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Our History Our team at East Chapel Hill combines a proud tradition of student self-leadership with service by former debaters attending the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. In the fall of 1999, UNC student Rebecca Grumbiner first worked with East students to form a team to compete on the NFL/TFL circuit. Though only a small group, the team enjoyed success in Student Congress, Policy Debate, and Lincoln-Douglas Debate. In March of 2000 East qualified its first student, Michael Potter ('01), to Nationals in LD. Michael's accomplishment culminated a brief career as an LD prodigy, with several impressive showings at national invitational and round robin tournaments. 1998 LD NFL National Champion and UNC student Allison Pickett next worked with East, and assumed leadership of the team from August - December 2000. Her work culminated in improved support from school administration and formalized PTA financial support. Stricken with temporary health issues, she passed control of the team to UNC senior John Metz, an NFL national award winner in Expository Speaking for the remainder of the 2000-2001 academic year. UNC freshman Jonathan Peele also began volunteering with East during this time. In August 2001, Mr. Joseph Parrish became the first faculty debate coach in the team's history. His work with the Urban Debate League in Durham, NC led to a renewal in interest in Policy Debate at East. At the request of students interested in other events, Jonathan was retained to coach LD, Congress, and Interpretation. David Gura ('02) became East's second national qualifier in Congress-House Chamber in March 2002. After two years as a volunteer assistant coach, Jonathan was hired as head coach in August 2002. His goals included expansion of the East program into all events as well as a return to national circuit competition. Parental support was also formalized through parent/booster meetings for the first time. East was able to accomplish these goals with their first awards in interpretation by the Duo of Samara Holub-Moorman and Adrian Walker. The team also returned to national circuit competition with a snow-lengthened trip to the Harvard Open. Lake Bookman scored East's third national qualification in March 2003 by again claiming a Congress-House slot. Intense student involvement and a dash of coaching stability allowed East to grow into a far larger program then ever before in the 2003-2004 season. UNC students Carter Spears, Justin Johnson, and Virginia Jordan all dedicated themselves to roles as assistant coaches. East Chapel Hill gained charter membership in the National Forensic League and recruited more than a dozen new NFL members. The team placed as high as fourth (Cary Academy, Feb. '04) in sweepstakes competition and established itself as a regular player among North Carolina's best speech & debate programs. Ever so close, the Public Forum team of Cowen & West nearly scored a first state championship for the squad as they claimed second place in TFL state competition. NFL Districts served as the true announcement of the program's potential, as 5 students qualified for national competition: Carlyn Cowen and Stephen West in Public Forum, Davis Bennett and Jacob Boehm in Public Forum, and Steven DeLong extended the Congress-House run to 3 years. With all 5 national qualifiers
returning and interest among the student body at an all-time high, East
Chapel Hill entered the '04-'05 season with a chance to win sweepstakes
awards, return many students to nationals, and continue laying the
foundation for a distinguished program of speech & debate education.
Seven dedicated coaches from UNC - Justin Johnson, Justin Jones, Elizabeth
McRainey, Larry Shaheen, Justin Sharrock, Carter Spears, and Ryan Yamada -
formed the experienced assisting staff for this season. A major
recruiting drive increased the size of the squad into the 50-60 student
range. The team began the season very competitively with two Public
Forum teams reaching quarterfinals at Wake Forest and by winning the the
first sweepstakes championship in school history on October 16, 2004 at
Massey Hill HS. Other sweepstakes awards followed and East hosted a
tournament for the first time on January 22, 2005 despite inclimate weather
greatly reducing the ambitious scale of the event. East ended the
season by taking Second Place in sweepstakes at the TFL State Championship,
sending nine students to Nationals, and an improbable run to a National
School of Excellence Award in Debate. |
