Couple Finds Debate to Be a Wonderful Hobby

From left, Stewart Cook, Sandra Cook and Kim Chapman listen to award presentations after a debate competition. The Cooks have been coaching and judging speech and debate teams for 15 years.

From http://www.greenvilleonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081008/TRIBUNETIMES01/810080331/1069/YOURUPSTATE01

October 8, 2008

No debate: Cooks love their hobby

Couple coaches, judges speech, debate teams

By Odell Suttle
GUEST COLUMNIST

Stewart and Sandra Cook have been working as a team for 15 years. Not on a job, but on a hobby they love.

The Cooks coach and judge speech and debate teams at local high schools. They first worked at Hillcrest High until Sandra, who was a teacher at the school, retired. Since then they have coached at Mauldin, Greer, Greenville, Southside and now at Riverside High.

Stewart is a pharmacist and still works in Mauldin, although the couple lives near Fountain Inn. Just as they have done for 15 years, the couple devotes many hours to working in speech and debate.

The family got involved when their son, Gregg, who is now the speech and debate coach at Riverside, was a member of the first team at Hillcrest. The team was small and would meet at the home of the Cooks to practice.

Stewart said it was a bonding experience for the team members.

Sandra would help the coach in any way she could. When Stewart didn't want to coach any longer, then-Principal Leroy Hamilton asked Sandra to be the coach. She accepted after Stewart agreed to help.

"They have actual debates between two individuals," Stewart said. "Some of the things you can teach as a group. One coach just does not have the time to sit and teach each individual and make them good and competitive. That is why we got involved. We learned as we went -- what worked, what didn't, how to go about it -- and learned together."

In the debate portion of the competition, team members are given an issue, such as debating which political candidate would be best for the position they are seeking. It is one-on-one debating a particular issue, the Cooks said. They are told two months in advance what the topics will be, and then they research to prepare.

"It teaches them to write, because they write their own speech," Sandra said. "They write something about them individually. Speech and debate can help them overcome shyness."

The beauty of speech and debate, according to Stewart, is the students can find something they can do. For example, if they do not have great acting skills, they can do the research and contribute in that area.

There is a great cross-reference of students in speech and debate. Jamon Meredith, a former football standout for Hillcrest and now an offensive tackle for the University of South Carolina, was on the team at Hillcrest.

"When I was the coach at Hillcrest, I would scout the cafeteria for some kids, round them up and bring them out here to our place," Sandra said.

"I would tell my husband and son that the kid would be great. Sometimes it was hard for the kid to get it, but they would. They would say their line or word over again and again and again. I have seen Stewart work with a kid for three hours. We have had some of the brightest kids you have seen and some from special education. We have had them in wheelchairs."

Many of the students the Cooks had when they first started are now 30 years old and still come by to see them. A great number of that first group are now coaches and judges, and that is especially rewarding to the couple.

Although they have worked as coaches and judges for 15 years, they are not about to give it up any time soon.

"This is our hobby. For us, this is what golf is for other people," Sandra said.