First Trip as Coach Kip

(Note: Bethel is a city 18 miles away from Atmautluak. It is a treat to get out of the village for a day or two. Some students' villages are over 100 miles. It is an awesome treat for them to go to Bethel.)

This year I volunteered to coach the school speech teams. The whole junior high speech “team” (consisting of one student) and I recently returned from a district competition in Bethel. It was my first time as Coach Kip, but the student’s third year competing.
The trip went really well. It helps when the student you are responsible for is himself a responsible, respectable young man. Some people (yes, even teenagers) are trustworthy.
During the coach’s meeting at the LKSD district office my “team” hung around and visited with friends from other villages in the lobby. We then located a quiet place for him to practice his speech for there was a lot of competition.
Roughly 150 students from 18 or so villages were entered in the various English and Yupik speech categories (Humorous, Expository, Dramatic, etc), all vying for first place in their group. The competition consisted of four rounds spread over a couple of days. During the first three rounds the students performed their speeches in front of two judges behind closed doors.
The judges used a rubric to score the students and only the ones who scored in the top third in each category moved on to the third round. Then the field is narrowed down to only a few. They proceed to the final forth round where they perform their speeches one more time in front of judges AND an audience of students and coaches. This round determines who places first, second, etc.
My “whole” team had made it to the third round and he was happy. He told me that it was the furthest he had gotten in any of the competitions he had entered. He may not have made the final round, but his attitude sure earned him first place in my book. From the beginning, he didn’t wish ill will on anyone – only the best.
A couple hours after the final round there was an awards ceremony complete with a pizza dinner. It was followed by a dance at Bethel Regional High School – a dance so different than I remember when I was their age.
I recall that the males were on one side of the room and the females on the other. The dance floor separated the two genders. The males spent their time trying to get the nerve to go ask a female to dance while the females would gently sway to the music wishing for an invite to dance. Eventually, most would find himself or herself on the dance floor with a partner. However, there were some people by the end of the night that didn’t dance at all. They went to the dance, stood around, and then went home. Believe me, I know.
Of course the coaches and other adults chaperoned and monitored the entrances to ensure a safe environment for the event. That wasn’t any different, but the dance was. People congregated on the benches and couches socializing while others danced – with whomever or went to the dance floor alone and had at it. If they wanted to dance they simply would. If they chose to socialize, that was fine too. It didn’t matter. I was in awe and somewhat envious of their carefree attitude. They attended the dance to have fun and by golly they did.
In mid November I, as coach and the male chaperone, along with a female chaperone will escort the high school speech team to Bethel for their competition. The only difference with this trip is the team is coed, but I’m not worried. The team members have shown me through their actions that they respect each other and authority, rules, and policy.
I’m looking forward to accompanying the high school team of young men and women from Joann Alexie Memorial School in Atmautluak to Bethel for their speech competition. It should go just as smoothly.