COACH OF THE YEAR VOTING

Seven coaches have been nominated as Coach of the Year. Below are the messages of support that were included with each nomination. Once you have read through these nomination messages, you can proceed via the link to the voting website where you must rank all seven candidates. Each team gets only one vote. The vote must be submitted by the team’s head coach or their designate. 

Link to voting:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3M9HB6M

John Cooper, Iowa City - West HS

Liberty High School (North Liberty, Iowa) opened its doors in 2017. Julio Stiers (Liberty freshman) knew that he wanted to join debate in fall 2019. However, Liberty's team hadn't yet been formed. Coach Cooper (West High School Speech & Debate Coach, Iowa City, Iowa) invited Julio to participate with West’s team. Several more Liberty students have joined the speech/debate team since that time and Coach Cooper has taken them all under his wing. 

Coach Cooper is an absolutely incredible support to these students—generously giving his time, attention, instruction, and administration to both students and their parents--caring for each student as though they were his own. 

Coach Cooper has also worked closely with Liberty’s principal, Scott Kibby. They have collaboratively ensured that our Liberty students can enjoy all of all the opportunities that are offered to West High students--enabling our students to have an invaluable extra-curricular high school experience. Coach Cooper's support allowed at least one Liberty student to qualify for and attend the national speech competition. His guidance will also allow Liberty to send multiple students to debate camp at the University of Michigan this summer.

In addition to all of the long hours Coach Cooper puts into leading West High’s stellar team, he has enthusiastically adopted and incubated our burgeoning little Liberty team. We are just so grateful for his expertise, enthusiasm, and care!

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the following individuals (copied):

Joy & Ravin Donald (David & Daniel Donald’s parents)

David Donald

Daniel Donald 

Sam & Tammy Stier (Julio Stier’s parents)

Julio Stier

Kaitlyn Evans, DM Lincoln HS

It is my privilege to nominate Kaitlyn Evans of Des Moines Lincoln High School for Coach of the Year. Kaitlyn has built a competitive program at Lincoln that has students competing in speech and debate events. Kaitlyn has created a program that serves students from diverse backgrounds equitably. I have seen her counsel students through issues related to their home life, personal lives, and their academics. She supports students self expression and offers advice on how to advocate for issues that matter to them. She has raised money so students who need financial support to be involved are given every opportunity competitively. Kaitlyn also supports the middle school programs in Des Moines Public Schools. She is a selfless coach who is student focused. I 

have seen first hand how many obstacles exist to run a program in an urban setting. Kaitlyn is doing that exceptionally well for students at Lincoln and deserves to be named Coach of the Year.  

Respectfully,

Steve Schappaugh

Adam Krell, Southeast Polk HS

On behalf of the Southeast Polk debate team, we would like to nominate Adam Krell for Coach of the Year. Since taking part in coaching the Southeastpolk debate team we have seen expansion and continued growth amongst teams. His work ethic, patience, and his ability to not only lead but connect with his students makes him a great candidate for Coach of the Year. 

Krell continues to make time to coach debate despite his busy schedule. He makes his team a priority and continues to ensure not only the success of his teams but the wellbeing of every member involved. Krell makes sure to focus on all aspects of debate and not just winning. Krell’s passion can be seen with all he does and attested by any of his current or past students. 

Ultimately Krell goes above and beyond to help his students reach their full potential. He has become a coach in which all are proud to have gotten to know. Please consider Adam Krell for Coach of the Year. 

Marisa Kuiken, Sioux City - East HS

Marissa Kuiken is a phenomenal coach and a true inspiration. She is constantly going out of her way to ensure that her competitors are fully prepared for competition. Not only does she help locate pieces, but she also breaks down each category to her kids. As an NSDA Diamond Coach, she knows how to complete each piece and keep a professional face. We couldn't do it without her. 

- Anonymous Student

I am nominating Marissa Kuiken for coach of the year. She is an amazing coach and is always willing to help her students with any personal problems as well as speech and debate. Most days she is here until at least six o’clock watching, cutting, and critiquing various student’s pieces. Without her the debate program at East High would fall apart, and tab at competitions would probably run slower. Over the last four years Mrs. Kuiken has become my mentor and showed me that being a teacher is one of the most rewarding professions a person can have.

- Whitney Lester

David McGinnis, WDM Valley High School

I nominate Dave McGinnis for IFL Coach of the Year.  Dave has served as the head coach at West Des Moines Valley HS for 10+ years and his accomplishments are well documented…which is why I can “borrow” them so easily from a National Symposium for Debate profile. Dave has qualified students to the TOC every year since 2000.  He has coached students to the Top 10 at the NSDA National tournament 3 times in 8 years.  Beyond the stolen profile details, I’ve judged approximately…1 million WDM Valley debate rounds at this point in my career and the students have always been of the highest quality, which is a testament to the coaching Dave has provided over the years.  Dave is a multi-talented individual who has given his all to promote forensic activities wherever and whenever possible.  He’d make an excellent choice for IFL Coach of the Year and I hope you consider him in your selection.

Joe Rankin, Bettendorf HS

I first met Dave in the 5^th grade during the Valley Jr. High Program. I don’t remember much of our initial encounters besides his propensity for making us laugh, incredible explanatory abilities, and insistence that we refrain from calling him “Mr. McGinnis”. And within only a couple of sessions, I was seriously committed to debate. After the program’s end, Dave gave us the option of starting debate early. For me, that meant having a novice year in 6^th grade. I took it, and since then, haven’t really looked back. In line with the way he introduced debate to me and everyone else on my team, his attitude towards debate has never been one that revolved around competition. Whenever he asks someone about debate at a tournament, there are only two questions: “Are you having fun and are you learning?” Nothing else. I believe this mentality speaks volumes about who Dave is as a coach and a person.  

Though the meta of national circuit debate has shifted over the years, Dave has adjusted accordingly to help maintain the kind of team he wants to have. From a financial perspective, he’s continued to innovate in an attempt to make national level debating affordable for all our students. Whether it be a garage sale, handling the logistics of the Valley tournament, or our antique shop scheme (it sounds like criminal activity, but I promise it isn’t), Dave has always attempted to make debate accessible to students regardless of their socioeconomic status. And from our team’s perspective, he’s realized there are ways to improve our own dynamic. As our team became more divided into different events, Dave recognized that we needed to be more unified as a squad. He’s actively started to restructure our curriculum to make the team more inclusive to stop the problem from growing—proving his words swiftly translate into action. 

Overall, Dave is an outstanding educator. Not only does he lead one of the most competitive teams in the state, he models good behaviors to all of his students—teaching them the value of learning and enjoyment. From my personal experience, I can testify to his instrumental influence on my development as a younger debater and maturation into the young adult I am now. Dave always made sure I felt included on the team, remaining an available resource. And I’m sure that numerous other individuals on my team would testify to the same. Our team dynamic isn’t one of staff and student, but rather one of mentor and learner, culminating in true friendship. I believe it’s clear the impact he has had on his students and the debate community writ large. It is because I feel so strongly about Dave as a coach and educator that I urge him to be considered for IFL Coach of the Year. 

With regards, 

Animesh Josh 

Valley High School Senior

Loan Nguyen, DM Roosevelt

We nominate Loan Nguyen for Coach of the Year. In just one year, Nguyen has

profoundly changed the way the Roosevelt speech and debate team operates. Previously,

students on the team were focused on individual success--competing with each other more than

collaborating and supporting each other. Nguyen addressed that unhealthy culture of

competition and helped us become a team rather than a collection of individuals. Furthermore,

Nguyen emphasized inclusivity for our team. The Roosevelt speech and debate team has a long

history of being white and rich, but Nguyen worked to change that by emphasizing diversity and

scholarship opportunities. Simply put, Nguyen opened doors for students to join the forensics

community. Lastly, Nguyen offered stability when we needed it. After three coach changes in

four years, Roosevelt speech and debate needed someone who would be invested in our

program. Nguyen consistently held practice, listened to speeches, provided cost estimates early

on, emphasized community outreach, prioritized students’ mental health and provided support

during tournaments--and these are just a few examples of the many, many ways Nguyen

brought stability to our team.

We can think of no better person to receive the Coach of the Year award than Loan

Nguyen. They represent the values of the Iowa speech and debate circuit, they invest their time

into the success of this community and they positively impact students’ lives.

Vince Woollums, Iowa City - City HS

Vince is the coach debate needs. He is kind, capable and pragmatic. Coach Woolums has provided support without question to his students and spread the love across the world of policy. Vince makes every effort to stay true to the educational roots of the activity. This year I have learned an exorbitant amount about policy. However, I have learned more from Vince about coaching and patience. This activity is inherently collaborative, and the City High squad has a leader that gets what collaboration should be. He shares every bit of what he has to support all programs. Vince has placed the entirety of his heart into the world of debate, and has been open minded enough to consider perspectives beyond his own. I look up to Vince as a leader, and hope to grow under his guidance for years to come. I nominate City High's head coach Vince Woolums for IFL coach of the year.