This winter, physics teacher Mr. David Long received the prestigious Triple Diamond Award from the National Speech and Debate Association. This is Mr. Long’s 25th year of coaching the speech and debate team at Southern Lehigh High School.

“I was quite happy and proud of myself,” Mr. Long said. “When I competed in high school, my coach had only got the Double Ruby Award, and it’s cool to see that I have gone farther than my predecessor.”

When members of the team compete, they earn points depending where they place. Coaches get ten percent of what the team earns. The First Diamond award is 1,500 points, the second is 3,000, and the third is 6,000. Mr. Long has coached 60,000 points.

“Through his coaching of the team, you can really see how dedicated he is to helping us achieve and work to our fullest potential,” junior Melissa Stough said. “He really believes in the club and all it stands for, showing that he truly enjoys speech and debate and cares about the people on the team.”

Mr. Long has been interested in speech and debate since he competed on his high school’s team at J.P. McCaskey High School in Lancaster. He also spent time coaching another high school before coming to Southern Lehigh.

“The year before I started here, I was at Lower Merion where they also had a team,” he said. “And then in my interview with the superintendent here at the time, she actually mentioned the team, which helped me get back into it.”

Although coaching the speech and debate team can be very time consuming, Mr. Long is dedicated to the team and grateful that the school is supportive.

“What really makes it enjoyable is seeing [young] people learn how to communicate and express themselves well,” Mr. Long said. “We have dramatic performances, which is also an expression because you have to understand what the character is trying to get across. Another thing is watching students find their voice where they say here is my idea and here is how I want to express it.”

In addition to the 35 members already on the team, Mr. Long looks forward to continuing to coach the team and hopes more students will join and follow their passion as he does.

“Public speaking was never something I enjoyed, and without a coach like Mr. Long, I don’t know that I would ever have become fully comfortable with it,” senior Sarah Mackin said. “Also, aside from competing, I really enjoy the discussions we have with him at practice or on rides to tournaments about absolutely everything.”

“I don’t think any other coach could make speech and debate as enjoyable as Mr. Long does,” senior Brian Smith said. “He’s very supportive and ridiculously hard working, and that effort has a positive impact on everyone who joins the team.”