Speech and debate season underway

Hot Springs County High School’s Speech and Debate team got their season underway on Monday evening with their first organizational meeting for the year.

Thirty students gathered for the first night and if all who attended the meeting remain with the team, the numbers will be double what they were for the last two seasons.

And it isn’t just freshmen who are coming out, there are some upper classmen that have decided to join the team and all of last year’s members are back again for what should be an epic year for the varsity team.

“We have a phenomenal core-group of kids this year and I’m excited to not only watch them individually, but to see them grooming their incoming teammates, too,” said coach Cindy Glasson. “I’m already seeing excitement from the newcomers, they’re making their event choices and picking pieces already, which is great.”

“Bobcat Speech and Debate is poised for a great year,” coach Lyle Wiley said. “We have a strong group of returning seniors and leaders who will build off a successful year. We have many new recruits who are excited to be a part of this team. There is limitless potential for this team and it is so exciting to be a part of it!”

The team has added two novice meets to their schedule before Christmas, the first being a novice only meet in Worland on November 9 and another novice/varsity meet in Cheyenne December 20-21.

Sandwiched in between those two meets will be their home meet, December 13-14.

While they may be novice or junior varsity right now, all of the new team members become varsity on January first according to the National Speech and Debate Association rules.

“They’re going to have a little time to get their feet under them before January, which is a good thing,” Glasson said. “This activity can be very daunting at first so having a couple of novice meets before the start of the year will definitely ease some of the fear.”