Teurlings speech and debate coach awarded national honor

Teurlings Catholic High School speech and debate coach Craig Wall received one of the highest honors from the National Speech and Debate Association for the second time, the organization announced.

The Diamond Coach Award is given to recognize a professional career combining excellence and longevity in speech and debate education.

“An outstanding speech and debate coach, an inspirational teacher and a man of integrity, TCHS Teacher of the Year… these are just a few of the accolades that describe Craig Wall," said Josette Surratt, the TCHS religious administrator, former speech coach and a 2022 Hall of Fame inductee for the National Forensic League. "We are so fortunate to have him lead our students to excellence in the classroom and on the speech circuit.”

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To earn a Diamond Award, a coach must be a member of the National Speech and Debate Association for at least five years. They must also attain at least 15,000 points to get their first Diamond Award. Points are earned through team participation, student achievement, public service and leadership. A second award is given at 30,000 points, and the third is given at 60,000 points. Five years must pass between each award.

All the Diamond Award winners will be recognized at the National Speech and Debate Tournament, the world's largest academic competition, in Phoenix, Arizona, in June 2023. More than 10,000 people attend the tournament each year.

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This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: Teurlings speech and debate coach awarded national honor