Dear Team: If I seem a little down the next few days as we finalize our Nationals trip, I thought you should know my high school debate partner passed away at his apartment in Washington DC suddenly this week. He will be buried in LA on Friday. Obviously, I cannot attend the services and go to Wichita at the same time and my obligation is, of course, here. He was 54 years old and the National Director of Communications and Public Relations for Motorola for many years. Norm and I were pretty good together but were never close, close friends after high school. Debate partnerships are unique arrangements. Some debate relationships end poorly, others prosper for years to come. But in all cases, if you have a debate partner, you are creating life long memories that can never be replaced.
His life's journey is what debate can do for each of you...take you to a higher level than you might otherwise not be able to achieve because you are learning a skill set that so few adults ever master. Norm grew up in a smaller Iowa community and went on to become a top Corporate executive. Norm was brilliant as are most of you. That coupled with his ability to speak and his competitive skills learned in debate allowed him amazing opportunities in life.
I wish the same for each of you which, is why, I challenge each of you in the manner I do.
As I take the time late this afternoon to ponder Norm's life, I am realizing how Norm took the skills he learned in speech and debate and changed his small town rural life.
In addition to policy debate, Norm, like me, was an extemp kid. Coach Harry
