St. Michael-Albertville Speech Makes History at NFL Districts

Cody Goodchild is going to have company at the national tournament this June after Jed Rothstein qualified Saturday in Grand Rapids at the Northern Lights National Forensic League district qualifier.

Adding to the celebratory mood was the first-time win of the district traveling high-point award trophy for after 10 years as a chapter. Isaac Heieie’s strong finish in the semifinals of drama would top off a great weekend in Minnesota’s northland for the speech team.

 "This was one of our best NFL tournaments ever," said head coach Mike Frickstad."Everyone may not have advanced to the semis or finals, but they held their own in rounds."

For Jed Rothstein, his goal was clear: return to the national tournament. After finishing as an alternate in congressional debate in December he knew he would have to run the rapids of five preliminary rounds, a semi-final, and ultimately the finals of international extemporaneous speaking to go to Indianapolis. In his event speakers answer a question about world affairs and politics and give a seven minute speech on the topic with no notes after a 30 minute prep time.

“I was the only returning finalist in my category from last year, so there was a lot of pressure,” he said.

Rothstein and Goodchild become the first two-time national qualifiers from STMA. The two competed last year in Texas.

Senior Isaac Heieie joined a very short list of STMA speech students that have advanced to the semi-finals on Friday evening at the district tournament.  Dramatic interpretation was the largest category so making the top twelve was no small feat. For Heieie, advancing past the prelim rounds was a goal achieved in his fourth district tournament and his fifth year in speech.

“It is weird to think that it’s over after four years," he said. "I really wanted to break into semifinals this year, so it’s a great way to go out as a senior.”

A special moment came during awards Saturday afternoon when Northern Lights NFL chairman Stewart Wilson, head speech coach at Walker-Hackensack-Akeley, announced STMA had won the large traveling trophy. With a standing ovation from the other 22 schools booming in the packed theatre, head coach and district committee member Mike Frickstad accepted the award on behalf of the team and had seniors Isaac Heieie and Mike Papas carry it from the stage.  STMA won the award after a decade as an NFL chapter. Teams earn points for the trophy by competing in district speech and debate tournaments.

 “It’s surreal,” said Frickstad, a wide smile beaming on his face as he gazed on the impressive trophy. “This is a credit to 10 years of STMA speech and the current and former students that have been a part of this team. All of you helped earn this trophy.”

Assistant coach Ron Miller was a student on the STMA speech team in the first year of NFL in 2001.

“Frickstad recruited me to join speech, and at first I was not sure what I was getting myself into. There were about 12 people on the team.  Pretty quick I met a lot of new friends and knew I wanted to do more and more with speech. It was fun and set me on my course in life.” 

Miller was also along for the ride for the second-ever NFL trip, a journey to Fosston in the fall of 2002 for student congress. “Frickstad drove the bus and we had a great time. It was the first congress for everyone, so we mostly winged it and would up doing well.”  Later Miller would go on to be the school’s first national qualifier in congress in 2004. “I would never have imagined back then I would be in Grand Rapids, where I competed in district tournaments, now as a coach and holding the traveling trophy. It’s an incredible feeling.”

The three-day district speech contest was a long but fun tournament for the 29 students and coaches, including new speech team member Megan Noetzel. Noetzel was in the tough drama category in her first year at NFLs. “I got to meet a lot of new people from schools all over the state. It really was a big learning experience.”

Buffalo and St. Michael-Albertville competed separately at NFLs due to separate school chapters in the National Forensic League.  However the rest of the St. Buffaville combined squad that did not go to NFLs traveled to Becker and held their own. Kelly Larkin finished sixth in humorous; placing seventh was Erika Duley in oratory and Conrad Weinzetl in Great Speeches; eight place honors went to Sarah Kulzer in oratory and the duo of John Goener and Eric Crocker earned an honorable mention.

The 2012 National Forensic League National Tournament will be held in Indianapolis, Indiana June 10 to 15.  St. Buffaville speech will be back together in action Saturday March 17 at Detroit Lakes.