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| The Valley City High School Speech Team has been on a roll this year, bringing home award after award, even a national award. Three students are in the top 1 percent of the nation. Coaches and students say “it is a team effort.” In back row, l-r, are Leah Haak, Michael Bruns, Sean Volk, Joel Gortmaker, Kyle Vareberg and Furkan Kucukoglu. Next row down, l-r, are John Stautz, Shana Emery, Brittney Schuchard, Jesse Martin, Allison Shea and Joey Ostgarden. Next row down, l-r, Coach Katherine McRoberts, Sholauna Peterson, James Martin, Aeurauna Houle, Brea Grueneich, Per Johnson, Connor Wright, Brandi Jewett, Eden Drevecky, Traci Burke, Megan Lonski and Assistant Coach Dan McRoberts. In front row, l-r, are Amanda Patrick, Kevin Helland, Steven Thomas, Amy Svenningsen, Christine Gilbertson and Sara Enger. Not pictured: Allison Denault, Abram Jackson, Rachel Levy, Siri Johnson, Danny Ryan, Sean Ryan, Chris Krapu and Briane Earles. (photo submitted)
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The Valley City High School Speech Team has been on a roll all season long, capturing first overall in every invitational tournament until this past weekend when they came in second overall.
The 37-member team placed second overall at the Grand Forks Central Invitational Saturday, March 4, behind West Fargo.
It has been a long season for the speech team, starting on Dec. 19 when they took the championship title at Central Cass High School.
They also came home with first place awards at invitational tournaments at Valley City State University, and these high schools: Fargo South, Central Cass, Jamestown, Shanley, West Fargo, Grand Forks and Valley City.
In addition to all the above, the VCHS Speech Team also took a national award this year (only 108 schools out of 22,000) in the National forensic League. VCHS Speech Coach Katherine McRoberts said she has three students in the top 1 percent of the nation.
Coached by Katherine McRoberts and her husband, Dan, as her assistant, this group just continues to excel.
“Their greatest strength is team unity,” says their coach, who was honored last year as Coach of the Year.
She said being recognized for the award was a humbling experience. “It’s quite an honor when your peers select you,” she said. This is her fifth year of coaching the Valley City team. She also taught speech at Valley City State University for six years before coming to VCHS.
She took over the team after Sherry Langdahl gave it up. Langdahl led the Valley City team to many state championships. When McRoberts took over the team, there were only 15 in speech. She basically had to start rebuilding.
The kids who are excelling this year, were just eighth-graders when McRoberts took over. “They have improved so much since then,” she said.
Last year, there were 30 or 32 in speech and this year, 37.
McRoberts also mentioned the kids’ attitude toward each other. They believe the best person should get the recognition. “They are all champions,” she said. “It’s a tough situation to be in, and the judges have to take it in stride.”
McRoberts said speech is a personal activity, and “the pressure is on you.”
People often say how happy they are to have the Valley City kids at the meets. “They are so enthusiastic at awards, and they give recognition to the first place winner,” McRoberts said.
Although McRoberts won’t take credit for the Valley City team’s success, several team members quickly came forth.
Allison Denault, a senior who is in her third year of speech, said their coach has a lot of dedication. “She’s always available ... from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. We appreciate all the work she does for us.” She added that both the McRoberts, Katherine and her husband, Dan, are good coaches.
Denault said being in speech has a lot of advantages. “It helps you speak in front of other people ... now and later in life. And, we meet a lot of people, such as kids from other schools.”
Six-year speech veteran, Jesse Martin, who is a senior, agreed with Denault. He added the team has strong team unity with members who support each other.
Senior Megan Lonski is also in her sixth year in speech who has excelled over the years. She said the team has strength all across the board with two good coaches.
McRoberts said the answer to their success is that it really is a group effort. They have exceptional students in all categories. If someone is missing, someone else moves in.
There are 14 categories in speech. Her students choose two categories they think they can excel in, and then later they can move into other categories where they may do better. They can each be in three events.
“It’s by trial and error. They try different categories until they find what they are really good at,” McRoberts explained.
She admitted it really is a long season, even more so than any regular sport. They start in December and it runs through April. Although they are winding down now, there are still the regionals, state, and National Forensics. In addition to coaching speech, McRoberts also teaches 10th grade world history and eighth grade social studies.
McRoberts said there is so much support from the parents, administrators, news media and the community.
McRoberts, who has successfully coached her own children in speech, two sons and a daughter, said the McRobert’s clan is a “speech family.” They all pitch in and help to make the speech team successful.
Many other schools they compete against are much bigger, with more coaches. Also, Valley City doesn’t offer communication classes, which larger schools can, and this is an advantage to those students. But, the Valley City speech students have come out on top any way with just sheer skill.
She added that not only is this a “very successful team,” but it is the life skills they take with them that are important.
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