seeks above all else to serve others.”
– Gail Nicholas
Gail Nicholas
Inducted 2021 (SC) Merit Date: 4/2/1985
As an incredible coach and excellent educator, Gail earned her NSDA membership in 1985, and in December of 2018, earned her fifth diamond award, joining her husband, Chuck, at that rare coaching level. Students from her school have qualified for 24 National Tournaments, including two NSDA national champions. She has served as district chair of South Carolina for more than 12 years, earning the Bronze, Silver, and Gold Awards. Gail, like many district leaders with lengthy tenures, tirelessly advocates for speech and debate, runs tournaments (including her own), and works with coaches to help build programs at the state level. At the national level, she has become a fixture in the tab room where she happily has labored for decades. Gail is a servant leader who was reflected in May of 2018 when she was honored with an Eleventh Distinguished Service Plaque. In the history of the NSDA, few individuals have more service citations than Gail Nicholas. She even served on the ad hoc committee that authored the NSDA Coaches Code of Ethics.

“There is no induction of the next class of Hall of Famers without the sweat and toil of the previous hall of famers. So with every induction, it is a renewal in the understanding that it is YOU, hall of famers, that are the true champions…”
– J. Scott Wunn
J. Scott Wunn
Inducted 2021 (IA)
Merit Date: 10/3/1996
Before successfully leading the National Speech & Debate Association for more than two decades and through some of the most challenging times the Association has ever experienced, J. Scott Wunn started his coaching career in small town Iowa with goals focused on helping students and spreading the activity of speech and debate. He developed two separate school programs, which each became the largest and most successful in the state. State and national championships followed in due course. In 2002, his student won the NSDA Humorous championship, and in 2003, his students placed third in Humorous Interpretation and second in Duo Interpretation.
Then, in 2003, Scott was selected by the Board of Directors to direct our organization, providing opportunities for students and coaches nationwide. His role changed, but his desire to expand opportunities and promote our activity remained the same. His leadership has helped meet the needs of our membership from the growth and funding of Public Forum to the creation of Informative, POI, and Big Questions. During his tenure, he has fostered recognition of our activity by moving to a more accurate brand and name and strengthened it by creating NSDE Day. Scott organized seven leadership and education conferences to encourage membership engagement and has made sure diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts have been expanded to include coaches’ caucuses, a formal equity statement, and equity officers. When faced with the pandemic, he utilized problem solving and innovation to forge a successful path forward through virtual competition.
2020 Inductees

Jenny Cook
Inducted 2020 California
Jenny Cook is a coach and mentor that has modeled how to run a program whose core values are service, integrity, leadership, respect, and equity. There are countless students, coaches, and educators who can pinpoint how Jenny has improved their lives. Jenny isn’t just a champion human. She’s a champion coach who led students to become International Extemp Champion, NFL, Lincoln-Douglas Champion, NCFL, Public Forum Champion, TOC, Extemp Champion, NCFL, Domestic Extemp Runner-Up, NFL, International Extemp Third Place, NFL, Lincoln-Douglas Third Place, NCFL, Original Oratory Sixth Place, NFL, and helped numerous others reach championship/finalist appearances at the state and national level including the 2004 National Champion of Extemporaneous Speaking, Julia Cain, in Salt Lake City.
Beyond her coaching accolades, Jenny has been a servant leader to the speech and debate community. She has been a district leader, state leader, and local leader in the NFL, NCFL, FFL, and more. She helped host NFL and NCFL Nationals, led workshops at the NSDA National Tournament, presented at the Education Conference, and answered every call she’s ever received to support speech and debate. — Compiled from nomination bio

Chris McDonald
Inducted 2020 Minnesota
Chris McDonald has been a devoted speech and debate coach since 1988. A four-diamond coach from Eagan, Chris serves the mission of the NSDA at his school, in Minnesota, and across the nation.
Chris has coached multiple state champions in multiple speech and debate events in Minnesota. He’s coached numerous students to the NSDA National Tournament in multiple events with three Policy teams finishing in the top 10, a semifinalist in Policy Debate, and three national champions in Extemporaneous Speaking. Additionally, he’s coached a student as the NCFL Grand Nationals national champion in Extemporaneous Speaking. For his excellence in coaching he has earned the Coach of the Year award in Minnesota from both the Minnesota Speech Coaches Association and the Minnesota Debate Teachers Association.
Along with over three decades of exemplary coaching and teaching, Chris has served the NSDA for more than 20 years on the Southern Minnesota board, with 12 of them as chair. Additionally, Chris has served two terms as president of the Minnesota Debate Teachers Association, one term on the MSHSL Board of Directors, as well as a term on the NSDA Board of Directors. Further, Chris has done a great deal of work for the NSDA on committees for Extemporaneous Speaking and Public Forum Debate. Because of his service, he was awarded the James Graupner Distinguished Service Award from the Minnesota Debate Teachers Association. — Compiled from nomination bio

Mollie Martin
Inducted 2020 Texas
Too long forgotten is Mollie Martin, one of the first women to break through the glass ceiling as a successful forensic coach during the NSDA’s first half-century. After coaching a Girls’ Extemporaneous Speaking national champion at Purcell High School (OK), she established the speech and debate program at Bellaire High School in Houston (TX). Her championship program would later be continued by Bill Henderson, Cecil Pickett, and David Johnson, all of whom would be later elected to the NSDA (then NFL) Hall of Fame.
Mollie Martin’s coaching record at the National Tournament (1950-1961) was truly remarkable: coach of the National Sweepstakes champions (and Coach of the Year) in 1958 and 1959; coach of the Girls’ Extemporaneous Speaking champions in 1952 and 1961; and coach of a Boys’ Extemporaneous Speaking champion in 1960.
Ms. Martin coached when entries to Nationals were scarce. Only five events were held: Debate, Boys’/Girls’ Extemporaneous Speaking, Oratory, Dramatic Interpretation, and Congress. Qualification was difficult. Only first place at the district tournament qualified, and only first place at the Texas UIL state tournament qualified. Ms. Martin coached in Oklahoma and Texas, where there were many NFL member schools and fierce competition.
Mollie’s service to our activity was admirable. She founded, and each year directed, the largest tournament in the nation: the Bellaire Forensic Tournament. It was larger than Nationals and the most prestigious high school invitational tournament. The first young woman to win the male-dominated debate division at the Bellaire tournament during Mollie Martin’s years was Elizabeth Herring, now Senator Elizabeth Warren, coached by Hall of Fame coach Charline Burton from Oklahoma!
Mollie accomplished more in a few years than most coaches accomplish in a career. Truly a pioneer, Ms. Martin was arguably one of the most successful coaches of her time!
— Compiled by David Johnson and James Copeland

Jim Cavallo
Inducted 2020 Indiana
Renowned coach and legend Jim Copeland said that NFL/NSDA founder Bruno E. Jacob believed the Hall of Fame should be based on three factors: district success, state success, and National Tournament qualifying success. Jim Cavallo is a four-diamond coach who achieved all three. Jim coached both speech and debate from 1971 until he retired in 2009. He spent three of those years coaching at Bishop Noll Institute in Hammond, Indiana. From 1997 to 2009, he was Chesterton’s Program Director. He actively coached speech events, but his focus was in Congress and, primarily, Policy Debate.
Jim had a legendary career as a teacher and was considered a steady influence with students and helped them develop leadership skills as well as political awareness and a willingness to use time and social skills to serve. Jim served on the Indiana High School League Board of Directors for 10 years, was a member of the Indiana High School Forensic League Hall of Fame, and even helped design the IHSFL State Debate Tournament format. He coached 13 Policy Debate state champions, 4 Congress state champions, 15 Congressional Debate and 34 Policy Debate national qualifiers with many of these teams and individuals advancing to outrounds and national recognition.
On a larger scale, Jim was a Chesterton High School coach of record when Chesterton won five consecutive team national championships in the late 1980s and 90s. He also was noted when Chesterton won an NFL/NSDA National School of Excellence Award—and, in 2009 Jim received the Odom Commendation when Chesterton won its third Bruno E. Jacob award.
Additionally, in the early 1970s, Jim was one of the first Policy Debate coaches to break from the “boys club” mentality and encourage, promote, and recruit young women to do Policy Debate. To Jim, every student had talent, potential, and the ability to contribute to constructive argumentation.
— Compiled from nomination bio

Cheryl Potts
Inducted 2020 Texas
John F. Kennedy once said: “The time for people to embrace their passion is now.” Cheryl Potts manifests this statement to its greatest extent. Cheryl Potts is an educator who has an ethical foundation and understands the importance of communication and how to mentor other educational professionals to be their best.
“Potts” is intelligent and thorough and should be titled, “The lady who can change the world.” Cheryl’s participation in the national, state, and local speech community, committees, and other activities makes her well-rounded and begs the question, “Are there that many hours in the day?” Her competitive success as a coach has amassed numerous awards from local, state, and national levels. Cheryl is a Fourth Diamond Coach that has coached 120 NSDA national qualifiers, multiple UIL state champions, many TFA state champions, and 2 IPPF world championship teams.
Today we look for “loyal” people, and Cheryl Potts is as loyal as they come. She has a “spirit” and drive and an ability to make the impossible possible. Her work with children has left a legacy at Plano Senior High School that all speech educators can hold up as a model of achievement. She has amassed many honors and awards including, Teacher of the Year for Plano Senior HS in 2006, Mirabeau B. Lamar Award of Excellence-Grand Lodge of Texas 2003, Schwan Honors School of Excellence Awards for speech and debate in 2006 and 2007, and was a finalist for National Educator of the Year in 2017. — Compiled from nomination bio
2019 Inductees

Georgia Brady

Cynthia Burgett

Dr. Mike Edmonds
From a young age, Mike Edmonds has been highly involved in competitive forensics. His early experience and success led him to become a well-respected speech coach. He is frequently asked to deliver speeches for college and university convocation and commencement ceremonies around the country. Over the years, Dr. Edmonds has worked closely with numerous national speech and debate organizations and was instrumental in helping the NSDA organize its first conference focusing on issues of diversity and inclusion. To quote former Board President Billy Tate, “The NSDA has no greater friend than Mike Edmonds.”
With Dr. Edmond’s leadership, Colorado College has been a longtime sponsor of the National Speech & Debate Association, regularly hosting the Colorado Grande district tournament, the Global Debate Symposium (featuring the USA Debate team), the AFA DSR-TKA National Individual Events Tournament, the NSDA National Conference, and the African American/Black Coaches’ Caucus held at the NSDA National Tournament. Dr. Edmonds has been the recipient of many honors and awards for his work. He received the NSDA’s inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008. He was inducted into the Gold Key Society at Emory University, received the Delores Taylor Arthur award from the Holy Cross School in New Orleans, and accepted the Martin Luther King award from James Logan Forensics. Dr. Edmonds has also been honored with the Educator of the Year Award from the Urban League of the Pikes Peak Region; the national St. George Award from the American Cancer Society; the Men of Achievement award from Delta Sigma Theta; and the Citizen of the Year Award from Omega Psi Phi. He was the recipient and awardee of the Uplift Community Foundation’s support in 2015. Dr. Edmonds is the acting Co-President at Colorado College, where he has served for nearly 30 years. Dr. Edmonds is also an Executive in Residence in the Economics and Business Department. Dr. Edmonds holds a Bachelor of Arts, Master’s, and Ph.D. from the University of Mississippi, where he was inducted as a Hall of Fame graduate in 1984, and inducted into their School of Education Hall of Fame in 2019. He completed a post-graduate institute at Harvard University, and is a graduate of the Center for Creative Leadership. Dr. Edmonds was a member of the North Central Institution Action Committee of the Higher Learning Commission, where he served as a peer reviewer for accreditation visits. At Colorado College, he has been recognized with the Colorado College Center for Service and Learning Award; the Victor Nelson Cisneros Diversity Award, which was presented at the 2010 Colorado College Honors Convocation; and the 2011 Gresham Riley Award, which recognizes faculty and staff of the College who have made a significant difference to the Colorado College community through outstanding service, commitment and accomplishment. Nationally, Dr. Edmonds is a member of the Leadership Institute for outreach and public policy at the University of Mississippi, as well as a Board of Trustee member at the School of Liberal Arts at the University of Mississippi. Regionally, Dr. Edmonds is a past chair of the Board of Trustees for Memorial Health System, past chair of United Way for the Pikes Peak Region and past member of the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce Board. He is the past chair and current member of the Board of Directors of the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, president-elect of the Great West American Cancer Society Board of Directors, and member of the Board of Directors for USA Ultimate. He was appointed by Governor Bill Owens to serve on the Fourth District Judicial Commission of Colorado and served as chair of the Colorado Springs Municipal Airport Commission. Dr. Edmonds holds a professional membership in Delta Sigma Rho-Tau Kappa Alpha, and is a silver lifetime member of the NAACP. — Compiled by James Copeland and Colorado College
Steve Meadows

Timothy Sheaff
2018 Inductees

Anita Boyd

Mary Gormley

Mario Herrera

Greg Malis

Jack Tuckness
2017 Inductees

Dr. Paulette "Polly" Reikowski

James W. "Jay" Rye, III

Julie Sheinman
Inducted 2017 New York Julie Sheinman entered the forensic world from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts after earning her MFA in Acting. In 1984, Julie “received the call” to teach. In her first year teaching, she began the speech and debate program at Manhattan’s Stuyvesant High School where she has been the loyal shepherd for thousands of students ever since. In addition to running the speech and debate team, Julie teaches Acting at Stuyvesant and has arranged donations of free Broadway theatre tickets for students. She has taken more than 5,000 students to Broadway, many of whom had never seen a Broadway show!
Under Julie’s 37-year guidance, Stuyvesant has had successful students in every event, including champions in Humorous Interpretation, Congressional Debate, Prose, and multiple NSDA finalists. Her consistently strong team has won dozens of awards including the Bruno E. Jacob Trophy, 10 NCFL team sweepstakes awards, 11 individual NCFL champions, over 40 state champions, and the New York State Sweepstakes Championship multiple times. Over the past few years, Stuyvesant has added Parliamentary Debate to their list of categories. They are ranked nationally.
Julie is a six-diamond coach, Key Coach of the Barkley Forum, and member of both the New York City NSDA District Committee and NYCFL Board, on which she has served for 30 years. Julie was the recipient of the first Stuyvesant High School Alumni Award in recognition of her service and commitment to Stuyvesant. In 2014, she was inducted into the NYCFL Hall of Fame. She has received multiple Outstanding Educator Awards from the University of Chicago.
Among her forensic graduates are “Billy on the Street” Eichner, actors Telly Leung and Lucy Liu, National Review editor Reihan Salam, former champion Policy debater Hannah Rosin (now with Slate and NPR) and her partner, the nemesis of high schoolers everywhere, David Coleman, president of The College Board. Several of her former team members are running speech and debate programs all over the U.S. This is a humbling testimonial to the experience these alums had while on the Stuyvesant team, and Julie sees this as a major part of her legacy to the activity.
Julie’s heartfelt mission is to offer young people opportunities to become finer people, and finer speakers and debaters. The Stuyvesant Team is diverse and inclusive. From the team’s beginning in 1984, Julie has held the position that no student will ever be denied participation because of financial limits. And no student has! Like all Directors of Forensics, she is a coach, fundraiser, travel agent, nurse, and chaperone… Through her mission, Julie has left an indelible imprint of dedication and integrity with all who have crossed her path. Of all her many students, Julie is most proud of her daughter Fannie, who was the team novice director in 2015-2016. Fannie graduated from Tufts University in 2020 and is currently in veterinary school.

Jimmy L. Smith

Jacquelyn "Jacci" Young
2016 Inductees

Byron Arthur

Eloise Weisinger Blair

Mark Ferguson

Robert Shepard

Dr. Alfred "Tuna" Snider
2015 Inductees

Dr. Elizabeth Ballard

Jane Boyd

Kim Jones

Fred Robertson
2014 Inductees

Darrel Harbaugh

Dr. Tommie Lindsey, Jr.

Lisa Miller

Dr. Randy Patterson

Jay Stubbs
2013 Inductees

Michael Burton
Inducted 2013 Washington
Our Hall of Fame has many members who are expert judges, but only one expert referee! Mike Burton, former coach at Auburn High School, then at Eastside Catholic in Bellevue, WA mixes a career of speech and debate coaching and athletic officiating. This unusual combination has won top honors in both fields: Washington State Teacher of the Year, 1994; Washington Interscholastic Activities Hall of Fame; Washington Forensics Hall of Fame; Washington Officials Hall of Fame; National Federation of High Schools Hall of Fame; and Tournament of Champions Hall of Fame. Mike served seven terms as district chair, winning the Distinguished Service Plaque – Sixth Honors, and as National Council alternate. He earned five diamonds. Burton also served a term as president of the National Federation of Officials, a group aiding scholastic sports officials. Coach Burton has produced winners at the state level (36 state championships) and on the national circuit. The year 2000 was particularly gratifying, when Mike’s student Andy O’Connell was a multiple winner of national Lincoln-Douglas invitationals: Glenbrooks; Berkley; Barkley Forum; Minneapple; and Tournament of Champions (TOC). Mike’s greatest regret is not coaching a National Tournament winner. But he officiated a national championship college game! Like the great athletic coaches, Burton stresses the team concept. “We are a team, and a win by an individual is a win for the team,” explains Burton. “Cooperation within the team is mandated and required.” Another athletic principle demanded is fair play. Burton’s rule: “Ethics are the most important thing for an individual.” A final team precept required is respect for all people. Mike the coach and Mike the referee are also Mike the mentor. During his outstanding 39-year career, he has again and again stepped forward to help others. In the classroom, at the tournament, on the court, or on the field, Mike Burton has promoted excellence and ethics. A teacher, a coach, a referee would never settle for less. — Compiled by James Copeland

Vickie Fellers
Inducted 2013 Kansas
Vickie Fellers, a five-diamond coach and co-host of the 2007 Wichita Nationals, has been an exemplary coach of speech and debate. The first half of her 34-year career was at Goddard High School, and the past 17 years have been at Wichita East High School. Vickie is the epitome of integrity and dedication as an ethical educator in her classroom as well as service as a district committee member and Policy Debate tab chair to the NSDA.
Vickie qualified more than 158 students to the National Tournament. Her coaching has propelled 12 students to finish in the top 12 of various events, earning five School of Excellence trophies. During her tenure, the Wichita East chapter has won 16 consecutive National Forensic League Sweepstakes awards and leading chapter awards in 2001 and 2008.
Vickie is not only a successful coach at the national level; her achievements are legendary across the state. She has placed Policy Debate teams at regional contests 12 times since 2000. She’s garnered 14 individual state championships in forensics, one in debate, and placed teams in the top six at state competition for the past 15 years. Vickie is currently serving as chairperson for the KSCA Speech Liaison committee to the KSHSAA, and recently, KSCA inducted Vickie Fellers into their prestigious Hall of Fame. She has twice been named
the DCI Coach of the Year before being welcomed into Hall of Fame status in 2010.

Dr. Robert Littlefield
Inducted 2013 North Dakota
When asked by her coach, the great Glenn Pelham, “What is the goal of life?” Melissa Maxcy Wade answered, “To be happy?” “No,” intoned Pelham, “to serve!” Quite an altruistic goal, but one which has been successfully pursued by Dr. Robert Littlefield. An academic of renown, Robert is a Professor of Communication and co-author of Forensics in America: A History. He was host chair of the wonderful 1992 North Dakota State University Nationals. And he served as a volunteer forensic coach at Fargo Shanley High School (ND), where his children, Brady and Lindsay, achieved national honors as NFL point leaders. Lindsay Littlefield led all students in 1999, the first female in NFL history to win that honor; her brother, Brady was the leader in 2003. During Robert’s coaching tenure, Shanley’s team excelled: eight consecutive district sweepstakes plaques; 66 national entries, covering every main event; 14 NFL All Americans, including seven in the top ten; and a 2003 School of Excellence Award in Debate. At the 2013 International Public Policy Forum at NYU, Robert’s team won the IPPF world title! Robert states, “My philosophy is simple: consistency + heart = success. I encourage students to practice in order to be consistent… One of the hardest lessons to learn for students with talent is they need to develop a consistent performance… In addition, students need to have heart, they need to care, in order to reach their goals.” As a tenured professor, Robert carried a full teaching load, conducted research projects, published articles and a book, served as department chair, and yet made time to serve the NFL and high school students—not just his own children, but all students. Competition is fun; winning is admirable; but it is service to others that truly satisfies! — Compiled by James Copeland

Robert “Bob” Marks
Inducted 2013 Florida
Three-time NSDA national champion Josh Gad wrote, “Bob Marks gave me the resources no other teacher ever provided… Without the guidance and instruction of Bob Marks, my dreams and goals would have had countless limitations… Thanks to the efforts of Mr. Marks, I finally understand how to use my writing skills in such ways as to improve myself and the world around me.” In the book It Doesn’t take A Genius, Hall of Fame members Randall McCutcheon and Dr. Tommie Lindsey, Jr., write, “Bob Marks may well have been the best high school speech coach in America.” Bob has earned his reputation as an outstanding educator and mentor of students and teachers in forensics and theater arts. He helped teams to win 29 state championships and numerous NSDA Awards of Excellence. In the past 35 years, he coached 68 students to final rounds, where 21 were named national champions. However, there is a side of Bob’s work which is not as apparent or quantifiable. Through forensics, he has successfully worked with at-risk students, committing himself to helping students of all abilities, not just “stars.” In 1998, Bob Marks was a Martin Luther King Award winner for his commitment to diversity in education. Bob coached at West Des Moines Valley, Albuquerque Academy, and James Logan, as well as other schools. He served on the Board of Directors for the National Speech Forum, as the Associate Director of the National Speech Forum, and as Director of the Florida Forensic Institute and National Coaches Institute. In “retirement,” he continues to serve the forensic community as a consultant to several programs. Bob’s accolades include the University of Iowa Man of the Year, Outstanding Young Iowan, Outstanding Young American, and Florida’s Historic State Theatre Executive Director’s Award.

David McKenzie
Inducted 2013 Indiana
David McKenzie started his NFL/NSDA experience as a high school speaker at Northfield High School in Wabash, Indiana. After majoring in English and Communications at Manchester College, David set out to be a forensic coach. In fact, he hosted his first tournament while a student at Manchester College during his junior year. He has been the Director of Speech and Debate at Plymouth High School since 2000. Before that, he coached at Northfield High School, Oak Hill High School, and Columbia City High School, all in Indiana.
During his tenure, he has been successful as a coach on the local, state, and national levels. David has recorded one Class A state championship, five Class AA state championships, and five Ralph Lawson Trophies for the overall state championship. David was named the National Forensic League Coach of the Year in 2007 and was Indiana’s choice for the National Federation Coach of the Year in addition to being an inductee into the Indiana Hall of Fame. David has coached more than 30 individual state champions, numerous NFL/NSDA national qualifiers, nine national finalists, and national champions in Duo and Oratory. He also coached multiple national champions at the NCFL Tournament. He credits much of his success to his mentors from Indiana, many of whom are in the national Hall of Fame as well. Finally, the phenomenal coaches who worked as assistants at both Northfield and Plymouth contributed significantly to their programs’ successes as well. He wished to recognize that no successful coach does it alone.
David is currently a member of the IHSFA Executive Council, where he serves as a Sectional Representative and member of the Board of Directors. He also served three terms as Board President for the IHSFA. For the NFL/NSDA, he served as district chair of the Northwest Indiana District for over a decade and directed/hosted the District Congress, District Debate, and District Solo Tournaments numerous times. During his time in Northwest Indiana, his program was moved to Northeast Indiana where he now serves on the District Committee and frequently hosts the District Congress and Solo tournaments.
Additionally, for David, this activity has been a family affair. His wife Sarah has coached with him their entire marriage and is the first NFL/NSDA coach to earn a diamond at the high school level as well as the equivalent award at the middle school level. Each of their children, Emily and Trent, worked in tournament offices when they were old enough to walk and learned their alphabet while sorting critiques. The entire family also worked with coaches from throughout Indiana when David volunteered to host the 2012 Indianapolis Crossroads of America Nationals along with a great group of Indiana coaches. Both of their children graduated high school after earning multiple opportunities to represent Plymouth High School at the NSDA National Tournament and continue to use skills they developed through speech and debate.
With all of his success, David still takes the time to mentor new coaches every year, puts on presentations at the state speech coaches’ conference, and is an exemplary teacher at Plymouth High School where he teaches speech and broadcasting.
2012 Inductees

David Huston

Gail M. Naylor

Cynthia Timmons

Steven Wood
2011 Inductees

Joni Anker

James Harville

Meg Howell-Haymaker

Judy Kroll

James Menchinger
2010 Inductees

Rosella "Rosie" Blunk

Pauline Carochi

Dale Deletis
Inducted 2010 Massachusetts
As a senior at Struthers High School (OH), Dale DeLetis spoke in the semifinals of Boys’ Extemporaneous at the Miami Nationals in 1959. Thirteen years later, in 1972, Dale built on this high school experience when he began his tenure at Milton Academy (MA) and started the Milton speech team. In 1984, Milton Academy won its first Bruno E. Jacob Trophy, and Dale was recognized with the Bruno E. Jacob Coaches’ Commendation. In 1987, Milton Academy was recognized with the NFL Team National Championship. When Dale officially “stopped coaching” in 1993, he continued to coach in the background and took the novice extempers under his wings until he retired in 2001. He was the initial coach of the 1987 International Extemporaneous Speaking Champion, and six other Milton extempers spoke in their respective finals at Nationals over the years. In all, his students qualified 203 entries to the National Speech & Debate Tournament, earned three National Catholic Forensic League team championships, and won many NCFL individual championships. Four of his students also reached the final round of The American Legion Oratorical Contest. His service has included every kind of position possible within the Massachusetts Forensic League, and his efforts helped to establish the format and standards of that organization. He also served a stint as chair of the New England District from 1975 to 1978. Dale’s students have gone onto remarkable careers in government, medicine, politics, law, and higher education.

Cat Horner-Bennett

Cathy Wood
2009 Inductees

Michele Coody

Eric DiMichele

Jan Heiteen

J. E. Masters
2008 Inductees

Chuck Ballingall

Elly Kantorowicz

Robert Kelly

Kandi King

Ronald Krikac
2007 Inductees

Lydia Esslinger

Tony Figliola

Mel Olson

Betty Whitlock

Pam Cady Wycoff
2006 Inductees

Gay Brasher

Sister Mary Patricia Plumb

Michael Starks

Aaron Timmons
2005 Inductees

Timothy C. Averill

Dr. Kenny Barfield

Glenda Ferguson

Gloria Jennings Robinson
2004 Inductees

Marilee Dukes

Pamela K. McComas

Ronald Steinhorst

Anne M. Sullivan
2003 Inductees

David Baker

Tom Montgomery

John E. Sexton

Deborah E. Simon

Daniel Tyree
2002 Inductees

Francine Berger

Gary Harmon

Randy Pierce

Sr. Mary Raimonde, FDC

Margaret Riley
2001 Inductees

Ron Carr

Randall McCutcheon
“Randy has figured out how to teach someone else… he is one of the greats…” (Eric Liu, speechwriter for President Clinton)
“A lively style that can take care of itself.” (John Updike, Pulitzer Prize winning author)
Those who can’t do, teach. NOT! Four-diamond coach Randy led teams in four different states to 25 state championships and national team championships in the NFL and NCFL. More than 200 of Randy’s students qualified for Nationals, more than 20 reached finals, and seven were crowned champions. In 1987, his Milton Academy (MA) team won the NFL National Sweepstakes and Randy was named Coach of the Year. His student won International Extemp. His Albuquerque Academy students won Oratory, Drama, and Duo. He also coached five National History Day students to win a paid trip to Greece. They performed Randy’s play, Agora-met’s Delight. Teacher McCutcheon learned his philosophy from Thoreau, “Be not simply good. Be good for something.” Randy in retirement continues his life of teaching by tutoring needy kids. — Compiled by James Copeland
B. J. Naegelin

Bro. George Zehnle, SM
2000 Inductees

Robert Brittain

Maybelle Conger

John Hires

William "Billy" Woods Tate, Jr.
Inducted 2000
Tennessee
William Woods Tate, Jr., was a Southern gentleman: impressive, courtly, and smart. He played tournament bridge and could visualize the place of every card; he was politically savvy and held high office at his college, in his fraternity, and in the NFL/NSDA; he could call from memory the name of every person he met; and details of every Alabama football game he had seen.
Billy lived large. His delight was food. Many thought he was a gourmand. Not so! Billy was a gourmet in the classic sense. Whether enjoying fried vegetables at a tiny restaurant in Alabama, or tucking in at a five-star restaurant, Billy knew great taste! His hobby was antiques, especially brilliantine glass from the turn of the last century. His collection was one of America’s finest.
Billy’s sport was Alabama football. He intensely followed every game: exultant in victory;
depressed in defeat. Coach Tate’s passion was winning: in football, in politics, in debate.
On the national circuit, his team won the Glenbrooks and made late rounds at the TOC and the Barkley Forum. Tate hosted the Southern Bell Forum, a circuit event of unequaled hospitality.
At Nationals, his Montgomery Bell Academy Policy Debate team finished second in 1999. In 2005, MBA was the first team in history to close out the NFL Policy Debate final round!
The MBA program was hugely successful: the largest Chapter in Tennessee eight times and three-time winner of the Leading Chapter Award. Tate was honored with five diamonds, the Distinguished Service Key and Plaque (Third Honors), a Barkley Forum Key, a TOC Hall of Fame Induction, and the Pelham commendation.
Billy Tate and the Tennessee District hosted the elegant Nashville National Tournament in 1988. As NFL president, Billy served longer than any other president except Senator Karl Mundt. His presidential initiatives included the formation of the National Junior Forensic League, recruitment of new sponsors, and selection of National Tournament sites. He was immensely popular with students and coaches alike.
Hosting a District Congress in 2013, Billy’s great heart stopped. The NSDA will never again meet such a man.
— Compiled by James Copeland

Kenneth Thames
Inducted 2000
Wisconsin
Two great passions guided the life of Kenneth Thames: church and debate. Ken was the youngest elder in his Lutheran Church and a lifetime student of the Holy Bible. He began his debate career as a college debater for the fine coach Ruth McGaffey at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Ken’s coaching career began at Homestead High School (WI), where his team won the state championship. In 1973, he joined the staff at Marquette University High School, where his debate teams won three Wisconsin state CX debate championships and four NFL National Sweepstakes championships. Later, he would teach and coach at DeLong Middle School in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. There, his ninth-grade students would win the Wisconsin high school state standard debate (four-person) championship—a remarkable feat achieved not once, but twice!
In 1985, Mr. Thames assisted his two good friends and colleagues, Hall of Fame member Art McMillion and his wife Ruth Laws McMillion, to host the NFL (now NSDA) National Tournament at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. For many years, Ken assisted Hall of Fame coach Ron Steinhorst running the WSCA speech tournament.
Tragedy twice entered Ken’s life: when he was badly injured in an auto collision on a snowy Minnesota highway, causing a life of severe back pain; and when his daughter, a champion diver, had her Olympic dreams ended by a staph infection, caused by broken glass.
Thames was a superb tournament director who initially computerized the judge assignment system and the student pairing process at the National Tournament. His programming was vital for the expansion and efficient management of the tournament. For years, Hall of Fame members James Hawker, Marilyn Hageman, and Carol Zanto had worked all night to hand assign judges.
Kenneth Thames was a man who loved his Lord, loved coaching debate, and loved serving his community. He is missed by everyone who worked with him or knew him.
— Compiled by James Copeland
1999 Inductees

Lawrence "Larry" Brown

Glenn Cavanaugh

Steven Davis

Mildred Peveto

Mary Ritter

Carol Zanto
1998 Inductees

Patricia Bailey

Don Crabtree

Mary Donna Ross

Greg Varley
1997 Inductees

Ted W. Belch

Sr. Isabella Glenn

Richard Rice

Emerson Turner
1996 Inductees

C. E. "Pop" Grady

Shirley Keller-Firestone

Karen Miyakado
Lowell Sharp

Larry L. Smith
1995 Inductees

Helen Engstrom

Dr. Richard Hunsaker

Edwin Kelly

Richard B. Sodikow
1994 Inductees

Wayne Brown

A. C. Eley

William Hicks

Louie Mattachione

Sandra Silvers
1993 Inductees

Ray Cecil Carter

Peggy Ann Madden

Dale McCall

Donald Lee Smith

Virginia Sutherland
1992 Inductees

David Johnson

Ron Underwood

Joe Wycoff
1991 Inductees

David Dansky

Larry Highbaugh

Misao Kubota

Tedd D. Woods
1990 Inductees

Roger Brannan

Opal Hall

Harold Carl Keller

Grace Walsh
1989 Inductees

Ralph E. Bender

Bob Bilyeu

Rex Fleming

Natalie Weber
1988 Inductees

Donovan Cummings

Dr. Jane Eldridge

Marilyn Hageman

Art McMillion

L. D. Naegelin
1987 Inductees

Arlene Akerman

Phyllis Flory Barton
“My candle burns at both ends; It shall not last the night; But ah! my foes and oh, my friends— It gives a lovely light.”
Phyllis Barton died in 1990, but the light she left behind will never be extinguished! — Compiled by James Copeland
David Kanellis

Glenn Pelham
Inducted 1987 Georgia
Glenn Pelham was an impressive figure with an artistic wife and an academically talented son. Glenn Pelham was a renaissance man: he graduated from the John Marshall School of Law and served as Georgia State Senator and County Judge. He studied at the Juilliard School of Music, directed church choirs, and wrote choral music. He was interested in historical preservation. Glenn Pelham was an educator: high school teacher and debate coach, director of the Barkley Forum at Emory University, and chair of the Georgia State Senate Education Committee.
Mr. Pelham—few called him Glenn; it was always “Mr. Pelham” or “G.P” for the favored—believed that “the purpose of life was to serve.” He was a friend, confidante, and adviser to all who honored him with their friendship, including President Jimmy Carter.
At the 1967 NSDA (then NFL) National Tournament, James Unger introduced Pelham to Brother René Sterner and James Copeland. Pelham asked for their help to expand his tournament, the Barkley Forum for High Schools, from a southern focused-event to a national-focused event.
Pelham’s vision was soon realized: Northern debate teams from Bronx Science, the Glenbrooks, and Pittsburgh Central Catholic came, as did Southern teams Pace, Calhoun, MBA, and Woodward. Hall of Fame coach Ted Belch spoke of a “debate triple crown: NFL and NCFL Nationals and the Barkley Forum.” NFL Vice President Phyllis Barton called the Emory tournament “The Masters.”
Always the educator, Glenn Pelham wished to honor exceptional teachers. He founded the Gold Key Society, where each year at a special dinner, coaches elected by their peers were presented a large Gold Key on a ribbon to be worn around their neck during the tournament and a lapel key to be worn forever—signs that their colleagues had proclaimed their excellence.
He authored Stage Fright be Damned (1979) and Manual of Contemporary Debate (1969). Other honors during life include kudos from the Atlanta Constitution as “the most outstanding member of the [Georgia State] Senate”; national honorary membership in the National Forensic League [now NSDA]; and mentions in Who’s Who, Outstanding Young Men in America, Who’s Who in American Politics, and the Dictionary of International Biography.
Thomas Glenn Pelham is now gone. His great service yielded results that will never be forgotten!
— Compiled by James Copeland

Donus D. Roberts

Frank Sferra

Bro. Gregory "René" Sterner, FSC
1986 Inductees

Karl Boyle

Ralph E. Carey

Ronald Last

Cecil J. Pickett
1985 Inductees

Frances F. Ferris

Lois Sackman

Ronald Shafer
1984 Inductees

Mabel Hale

Albert S. Odom

Anne D. White
1983 Inductees

Louis Banker

Jean Boles

Dr. Bill Henderson

J. W. Patterson

Maurice Swanson
1982 Inductees

Mary Blackburn

C. Edwin Brower

Leah Funck
1981 Inductees

Novalyne Price Ellis

Lenabell Sloan Martin

Lester M. Tucker
1980 Inductees

Esther Kalmbach

Helen Malseed

Margaret L. Meredith

Rev. John J. Miday

Dennis Winfield
The Founding Class
1978 Inductees

Bruno E. Jacob, Founder
“Although tournament winners are appropriately acknowledged, the selection of national champions has never been the primary purpose of the National Tournament. Two other motives dominated. First, to provide a compelling incentive for students to undertake the arduous efforts necessary to acquire a high degree of skill in public speaking. Second, to establish a demonstration laboratory where the best in current high school speaking could be observed by students and teachers from every section of the country, for the improvement of the speech techniques in their own areas.”
The first NFL Nationals was held in May of 1931 at Ripon College. In all, 49 schools from 17 states attended, with 138 students competing in Debate, Extempore Speaking, Oratory, Oratorical Declamation, Dramatic Declamation, and Humorous Declamation. A total of 53 coaches were present. The New York Times covered the tournament with a front page article. Bruno Jacob struggled to keep the League alive during America’s Great Depression. “Our printer agreed that if we kept our debt under $1,000 dollars at the end of each year, he would continue to print,” recalled Bruno years later. In 1934, Mr. Jacob moved the NFL to Denver for two years, where he completed his Master’s degree. While on a camping trip with the President of Tau Kappa Alpha, a collegiate forensic society, Bruno persuaded him that TKA should sponsor a trophy (now the Pi Kappa Delta/Bruno E. Jacob trophy) to reward the school that had accumulated the most rounds of competition at the National Tournament. Mr. Jacob often said, “Contestants should be eliminated as quickly and fairly as possible.” Donus Roberts, who attended more than 50 Nationals, and served as an ombudsman at several, remembers, “More than anything Bruno stood for honesty, integrity, and character.” Over the years, Mr. Jacob would allow no taint of favoritism by tournament officials. Hall of Fame Vice President Vernon Metz recalled that Bruno admonished a famous debate coach for attempting to influence judges. Past President James Hawker tracked speech round speaking positions assigned by a famous coach and found that the coaches’ own entries always were placed in favorable positions. When shown the evidence, Bruno never again asked that coach to tab. When the state of Kansas would not allow Kansas students to attend Nationals, Mr. Jacob hired Kansas coaches to run the tab room. They were absolutely neutral. Mr. Jacob would do anything to protect the NFL’s reputation for fairness. In 1936, the sixth National Tournament was hosted by Classen High School in Oklahoma City, OK. The tournament hosted 365 students. One was an African American, Caleb Thompson, from Peekskill High School (NY). It is unclear whether he was the first African American entry at Nationals, but certainly the first to compete where Nationals was held in a state which forbade, by law, the mixing of the races in high school competitions. The tournament host, Hall of Fame coach C. E. “Pop” Grady, faced a dilemma: Oklahoma City schools were segregated by law. But Caleb was an official entry, having won the New York State District. Under NFL rules, he had the right to compete. Grady’s solution: Thompson could compete, but at Douglas, the African American school, not at Classen. Thompson was entered in Dramatic Declamation. The three judges each round would judge the White contestants at Classen and then be driven to Douglas to judge Thompson. An editor of the local African American newspaper protested the arrangement. The student said he would rather withdraw than be segregated. Mr. Jacob’s policy was that the local host arranged local events, but the National Forensic League ran the tournament. Mr. Jacob was firm. Thompson would compete at Classen. Thompson did, and won the event. In 1938, Mr. Jacob convened the first National Student Congress. It was well received and became a regular event. The League’s motto was, “Training Youth for Leadership” and youth congresses were ideal learning laboratories. The 1941 National Tournament featured a speech contest entitled “Americanism.” Six months later America entered World War II. No tournaments were held during the war years. The National Congress convened in 1942 (praised in a letter from President Roosevelt), 1943, and 1944. Students could earn points by community and patriotic speaking. In 1945, there were four regional contests in Extempore, and a national final at Northwestern University. In 1946, Extempore, Oratory, Oratorical, Dramatic, and Humorous regional contests were held; finals were held at Northwestern again. No debate was allowed. After the war, some academics felt debate had become too competitive; students should be taught cooperative methods of problem solving. The National Association of Secondary School Principals Contest and Activities Committee effectively ended debate at the National Tournament by ruling “approval was not accorded any contest involving interstate travel of more than one student from any state.” Thus, two-person debate was eliminated! Mr. Jacob, a former debater, a man devoted to debate, did not give up. Working with Professor Karl Robinson of Northwestern University, he successfully persuaded the NASSP Committee about the academic values of debate. Debate returned at the 1950 Nationals. But victory came at a cost. To make room for the return of Debate, Oratorical and Humorous Declamation were dropped from the tournament. (Humorous returned in 1977.) In the post-war years, Mr. Jacob worked tirelessly to build the League. He traveled more than 20,000 miles each year, mostly by car, to award plaques, visit tournaments, and convince schools about the benefits of joining the League. Hall of Fame Coach Arlene Akerman recalls, “I was so impressed that Bruno came to Fairmont-East [OH] to present our NFL Charter. The administration was also impressed. Bruno had a persuasive power that was outstanding.” Always organized, Bruno had several kinds of speeches prepared for his high school appearances. Depending on the time and place allowed by the local principal, the speeches ranged from a two-minute announcement over the school PA system, to longer and different speeches for an after-school meeting of the speech club, an all-school assembly, and a pep rally! By 1950 his NFL work was so time consuming, Professor Jacob resigned his teaching position at Ripon College to administer the League full time. In 1950, the NFL published an elegant book which chronicled the first quarter century. The past was ornately celebrated, but the best was yet to come! The Depression, WWII travel restrictions, and the decision of the NASSP to eliminate debate had taken its toll on the NFL. Chapters numbered 480 in 1938 and only 532 a dozen years later. The 122 qualifiers at the 1950 National Tournament was 16 fewer than the first Nationals, and only one-third of the 365 entries in 1936. But there were a large and growing number of affiliate schools, waiting for a Charter. The coming post-war baby boom would produce more and more students and schools. Bruno Jacob and the NFL had powerful friends. NFL member number one, Karl Mundt, was now a Senator; Bruno stood on the rear portico of the White House to confer NFL membership on former Texas debate coach President Lyndon Johnson. Bruno worked with Network radio stars like Ted Malone. After the 1939 Beverly Hills Nationals, Hollywood personalities became NFL supporters. In 1957, the Congress of the United States decreed that the Bicentennial of the Birth of Alexander Hamilton would be celebrated with a student Constitutional Convention of State and Territorial Speech Champions. Bruno Jacob, his son Richard, and the NFL staff were selected to manage the event in Congress Hall, part of the Independence Hall Memorial in Philadelphia. Bruno continued his peripatetic travel schedule. He preferred to drive on scenic byways, rather than interstate highways, so he could visit as much of the country as possible. He devised the hobby of visiting every county seat in America and sending himself a postcard from each one. Donus Roberts recalls that Mr. Jacob visited a forensic event in Watertown, SD and was delighted to visit one of the finest county courthouses in the USA. Bruno’s younger son, Richard, confirms that indeed “[Bruno] did complete the task of visiting every one (of more than 3,100) U.S. county seats, including Alaska and Hawaii… Some counties changed the location of their county seat, and he actually made subsequent trips to pick up the new location.” Mr. Jacob was quite irritated when the U.S. Postal Service began using generic postmarks on mail, instead of the postmark of the town sending it. He would return the postcard without the local cancellation to the town postmaster, to be hand canceled with the local postmark. Bruno faced financial problems at the 1963 National Tournament at Rice University in Houston. Wealthy Oveta Culp Hobby, publisher of the Houston Post, had pledged the money to support the tournament, but at the last minute withdrew her offer. Bruno was very reluctant about seeking or accepting sponsors. But at the 1968 Macalester College Nationals in Minnesota, the Reader’s Digest Foundation sponsored the tournament and more. They took the winners on a tour of Europe! Lila and DeWitt Wallace, owners of Reader’s Digest, were supporters of Macalester College. Mr. Jacob became good friends with the Wallaces and often visited their home in Pleasantville, NY. Their foundations offered to sponsor the National Tournament every year. At that time, the Digest, with the largest circulation of any magazine in the world, was hugely profitable and the Foundation was well funded. One board member was Melvin Laird, former Wisconsin Congressman, and friend of Bruno and NFL President Senator Karl Mundt. Alas, the sponsorship lasted only three years. Mr. Jacob’s successor refused to fly or drive yearly to Pleasantville, which was necessary to retain this valuable sponsorship. Bruno Jacob was the most modest of men. When asked to provide material for an article about himself, he always replied, “Make it short, very short.” He kept his salary low and NFL expenses low. Executive Councils often offered to raise his salary, but he declined. When traveling, Bruno usually stayed in private homes of NFL coaches, and was treated like an honored guest. Mr. Jacob was 70 years old in 1969. His retirement was poignant. Mr. Jacob always hoped one of his sons would succeed him; they each had worked at Nationals. But both his sons wished to pursue other careers. Robert, the eldest, received his degree in Physics and worked at Livermore Labs on Atomic Energy projects. He would later earn an MBA and work for IBM. The younger son, Richard, would earn a Ph.D. in Physics and teach Physics and Computer Science at three colleges. Bruno retired with great fanfare and honor. He was presented a new car and a trip around the world. His Speech of Farewell, quoted in part in the Hall of Fame Essay, had people in tears. The tournament was in Washington, D.C., where Senator Mundt and many prominent NFL alumni appeared. Bruno seemed happy as Secretary-Emeritus. He came to the office every day as he had for years: helping to record points, audit district tournament results, and help plan the National Tournament. Ripon College needed space in Middle Hall and the NFL had to move. The Council sent Mr. Jacob to California and elsewhere to raise money from alumni and friends to purchase a headquarters. Bruno Jacob was a brilliant man. Although born in the 19th century, he had the mind and vision of a 21st century entrepreneur. He seized on an idea and built a thing of value that still serves thousands of students almost a century later. And the students always appreciated what Bruno built for them. The great Illinois debate coach George Stege remembers: “Mr. Jacob came to Glenbrook South High School to give a Leading Chapter Award at a morning pep assembly. After the athletic introductions and cheers, Bruno delivered a dynamic speech about the success of the NFL Chapter and presented the award to the principal. A student in the audience yelled, ‘Three cheers for Bruno!’ The audience erupted with cheers!” National champion coach David Johnson concludes, “Thinking of Bruno reminds me of ‘Mr. Chips’—he is really that modest man, who works tirelessly because he believes in the next generation…. The song they sing after Chips has died ends, ‘was I brave enough and true?’” Bruno Jacob was brave enough and true enough to give his life to the NFL, and ask little in return. — Compiled by James Copeland
James M. Copeland

John D. Davies

Carmendale Fernandes

L. Day Hanks

James F. Hawker

R. Paul Hibbs

Albert E. James

J. Edmund Mayer

Vernon W. Metz

H. B. Mitchell

Karl E. Mundt
1979 Inductees

Charline Burton

ZaZelle Gifford

Ruby Krider
