We're back with a special episode of One Clap! Lyle is joined by Wyoming High School Forensics Association Hall of Famers, Jackson Hole Head Coach Londe Gagnon and Cheyenne East Head Coach Marcus Viney, to hype the 2022 National Speech and Debate Tournament in Louisville, Kentucky next week! What is most exciting about 2022 NSDA Nationals?
Congratulations to all of the talented competitors who have qualified and are attending this year’s National Tournament! Also, congratulations to all the coaches who are traveling with their hardworking students! Nationals is always an amazing opportunity for students to compete with the best of the best, and this year is especially exciting because we will once again have the chance (after a couple of years of virtual competition) to see each other face-to-face.
In this podcast, Marcus, Londe, and Lyle talked about the things that they are most excited about for NSDA Nationals 2022 in Louisville, Kentucky... let's get hyped!
Marcus talked about (1) the adventure and (2) the opportunity at the National Tournament. Londe and Lyle boiled their excitement down to five talking points:
EXPLORE
MEET AWESOME NEW PEOPLE
SHOW GRATITUDE, KINDNESS, AND ADMIRATION TO EACH OTHER
ENJOY EXCELLENCE
GIVE IT EVERYTHING YOU’VE GOT ON THE BIGGEST STAGE, AND HAVE FUN!
Full Text of Marcus Viney's Message:
This is Marcus Viney head coach of Cheyenne East and I’m super excited for Nationals next week in Louisville Kentucky! Although we’ve been able to compete at nationals the last two years, it hasn’t been in-person. Virtual nationals was amazing and different, but now it’s time to get back on a plane and get out there!
Now there’s a ton of reasons to get hyped about nats, but here are two of the biggest things I’m most excited about this time around: the adventure and the opportunity.
First is the big adventure! Unless you already live in Kentucky, you’re going to be doing some traveling. I don’t know about you, but I’ve grown a little tired of logging into Zoom or NSDA campus for speech and debate. One of the most underrated aspects of speech and debate, funny enough, is all of the non-speech and debate stuff surrounding our experiences at a tournament. Food, friends, and fun! Sometimes people complain about long bus rides or difficult flights, but I say, it’s about time to get back into it! I just love the big build up to the tournament as we gather together and make our way to the event. And this year, we have a few kids who have never been on a plane before, so just getting to nationals is a big journey in itself. But we’re also going to be there, live and in color, in Louisville, with real people! No doubt there will be a variety of fun meals and places to visit. The sights, tastes, and smells. That’s what I’m most looking forward to. Yes, focus on your event and the tournament, but be sure to soak in the big adventure and enjoy yourself while you’re there as well. You never know when it could all get sucked back into the virtual world. Oh, and don’t forget to buy your family members some souvenirs!
Next up on my hype list is the Opportunity! What I mean by this mostly is the chance to be back in real rooms with real competitors from around the country. I don’t know about you, but I plan to bring a nice little notebook to take extensive notes on pieces, performances, and people! Nationals is the most wonderful mix of voices, styles, and competitors, and it’s definitely the perfect time to learn something. Nats isn’t the end of the road, it’s just the beginning. Even if you’re a senior, there’s still tons to learn. If you’re an underclassmen, I say, you’re basically obligated to pay close attention, take notes, and appreciate all the hard work of your competitors! It might not be the worst time to pick out your piece or topic for next year as well! Nationals in person presents a golden opportunity unlike virtual competition where it’s all too easy to mute yourself and shut off your camera and ignore what’s really happening in the round. Being live and in person forces you to get back into what makes this activity so lively and exciting! The big mix of people clashing for the 1 in the round! Just as I was saying you should take the time to enjoy and soak up the adventure, I would say the exact same thing about soaking up the opportunity. There are so many brilliant and talented performers--everyone has something to learn at this event. Don’t miss your chance to grow.
There are a million other reasons to get hyped, but those are my big two. No matter where you’re from, I hope you have the best time in Kentucky, but a huge shout out to Wyoming qualifiers! We are so proud of you all and I have a feeling this is going to be a really good year for the state that doesn’t exist! See you in Louisville!
Thank you so much to Marcus and Londe for sharing their thoughts on 2022 NATS! If you see them in Kentucky next week, make sure you say hello!
Lyle here! If you see me at Kentucky, don’t be a stranger! Come by and say hi. I’ll have a bunch of One Clap stickers, and I’m happy to meet and talk with anyone inspired by and passionate about Speech and Debate!
What are you most excited about for Nationals? Reach out and let me know! If you have an idea or a request for One Clap Speech and Debate, shoot me an email at lylewiley@gmail.com.
Thank you to everyone who is a patron of One Clap Speech and Debate! Your kind gifts help keep this project alive. Thank you to Marcus, Londe, Debbie, Missy, Ashley S, Beth, Laura, Brenda, Aaron, Terry, Tina, Ashley M, Allen, Matt, Joel, Aaron, Rick, and Izzy for your continued support! Check out our patreon page (HERE) if you’d like to join in support of One Clap Speech and Debate and partner with me on this journey!
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