Bigfork shows out to host speech and debate tourney
Shirley Stine Bigfork High School | Bigfork Eagle | UPDATED 2 days, 6 hours AGO
Jacob Baldi and Brody Henion happy about receiving awards at the Bigfork speech and debate tounament.
Teammates Olivia Close and Body Henion ready to compete in the speech and debate tournament.
Bigfork speech and debate teammates Olivia Close, Madeline Pomeroy, and Triston Feller.
Bigfork's speech and debate team waiting for the awards ceremony to start.
Bigfork speech and debate coaches (Stine and Close) also double as award presenters at the tournament.
Brody Henion receives a top award for his efforts in the speech and debate tournament at Bigfork H.S.
Triston Feller (center) waiting for his award at the speech and debate tournament.
Madeline Pomeroy and Cy Devlin receiving their awards at Bigfork's speech and debate tournament.
Teammates Olivia Close, Jacob Baldi receiving awards at the speech and debate tournament.
Madeling Pomeroy (left) happy to have received an award at the speech and debate tournament.
Bigfork's Rylee Wood happy to receive a top award at the speech and debate tournament.
Bigfork's speech and debate team (flanked by coaches Stine and Close) displaying their awards at the tournament.
For the first time in over half a decade, the halls of Bigfork High School echoed with the rapid-fire delivery of policy debaters and the dramatic monologues of thespians.
But while the students were the stars of the show, the real story of the weekend took place behind the clipboards.
After a hiatus of more than five years, the Bigfork Speech, Drama and Debate Team hosted a home tournament last weekend. Head Coach and Tournament Director Shirley Stine and Assistant Coach Richalle Close approached the event with the typical trepidation that comes with restarting a massive logistical engine: Would everything run on time? Would the technology work? And, most critically, would they find enough judges?
The answer to the final question was a resounding, overwhelming "yes."
In a world where high school tournaments often face frantic, last-minute scrambles to pull volunteers from the hallways to judge rounds, Bigfork faced a rare and enviable dilemma: they had too many judges.
When the call went out that Bigfork was finally bringing the tournament home, the community responded in force. Parents, alumni, business owners, and retirees flooded the sign-up sheets.
"It was an embarrassment of riches," said Stine. "Usually, you are begging people to take one more ballot. This weekend, we actually had to tell willing volunteers that we didn't have a round for them to judge. It is the best 'problem' a host school could ever ask for."
The surplus of volunteers meant that the tournament ran with exceptional efficiency.
The five-year drought of home tournaments had left a gap in the team's spirit, but you wouldn’t have known it by the atmosphere on Saturday. The hospitality room was fully stocked, and food was ready for judges and coaches prepared by Tamara Douglas-Hand and organized by Activities Director Matt Porrovecchio. Ceci Perleberg organized a group of volunteers to bring in 10 crockpots of soup that welcomed the district’s competitors back to the bay.
For the visiting teams, the smooth operation was a relief. For the Bigfork students, it was a massive morale boost. Competing on home turf is an advantage, but competing in front of a community that shows up en masse to support you provides a different level of confidence.
By the time the final awards were handed out, the consensus was clear: the tournament was a resounding success. The event proved that Bigfork is not only ready to be back in the hosting rotation but that it possesses a "secret weapon" that other schools might envy — a community that doesn't just send their kids to school, but shows up to ensure they have the stage they deserve.
As the buses pulled away and the high school quieted down, the overwhelming sentiment was gratitude. The Bigfork Speech and Debate team may have been the ones holding some of the trophies, but the community earned the win.
Bigfork Results
Dramatic Interpretation : Rylee Wood - 1st Place
Original Oratory: Madeline Pomeroy - 3rd Place
Duo Interpretation: Olivia Close & Jake Baldi - 4th place. Cy Devlin and Madeline Pomeroy - 7th place
Extemporaneous - Triston Feller - 8th place
Humorous Interpretation - Brody Henion - 1st Place. Jake Baldi - 2nd place
Informative Speaking - Olivia Close. 4th Place
Teammates Olivia Close and Body Henion ready to compete in the speech and debate tournament.
Bigfork speech and debate teammates Olivia Close, Madeline Pomeroy, and Triston Feller.
Bigfork's speech and debate team waiting for the awards ceremony to start.
Bigfork speech and debate coaches (Stine and Close) also double as award presenters at the tournament.
Brody Henion receives a top award for his efforts in the speech and debate tournament at Bigfork H.S.
Triston Feller (center) waiting for his award at the speech and debate tournament.
Madeline Pomeroy and Cy Devlin receiving their awards at Bigfork's speech and debate tournament.
Teammates Olivia Close, Jacob Baldi receiving awards at the speech and debate tournament.
Madeling Pomeroy (left) happy to have received an award at the speech and debate tournament.
Bigfork's Rylee Wood happy to receive a top award at the speech and debate tournament.
Bigfork's speech and debate team (flanked by coaches Stine and Close) displaying their awards at the tournament.