OCC Debaters Talk Their Way Into U.S. Title

Orange Coast College’s speech and debate team won its second straight national championship Saturday after a weeklong competition among 72 community colleges.

It was the fifth national community college title for the debate team since 1979. Three weeks ago, the team won its fourth California championship in five years.

“We had a little champagne last night, and we’ll have some more at the airport before we leave,” coach Peg Taylor said, speaking by phone from Kansas City, Mo., the site of the National Community College Speech and Debate Tournament.

“They won it with hard work,” Taylor said. “Every Saturday they’re not in a tournament they’re at school practicing. It’s a joke among other schools, but it pays off.”

The 14-member team, ranging in age from 18 to 45, competed in 16 different events in an Olympic games format. Gold medals were presented to the top 5% of competitors in each event.

The Orange Coast College team finished with 18 gold, six silver and 10 bronze medals to run away with the overall championship.

Team member Brendan Hayne of Newport Beach was runner-up for top speaker of the tournament. He won three gold medals in readers theater, dramatic interpretation and speech to entertain, plus a bronze medal in prose interpretation.

Taylor, a member of the college’s speech faculty, said the pressure of the week’s tournament was as intense as any athletic contest. “They’ve competed in 21 rounds this week. It’s the same emotion. Ask any performer--ask Magic Johnson--about the adrenaline rush. It’s the same thing here.”

She said the team dedicated its season to the pro-democracy students who demonstrated in Beijing’s Tian An Men Square last spring. The team wore sweat shirts printed with “Freedom of Speech” and the Chinese flag.

Other OCC medal winners were:

Rod Attebery, Irvine--silver in oral interpretation.

Christina Bagdonas, Costa Mesa--gold in readers theater and impromptu speaking, silver in poetry recitation, bronze in speech to entertain.

Bonnie Beauchemin, Costa Mesa--gold in readers theater, bronze in speech to entertain.

Chris DeSurra, Costa Mesa--gold in readers theater and oral interpretation, bronze in duo interpretation.

Stacey Hudgens, Anaheim Hills--gold in team debate and impromptu speaking, silver in extemporaneous speaking.

Kersena London, Tustin--gold in readers theater, silver in prose interpretation.

Catherine Martinez, Irvine--gold in team debate, bronze in informative speaking and Lincoln-Douglas (one-on-one) debate.

Ronny Rubens, Corona--gold in reader’s theater, prose interpretation and oral interpretation, bronze in duo interpretation.

Suzie Ross, Westminster--silver in informative speaking, bronze in impromptu speaking.

Tiffany Stewart, Tustin--gold in readers theater and informative speaking, bronze in communication analysis.

Candy VanCina, Costa Mesa--gold in Lincoln-Douglas debate, silver in persuasion, bronze in informative speaking.

Kevin Dawes of Huntington Beach and Jennifer Sawyer of Long Beach competed but won no medals.

Other team coaches are OCC faculty members Norm Fricker, Cat Carroll, Georgie Monahan, Mike Leigh and volunteer Alice Luchau.