Coach, Happy (Almost) Fall!
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Have you had your first team meeting yet? Maybe you've already attended a tournament or two! May autumn bring you plenty of volunteer judges, abundant administrative support, and scores of students who are excited for the speech and debate season!
This is our first District Leader Digest of the year; instead of being full of requests and deadlines (those will be shared via the District Leader Checklist), this monthly email will feature information, resources, and celebrations with the intention of supporting the work you do as leaders. BUT…
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Listen & Lead is Tonight!
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Join us for our first Listen & Lead tonight, September 17th, where district leaders connect, collaborate, and get the inside scoop from NSDA staff. Bring your ideas, questions, and curiosity! Registration is required in advance.
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Don't Forget - Dates and Deadlines!
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On September 4th, district leaders received the 2025-2026 District Key Dates and Deadlines.
Additionally, at the beginning of each month, all district leaders will receive an email with the current month’s deadlines and to-dos. This list will help you to be prepared and well informed from the start! In addition to being linked in the email, the list is downloadable and bookmarkable. Some of the items on the checklist are for chairs to do, but there are also items for all District Committee members.
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Appoint a Sixth Member to Your District Committee
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If you haven’t already, each NSDA District Committee is asked to appoint a sixth member to advance representation in any underrepresented areas. Check out the Appointment Request Form for more information.
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Practical Professional Development
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Please visit the District Leader Toolkit web page! Whether you are a new or returning leader, this should be your page for all things NSDA and districts. You’ll find each month’s District Leader Checklist, reminders about upcoming deadlines, and an ever-growing collection of forms, resources, and guides specifically for district leadership.
There are so many new district leaders this term! If you are new (or need a refresher), we encourage you to take our NSDA District Leader Onboarding course. This course is designed to help district leaders assess, sustain, and improve their NSDA district. Seasoned and new leaders alike will benefit from this course as it strives to incorporate best practices and strategies that will help each NSDA district thrive regardless of its demographics. If you're a new chair, you may want to pay extra attention to the section of the course on District Finances so that your district is in good legal and financial standing.
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Meet the Team: Q&A with Jenn Borman, Competition and Events Coordinator
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Please introduce yourself!
I am a two-diamond coach who served as a district leader in Idaho as well as a board member for the Idaho Speech Arts Teachers Association for over a decade. I enjoy quiet crafting activities like cross stitching and laying on a warm beach but spend most of my time chasing my two and four year old boys around trying to control the chaos. Catch me eating gelato whenever and wherever possible.
How does your role support district leaders?
I will be assisting Kara in supporting the district tournament series as well as helping with communications with district leaders. I look forward to getting to know each district leadership team!
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What are you excited about for your first year on staff?
After leaving teaching for a short stint in the private sector and working tournaments on weekends, I am excited to be back working in speech and debate full time! I have always loved the Speech Arts and tournaments in particular, so I am most excited to attend my second working National Tournament in 2026 after getting to experience the behind the scenes of our centennial this past summer.
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District Committee members have shared that they are interested in learning how other districts operate. From recruiting and judge training to coach retention and district tournament schedules, we want to highlight the smart strategies your committees have implemented so others may learn from your wisdom and experience!
This month as the school year is starting we wanted to spotlight an idea from Vicky Hyde, chair of the Inland Empire (WA) district, who hosts a mini camp for coaches and students before the season starts.
"Speech and De-Boot was conceived during the Louisville Nationals. We offer three breakout sessions so students can learn about various forms of speeches and debates. We also do some whole group sessions, which will include an intro to World Schools Debate this year. Lunchtime includes a competition attire fashion show, and last year we added a competition clothing swap. Thanks to generous donations, this year’s swap will be even bigger. Schools also compete in improv games, making it a fun way for students to connect with peers from other schools before the season begins. We usually have a couple of new coaches attend as well, and we help them get set up on tabroom.com and oriented for the season. Now in its fourth year, Speech and De-Boot will welcome schools from as far away as Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, as well as students from two local high schools who have just formed debate clubs."
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As a bit of a throwback, we’d like to once again celebrate all of the district chairs who earned a Bronze, Silver, or Gold Award this year. This annual award recognizes the longevity and success of district chairs. Each year that a district chair completes earns them between 1 and 8 units (depending on the combined strength of their district). When a chair earns four units, they earn the bronze award, six units earn the silver award, and eight earns the gold award. We are so thankful that these leaders shared their time and expertise.
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