Myers Park is the premiere forensics team in North Carolina, specializing in Congress, Public Forum Debate, Lincoln Douglas Debate, Original Oratory, and Extemporaneous Speaking. The current team is composed of over 115 NFL-recognized members and countless other participants. Success does not arrive overnight, therefore due credit should be given to the countless hours so many coaches have given in the 41 year history of the team.
The Myers Park High School Speech and Debate Team began with the enrollment of 5 students in 1965. The official team was created in 1966, when Mrs. Thomas Potter received the charter from the National Forensic League. Myers Park High School is to this day charter number 2034. At this time, Laird Lewis, Sr. was the principal at Myers Park and was a large supporter of the debate program. The current tournament held at Myers Park every year is held in his memory.
How the team has been influenced by individual coaches:
In the late sixties and early seventies, Virginia Sutherland came to Myers Park and was the coach until 1989. She received her First Diamond in 1980 and her Second Diamond in 1987. In 1993 she was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame. While a coach at Myers Park, her expertise and focus was almost entirely Policy Debate. She and her teams gained a local, state and national level name for the Myers Park Speech and Debate Team in Policy Debate.
For one year, from 1989-1990, the Myers Park Speech and Debate team was coached by Anita Gillis who continued to gain a local and state name for the team as well as build the program already in place. Then, Michael Phillips, another "policy coach," coached for two years, from 1990-1992. He too focused his attention on the local circuit and was the last coach at Myers Park to adamantly support the growth and development of Policy Debate.
The current coach, Andrew West came in the Fall of 1992 and has been the coach for 14 years. He received his First Diamond in 1998 and received his Second Diamond in 2003. (A First Diamond is awarded after 5 years and 1500 coaching points. A Second Diamond is awarded after 10 years and 3000 coaching points.) Mr. West has over 7000 points right now, which represents over 70,000 student points. This is enough for his Third Diamond, but he cannot get it until after his 15th year coaching. The team under his direction has earned national recognition for the Myers Park High School Speech and Debate Team in Student Congress, Lincoln-Douglas, Public Forum and Original Oratory. He is the fifth coach at Myers Park and has served longer than any other except Virginia Sutherland. He received Coach of the Year for the Carolina West District for the 2005-2006 season and has received Coach of the Year for the State twice before. Under his leadership, Myers Park has won the District Championship (plaque) the last 7 years in a row, and has won the State Championship (The Governors’ Cup) 6 out of the last 9 years.
In 2001, the Myers Park Speech and Debate team welcomed Coach Karen Justice. At the end of the 2005-2006 season, she had an Outstanding Distinction Degree, and has traveled with the team to local, state, and national tournaments. She continues to successfully coach all events, but recently has taken special interst in the Student Congress and Public Forum events. In 2004 she helped coach the North Carolina Student Congress State Champion from Myers Park and since then has had two more Student Congress State Champions. She continues to be an excellent teacher, judge, guide and coach for the entire team.
In 2004, the team welcomed Coach Jason Kline. At the end of the 2005-2006 season he had an Outstanding Distinction Degree and in his first year at Myers Park helped to coach the team to numerous victories, especially in Public Forum and Extemporaneous Speaking. In 2005 he introduced the National Catholic Forensic League to North Carolina and serves as moderator for the Diocese of Charlotte. He also serves on the NFL Public Forum Wording Committee and in his past two years at Myers Park has coached teams to elimination rounds in Public Forum at NFL Nationals. He has proven to be an asset to the entire team and state. Before coming to Myers Park though, he coached at the very successful and prominent Mercyhurst Prepatory School in Erie, Pennsylvania.
About The Current Myers Park Forensics Team:
The current Myers Park Debate team has not failed the impressing precedent set by its predecessors, rather its built into the legacy that has lasted over four decades. The current team, as aforementioned, has 115 members who represent more then 300 degrees, the most of any school in North Carolina. In 2004-2005, the team received the last ever cumulative Harvard Cup, a trophy that represented more then 10 years of hard work by Mr. West and his Congress students. Myers Park was state champion and District champion, and sent 10 people to NFL nationals, more then any other school in the state. At Nationals, members of the team received fifth in Congress, eighth in Public Forum, and Twelfth in Lincoln Douglas. The team also received a School of Excellence Award in Debate, a very prestigious award offered to the schools who perform best at nationals.
In 2005-2006, the team shared great success once again. From a fifth place finish at the Wake Forest debate tournament, along with Runners Up and Finalists at prestigious tournaments such as the Glenbrooks, Wake Forest, and Harvard, students continued to bring amazing awards for the team. With several first place finishes in sweepstakes, most notably the TFL State Championships and the Western District regional championship, Myers Park performed exceedingly well. A congress member placed eighth at the Tournament of Champions, and a public forum team placed fifth at nationals. Myers Park once again qualified ten to the national championships in Dallas, more then any other school in the state. Students took a team riddled with leaving seniors who contributed a majority of the accomplishments and led a new team, under and upperclassmen alike, to continue a debate legacy. In 2007-2008, Myers Park welcomed Coach Shellie Kingaby to help with Individual Events.
Looking forward to 2009-2010, a very large sophomore and junior class and a very good, varsity core group of seniors look to lead the team into the future. Students realize the accomplishments made in the past - but will restrain from resting on them - for new legacies must be made and continued.
Much of the team’s success should be owed to the superb coaching staff, and ever supporting administration. Under the direction of Mr. Andrew West, and the coaching staff of Mr. Jason Kline and Mrs. Shellie Kingaby, Myers Park has emerged nationally as an excellent program. Students should continue to thank this excellent staff and continue to be led by them.
This history was written by Jonathan Jerome.
It has been revised by Hannah Ignasher.