Speech coach considering JV squad

The Columbia Falls speech and debate team has a whopping 50 students ready to showcase their talents of the tongue this year - and there's more expected when fall sports end.

"We're working on developing options for a junior varsity team," coach Tara Norick said.

The hope is to have a JV squad through December, Norick said, and then whittle it down to varsity as the team heads down the home stretch in January, when the season wraps up with the state tournament at the end of the month. The idea is to have as many students participate that want to.

"The skills they learn are invaluable through life," Norick said.

While the team is high on numbers, it's a little thin on experience. The team graduated 14 seniors. This year, only five seniors are on the squad - Natalie Law, Chance Morine, Kate Donner, Becky Griffith and Jinise Osborne.

Osborne, Griffith and Donner are competing in different categories, so it's a little like starting out new. Donner, Griffith and Law are the team captains.

Practices have been in full swing for a couple of weeks now, and the team will open the season with a tournament in Corvallis on Oct. 29.

This is Norick's second year coaching the squad and eighth year with the program. Prior to that, she was an assistant coach. Last year, the Columbia Falls speech and debate team won the state Class A title - its eighth in a row.

This year might be a challenge, she admits. But even the younger students have experience, and anything can happen. Last year, Allison Foust and Mary Gross took second at state in policy in debate and will return this year. The pair were the first girls and freshmen to ever accomplish that feat at state, Norick noted.

Norick is assisted by Kim Gange and Leslie Dimaio. Both teach at the junior high and have been recruiting for the program - witness the large number of freshmen.

Columbia Falls will host the divisional tournament this season. The state tournament will be close to home as well - in Polson.