Hall of Fame Award

The Wyoming Coaches Association presents this award to one coach a year, who may only receive this award once in his/her career. Thus, this is a "Hall of Fame" Award. Selection is made by nominations/votes of past recipients who are still active or have been within the past four years. (This doesn’t always mean that they are still a coach but that they are still involved, such as in judging at, traveling to tournaments, assisting in hosting tournaments, attending the fall conference, traveling and judging at NSDA nationals, etc.) Induction into the WHSFA Hall of Fame recognizes coaches and other individuals who have fundamentally enhanced high school speech and debate within the state of Wyoming, have demonstrated immense dedication to speech students and coaches and have had a substantial positive impact on the Wyoming Speech and Debate Community. The credibility of the award has its roots in the credibility and experience of the voting members, who, in having been recipients of this award, have been chosen in the past for having demonstrated these same characteristics in their careers.

Some of the criteria often considered (but not be so rigid or binding as to disallow flexibility):

-Contributions to the WHSFA as a whole (examples: serving as an officer, presenting at conferences, attendance at conferences, participation in state meetings, hosting fall conferences, fundraisers)

-Assistance to new coaches

-Assistance in tab rooms at various invitational meets and judging whenever needed

-Proposals to improve the workings of the speech activity (rules, etc.) Some past contributions have been “overhauling” Congress; development of judging guidelines, instructional sheets, and ballots; development of sheets for recording points, etc.

-Commitment to speech and debate, usually including at least five years of coaching experience

-Positive influence on the activity as a whole and on fellow coaches

-Contributions to continuation and growth of own program and programs of others

-NSDA (NFL) district contributions (serving as chair or members of committees, assisting with running District meets, nationals attendance/ involvement, publication of Rostrum articles)

2023 Hall of Fame Coach

Lyle Wiley (Hot Springs County High School)

2022 Hall of Fame Coach

Annette Thornton (Riverton High School)

2021 Hall of Fame Coach

Marcus Viney (Cheyenne East High School)

2020 Hall of Fame Coach

Ashley Schulz (Cheyenne East High School)

2019 Hall of Fame Coach

Corina White (Green River High School)

2018 Hall of Fame Coach

Norma Langston (Niobrara County/Lusk)

2017 Hall of Fame Coach

Londe Gagnon (Jackson)

Previous Award Winners

(Unfortunately, missing several recipients prior to 1999)

Jim Riley

Kitty Peck (Riverton)

Michael Starks (Newcastle/Cheyenne East)

John Durkee (Laramie)

Ted Menke (Greybull/ Powell)

1992- Peggy Gagnon (Jackson)

Jack Patrick   (Saratoga)

1993- Michael Cummings (Star Valley) - possibly

1999- Pamela Spitzer (Cody)

2000- Sandy Patrick (Cheyenne East)

2001- Teri Robinson (Green River)

2002- Brian Knox (Natrona County/Casper or Newcastle)

2003- Walter Farwell (Buffalo)

2004- Kevin Tonkovich (Worland)

2005- Alice King (Gillette)

2006- Patricia Smith (Laramie)

2007- Mark Houser (Jackson)

2008- Joel Schell (Douglas)

2009- Katherine Patrick (Torrington)

2010- Jay Whitney (Newcastle)

2011- Emily Farwell (Buffalo)

2012- Zane Fross (Shoshoni/CWC)

2013- Ron Phillips (Thermopolis)

2014- Matt Prevedel (Cheyenne East/Green River)

2015- Mary Hoard (Natrona County/Casper)

2016- Dan Parson (Green River)