Speech and debate team works together

The coach said if she needed some honest feedback, Elizabeth would “give it to me straight.”

“She gives me very blunt, very valuable feedback,” Stephanie said. “It’s a really unique experience. It’s given us something in common.”

“We have a pretty good relationship,” Elizabeth said.

She added that her mom gives her and her teammates about the same amount of coaching. However, she noted she can be more straightforward with her coach about strategy disagreements.

“It’s different, but it’s good,” she said.

IN THE FAMILY

Stephanie, who was on the speech and debate team at RSHS and college, got her coaching start when her now 20-year old daughter Kira Cozzens was on the team when Angela Stephens was in charge.

The team was bringing back policy debate, which had not been offered at RSHS for many years. Because policy debate is difficult and Stephanie competed in college, she decided to start helping and ended up traveling to tournaments with the team.

When Angela left, “I realized that I was the best person suited to take over the coaching,” Stephanie said.

Stephanie said her daughter was a shy sophomore when she took over, but over the years Elizabeth discovered a love of debate.

“I think she’s just learning what she wants to say,” Stephanie said. “She’s really good about helping others, she’s very, very patient.”

TEAM CHEMISTRY

The Cozzens aren’t the only ones who care about the team. Senior Riley Skorcz said she has been on the squad when it was big, small and in-between coaches.

“It’s good to see the kids work pay off,” she said. “I get to see the younger members of the team and their growth and see them do well.”

For the remaining part of the season, which concludes in June, Riley said she hopes she does well, but also wants to see the younger members of the team grow and do well.

Shiva Yeshlur, who competes in Lincoln-Douglas debates, did not participate at a recent tournament in Worland due to the flu, but said he enjoyed the break because it allowed him to watch his teammates perform.

Stephanie said she likes to give her team breaks over the course of the year so they will be fresh and ready to go during state and district tournaments.

“Because we prioritize needs of individual team members — they are encouraged to take time off as needed to work on grades or just take a break — we rarely travel a full team and never know how strong we are until we go to state,” she said. “We do know that our policy debaters have worked long hours with former RSHS/University of Wyoming debater Jeremiah Etcheverry on incorporating a more nationally competitive style.”

Shiva said over the course of his freshman year he has learned how to be a better communicator and to expand his mind. He attributes his success to being on the team.

“One of the most common things we hear from new team members is that they are so excited they found other people their age who care about the same things they care about, who are always happy to see them, cheer them on, and even want to get together to hang out or go to a movie outside of practices and tournaments,” Stephanie said.

The coach added her daughter has been really good with helping her teammates. Elizabeth attributes this to empathizing with kids struggling with grades or not being super competitive.

“I had to work through a lot of problems with grades,” she said. “I didn’t like speech at first. I really thought it was elitist. I’ve gone on to love it and be a better student since.

“I feel like I’m a little more understanding on where younger kids are coming from.”

A LONG SEASON

Students participate in several events such as extemporaneous speaking, impromptu speaking, informative speaking, duo interpretation, dramatic interpretation, humorous interpretation, poetry interpretation, program oral interpretation, oratory, big questions debate, congressional debate, Lincoln-Douglas debate, policy and public forum debates.

The season runs from November to June, “with continuing work done in the summer until formal practices start in September,” Stephanie said.

“We’re always busy, always together, and we tackle some difficult, sometimes politically divisive subjects,” she said. “Making that not only doable but pleasant requires a team ethic reinforcing that this is a family — a home at the high school — and the expectations is that we will always be welcoming, supportive and respectful. ... Because we have a long competitive season, we become good friends not only with our own team members, but with teams across Wyoming, Colorado and Idaho, and eventually nationally. This extended speech and debate family provides additional encouragement and a sense of belonging at the state, regional, and national levels.”

A SUCCESSFUL TRIP TO WORLAND

The squad did well in Worland at the 2019 Worlando Beach Classic, which took place Feb. 15-16. RSHS won first place in 4A and took home the giant traveling head trophy, which is awarded to the school that scores the most points per team entry, according to the Joy of Tournaments.

Elizabeth won first place in original oratory, and junior Hanna Crockett and freshman Isabella Rodriguez were third in the public forum debate. Sophomore Lilly Jensen was second in program oral interpretation and third in humorous interpretation. In addition, seniors Ian Fletcher and Riley, junior Brody White and freshman Gwen Pritchard closed out for finals in policy debate.

A “close-out” happens when all finalists in an event are from a single team,” according to the head coach.

Assistant coach Tiffany Etcheverry said she hopes the team continues to make strides.

“Worland is a very good debate tournament to attend, so hopefully they will carry that momentum into state and districts and will continue to do great the rest of the season,” she said.

A WORK IN PROGRESS

RSHS speech and debate team members are now focused on what lies ahead: the state forensics tournament in Riverton on March 7-9, the Wind River regionals on March 14-16, and National Speech and Debate Association’s in Dallas in June if they get there.

Riley was on a laptop inside a RSHS classroom on Feb. 21 preparing for her next public forum debate, which has a new topic each month. The National Speech and Debate Association puts up topics for a nationwide vote.

The issue that was chosen looks at whether the United States should promote the development of market rate housing in urban neighborhoods.

“Everyone in public forum is debating this topic, which is cool,” she said.

“The biggest challenge of our very long season is always to peak at the end — to give our best performances at state and our national qualifying tournament, and then still have some fire left for nationals,” Stephanie said.

Elizabeth, Lilly and Adley Robbins have already qualified in dramatic interpretation, program oral interpretation, poetry interpretation and original oratory in another national event, the National Individual Event Tournament of Champions. The tournament will will take place May 10-12 in Omaha, Nebraska.

Lilly said it’s an amazing feeling to make it to the NIETOC and to have the love and support of the team.

“Between the three of them, they have 29 top-three finishes across three states in those events,” the head coach noted. “We are working with them to polish their performances even more and not take it for granted that they can still coast and still win.”

Elizabeth said she thinks she has a good shot.

“We believe this is a reachable goal, but they have to stay hungry and keep working hard,” Stephanie said.

MORE ON THE WAY?

More Cozzens could be future speech and debate team members.

The coach has three younger daughters, including Sophia and Hallie Cozzens, who are in seventh grade. She said they “look at our relationship and see the fun in it” and look forward to the same experience.

Elizabeth said she wants to continue with speech and debate in college, and she would help her sisters if they need it.

“I don’t think they’ll need me, but I’ll be there if they want my help,” she said.

Ten-year-old Scarlett Cozzens said she is not going to do it, but her mother said “with four older sisters I would kind of be surprised, but she can make her own choice.”

For more on the state and district speech and debate tournaments, go to www.joyoftournaments.com/wy/state and www.joyoftournaments.com/nfl/windriver.