COSTA MESA : Orange Coast Speech Team in Tournament

Orange Coast College’s speech team will compete in the National Community College Speech and Debate Tournament, taking place Sunday through Saturday in San Francisco.

The team, which finished second in the recent state tournament, will vie against more than 500 other student speakers from 80 community colleges across the nation, said Jim Carnett, director of community relations for the college.

Coach Norm Fricker said the team’s goal this year is to finish in the top three.

“That will be a tall order, but we can do it if we take care of business,” he said.

Orange Coast teams have won the national title five times since 1979.

The teams have also recorded six second-place finishes, three thirds and a fourth.

Last year’s team came in 12th.

This year’s 14 members will participate in 16 areas of competition.