Ahhh, with Thanksgiving right around the corner, I thought it fitting to start the season off with a small crash course of our coaches, whom we are so thankful for!! Let me begin by saying I have seen the skills of almost all these fabolous public speakers and know that they are going to be incredible coaches to you all. I love that they believe in the mission behind Lasting Impact! and want to see students excel in public speaking, empower coaches and clubs, and equip parents with the tools to see their students succeed. Now that I am done with all that mushy gushy stuff let’s get down to BUSINESS…
Think of this article as a refresher for you to remember who you could go to for extra help this upcoming year. Being able to talk one-on-one with a seasoned coach can make all the difference in the progress of your speech or debate case. So treat this as your MAP for who to turn to during your 2018- 2019 speech & debate season. Remember, you can check out the full team, and their Bios HERE.
Debate Coaches:
Combined these three have clocked over 20 years of experience and have trained in 7 different debate categories. They can help you with brainstorming, structure, and delivery! In order for you (and your partner, if there is one) to dominate this year’s resolutions. I know from personal experience that they will be patient with you and match (or even surpass) your passion for your case.
Joel Erickson – (LD) Has coached multiple levels of competitors. He will dig for answers in order for your case to be the fortress he knows it can be.
Steve Kish – Can draw from 7 different styles of debate to help you perfect your style. He is dedicated to enhancing the eloquence of your speaking so that in any situation you can say what you want with confidence.
Luke McConnel – (LD) Luke understands how to focus on persuasion and rhetoric allowing you to relate to adapt to any audience.
Eric Meinerding – (TP) Eric sees competitive forensics as way to develop one’s communication and argumentation skills to use in all facets life. Eric loves looking at debate from the perspective of a game, meaning he wants to help debaters process and execute the most strategic arguments and preparation methods for all styles of debate.
Michael Tant – (LD/TP) Michael brings years of experience to the table, both in competition and coaching all levels of students. His focus on strategy and organization will take you to the next level.
Limited Prep Coaches:
These people create the perfect team for any limited prep speaker whether you’re just starting out or you’re ending a six year journey. These brilliant speakers will be able to show you the How’s and the Why’s behind every limited prep speech. They can help you develop your critical thinking skills, anecdotal repertoire, and conversational style. Join our online Apol. or Impromptu clubs and you’ll be able to see Abby’s and Rachel’s amazing teaching impact your own speaking style. Keep doing Limited Prep! Personally, it’s one of the most satisfying categories to compete in.
Kaitlyn Butts – Kaitlyn still takes every opportunity to grow her own communication. She loves to help students craft their platform speeches with beautiful rhetoric and polish their limited prep delivery through a range of persuasion techniques.
Abbey Kish – Develop poise and polish with Abbey’s help. She will refine your speaking style so that everytime you give a limited prep speech you talk with confidence and authenticity.
Chiara Baldacci – Wise beyond her years, she has a great eye for detail. She can make the card writing process a breeze with helpful tips and tricks to get you on your way.
Eric Meinerding – Speaking is most effective when you have rhetorical skills to present arguments, whether it be in debate rounds, as well as forensics categories.
Isabelle Clausen – Isabelle is personal and fun-loving, She wants to see you shine, and will give you the tools to make Limited Prep a success.
Platform:
Platform! It’s a grueling category, from the brainstorming, to the research, then the structuralization & organization of your speech, and the re-editing throughout the year. It can be taxing on anybody to face all that alone. Fortunately though, we have five fabulous women willing to help you at any point. If there is anything you think your speech is missing you can have one of our coaches read through it or listen to it and they’ll be able to pinpoint something they think you could use to strengthen your speech. We want you to tap into the full potential of your topic without losing a drop of enthusiasm for it during the season.
Chiara Baldacci – Has tapped into her unique style to make something from all of her speeches memorable. She wants to make sure you are utilizing all your resources to make your speech stick with the audience. Verbal and Nonverbal.
Kaitlyn Butts – Thinks about each and every word and it’s purpose, and she will help you to do the same!
Rikki Eskelund – She was blessed to make it to Nationals every year she competed- six years! She knows what audiences are looking for in a great platform speech.
Ellen Neumann – Can remember every one of her speeches and why she picked it. Ellen will give you the motivation to really invest in your speeches so at the end of the year you are sorry you have to stop. She would also say her specialty is voice inflection. How to say things is very important.
Interp:
Probably one of the most physically and emotionally exhausting categories to compete in. But it has its payoffs. I have had the privilege to watch most of these coaches perform during their stretches in the league and let me tell you…….their speeches alway entertained, and spoke to who they were as individuals. Mostly because they picked pieces that resonated with them and they were diligent to find the best way to convey their message. I know they went some years cutting and recutting the same piece multiple times to find the best plot line. And some years they even switched pieces mid season in order for them to feel truly satisfied with their work.
Rikki Eskelund – Rikki has done it all! She is a National Duo Champ, as well as a Debater. She has even run a club. She knows what she is talking about, because she has experienced it!
Gabrielle Heiss – Has made everyone of her speeches layered and intricate. With her help you can develop a well-rounded piece with an amazing plot line that really speaks to who the characters are.
AJ Neumann – With one conversation your creativity will be sparked. He can make you think about your speech from a whole new, unique perspective to give your speech an authentic twist.
Ellen Neumann – Will build the balance and chemistry of any duo partnership. She can draw out the characters of your speech and let the purpose of your piece shine through.
Here’s my reminder for you all. This is just a crash course of what these coaches are capable of. And with any crash course we all know there are many details sadly left unsaid. Know that they all have the experience and wisdom to help you, your student, and/or your club!! That’s right! Our team is happy to coach for you OR YOUR CLUB! And guess what, we don’t charge extra for that!
To complete this post, I want to brag a little more about these coaches, for which we are so thankful for. I know I know, I’ve already told you so much about these A-MAZ-ING people but I want to remind you that these competitors were consistently at the top every year with their speeches. They are some of the best students to come out of Speech and Debate and they want to help YOU be one of the best. Reach out to them. Be proactive and you will get results. Use Lasting Impact! to change your speeches and your season for the better! And remember, You Got This!