Speech and drama flourishes amid restrictions

Hampered by restrictions and quarantines, many sports teams and performative artists this year are left wondering if they'll have a chance to compete. For the Logger Speech and Drama team that kind of uncertainty is nothing new.

In her six years coaching the Libby squad, Kim Lee said it's been an uphill battle to recruit new members. At the beginning of some seasons, she might see as many as 12 students sign up. The number often drops as competitions wear on and the would-be performers realize how much commitment the sport requires.

It doesn’t help that the speech and drama season coincides with those of more popular spectator sports such as basketball and wrestling.

Junior Taryn Thompson has watched the number of upperclassmen on the roster dwindle since she joined the team three years ago.

“Kids just aren’t actors as they used to be anymore,” she said. “Coming from such a small town it’s hard to find kids that have that confidence.”

Sophomore Aurora Smith recalled how the group almost disbanded last year when membership dropped to four.

This year, membership has remained fluid as students, primarily those following a remote learning curricula, struggle with academic ineligibility. Nevertheless, the group’s numbers have risen to seven. Lee said she hopes it will continue to rise as she brings on more prospective performers.

Overall, she noted that the students on the team also seem to be more engaged this year. With officials having restricted other school activities, such as music, Lee said students might have more time to commit to speech and drama. Lee reported having little trouble motivating students to show up for practices.

While the Loggers had the numbers for another season, the virus nearly put an end to it before it began. After Montana High School Association officials canceled the all-state band, chorus and orchestra festival, Lee feared that speech and drama might be next.

To save the sport, judges and coaches from around the state brainstormed how they could conduct competitions virtually. By working with the National Speech and Debate Association, Lee said the Montana coalition developed a system that allows the dramatists and orators to deliver their speeches and performances via video conferencing software.

The shift online has not come without its headaches. Within any context, coordinating video conference calls can be difficult. Throwing in new procedures for conducting performances remotely added a whole other level of challenges.

“It’s been kind of brutal,” Lee said. “I feel like I’m flying by the seat of my pants but we’re going to give it a go.”

In years past, the Libby group would travel around the state and compete with schools in different divisions. Under the new system, the Loggers will remain homebound and will only perform online against other Class A schools. Lee said that, based on their events, students will be sequestered in different classrooms at the Libby Middle High School.

After logging into the Tabroom software used by the NSDA, students will have 10 minutes to deliver their speech or dramatic interpretation. For their first competition of the year, held on Dec. 4 and 5, the Libby contestants went through seven rounds of performances.

Despite the challenges of the new format, the Loggers were excited to have the chance to compete.

“While other sports teams might not have a season this year, we can have a season from our own homes,” Thompson said noting members could still perform from quarantine.

To prepare for their season, the Loggers had been practicing since the middle of November. Thompson said practices were delayed by nearly a month as the team was unsure if they would have a season.

In Loggers’ first meet of the year, Thompson placed fifth in the dramatic interpretation of literature category with a performance on suicide. Smith’s speech on the FBI handling of the Waco tragedy secured fifth place in informative speaking. Sophomore Jenna Hammond followed close behind, taking sixth place in the informative speaking category with a presentation on the foster care system. First year performer and senior Philip Schnackenberg took sixth place in the original oratory with a speech on chivalry in the modern era.

As expected, coordinating the remote event was challenging but Lee said the students adapted well.

“We had a lot to deal with but we pulled it off,” she said.

Over the next two months, the Loggers are set to participate in six more meets culminating with state championships at the end of January. Lee said she was feeling confident that the team could bring home some hardware if they continue practicing diligently.

As much as she enjoys winning trophies, though, Lee said the most rewarding part of coaching is watching her students develop skills they’ll be able to use for the rest of their lives. In her work as a counselor, Lee noted that the greatest fear for most adults isn’t death or heights: It’s public speaking.

“That’s why we keep plugging away,” said Lee.

For Smith, her experience on the team helped her get a job working with the school district over the summer. She also noted that scholarships often look favorably on applications with oratory experience.

“We’re not just doing it for the letter,” she said.