Last week, speech and debate teacher Scott Odekirk was named Coach of the Year by the California Coast District of the National Speech & Debate Association. Odekirk was recognized for his students’ run at the 2019 NSDA National Tournament, in which Haris Hosseini ‘19 and senior Avi Gulati took first and second place, respectively, in original oratory.

“Closing out the top two spots in original oratory stands out as an achievement that was unparalleled by any other,” said Heath Martin, a member of the California Coast District Committee and director of speech and debate at Presentation High School. Odekirk’s hard work in serving local competitions, which included streamlining the process of running tournaments, was also a factor. “His was a unanimous selection by the committee this year,” said Martin. “We are very proud to have him as our Coach of the Year. It’s a decision we know we got right.”