Intercollegiate forensics is an extracurricular activity venerated in American higher education for producing influential thought leaders, public servants, and highly trained professionals. In spite of its sterling reputation, financial support for and student participation on intercollegiate forensics teams is in an alarming state of decline. The author argues that intercollegiate forensics coaches, in the face of enormous challenges which threaten the continued vitality of competitive speech and debate at institutions across the United States, must chart a strategic pathway forward for current and existing intercollegiate forensics teams. This book advocates for the application of empirically validated leadership frameworks to the nuances of leading speech and debate programs. The author explores the use of innovative pedagogical methods and coaching strategies rooted in modern perspectives of competitive access and inclusion to boost team participation from individuals and groups historically excluded from the activity. Through the recommendations laid out in this book, the author offers a framework for intercollegiate forensics coaches to use in navigating an uncertain future.
Barry J. Regan is professor at Purdue University Global.
Chapter 1: Introduction - An Activity at the Crossroads: The Precarious Future of Intercollegiate Forensics Chapter 2: Charting a New Pathway: Employing Intellectual Stimulation Methods to Explore Different Academic and Performative Norms in Intercollegiate Forensics Chapter 3: Avoiding the Axe: Using Transactional Leadership Behaviors to Navigate Budgetary and Administrative Challenges in Coaching Intercollegiate Forensics Chapter 4: Recruiting the Next Era of Champions: Applying Individualized Leadership Methods to Improve Student Recruitment in Intercollegiate Forensics Chapter 5: Inspiration over Insularity: Utilizing Inspirational Motivation Behaviors to Navigate a Fracturing Intercollegiate Forensics Circuit Chapter 6: Idealized Influence on the Future: Modeling the Right Behaviors to Empower the Next Generation of Forensics Competitors Chapter 7: Conclusion: Preserving the Past by Meeting Present and Future Challenges
"Leadership Practices in Speech and Debate Coaches is a long-needed resource for the intercollegiate forensics community. Few published resources exist to help guide directors as they take on the continuing challenges facing the forensic community. Regan helps fill the gap by providing an important guide for forensic students and directors centered in contemporary leadership theories." -- Daniel Cronn-Mills, Minnesota State University, Mankato, former president of the American Forensic Association
