Roster and Accomplishments From The 1985-1986 Season
The 1985-1986 Webster Club was the last under the distinguished direction of Mr. James Copeland. The architect of Marquette’s unparalleled run during the 1970s and 80s, Copeland went out in style as he led the Webster Club to their record ninth National Forensic League National Championship.
The Marquette Debate Team carried on its tradition of winning this year by sweeping many local tournaments on the novice and JV level while placing high at the most important national tournaments. Captain Kevin Roe, with Chris Walsh and Kevin Krause, placed very high at many tournaments, including Emory University, St. Mark’s in Texas, the quarterfinals at the State Tourney, and the sweeping of districts. The JV and freshman teams won the tournament of Champions, and the Varsity team is on its way to another strong finish at Nationals.
The Marquette High Speech Team carried on the Webster Club tradition of success this year. The team, composed of students from all years, registered victories in many major tournaments, including excellent showings at Emory and Nationals. Led by the “Fab Four,” the team qualified many speakers for the national tournament in many events, including extemporaneous, oratory, and humorous interpretation.
—Flambeau, 1986
Roster of Students & Coaches
Coaches
- James Copeland - Director
- Adam Schwartz
Debate Team
- Daniel McBride
- Kevin Roe
- Mark Zinski
- Christopher Walsh
- Michael Sass
- Patrick Nolan
- John Bolger
- Kevin Kabacinski
- Mark Abdoo
- Kevin Gannon
- Kevin Krause
- Baltej Kochar
- Patrick Ninneman
- Christopher Brabham
- James Hegarty
- John Donnelly
- Joseph Tierney
- Michael Stanis
- John Pienkos
- Christopher Mehring
- Thomas Homberg
- David Vanness
Speech Team
- Dan Noel
- John Goelzer
- Jeff Towne
- Mike Miller
- Dan Schlidt
- Jay Marinan
- Preston Rudie
Team Accomplishments
- 1st Place - National Forensic League National Tournament
National Tournament Locations
National Forensic League:
Jenks High School, Tulsa, Oklahoma
National Catholic Forensic League:
Baltimore, Maryland
National Policy Debate Resolution
Resolved: That the federal government should establish a comprehensive national policy to protect the quality of water in the United States.
Photos
Click on the following photos to view a larger version. If you are able to provide a caption for any of the photos currently missing one or are able to correct a captioning error, please email Bill Batterman. Original, high-resolution scans of the photos are also available by contacting Bill.
Mr. Copeland wreaks his vengeance on another bored frosh.
Mr. James M. Copeland taught Speech, Debate/Logic, and Economics at Marquette High.
The Debate Team: (back row, left to right) McBride, Roe, Zinski, Walsh, Sass, Nolan, Bolger, Kabacinski, Abdoo, Gannon, Krause, (second row) Kochar, Ninneman, Brabham, Hegarty, Donnelly, (in front) Tierney, Stanis, Pienkos, Mehring, Homberg, a freshman, Vanness.
The Speech Team: (left to right) Dan Noel, John Goelzer, Jeff Towney, Coach Adam Schwartz, Mike Miller, Don Schlidt, Jay Marinan.
The Emory team hard at work.
The Fab Four show off for the camera.
Me? Memorize my speech? (John Goelzer)
Goofing off in the Webster Room.