Naylor reaches advanced level

By Abby Cunningham

December 14, 2004

Professional basketball players are part of the NBA, professional baseball players are affiliated with MLB, and high school debate members belong to the NFL? Yep. In fact, the National Forensics League recently honored high school debate coach Gail Naylor for earning her fourth diamond key as a coach.

The NFL is a system in which members, made up of debate and forensics students and their coaches, earn points based on how well they perform in their respective events. These points represent different levels of degrees.

According to a recent press release published by the NFL, as of Nov. 21, Naylor had accumulated a total of 10,000 points, securing her fourth diamond. Because she is the coach, Naylor only receives 1/10th of her students' points. She has attained over 100,000 points overall from coaching debate and forensics.

She said even though it is her name that is being recognized, it is really the students who deserve the distinction.

"It's really more a testament to how students in a small school have worked to better themselves, made some personal goals and met them," Naylor said.

Senior Kasey Clark, who has been a member of the forensics squad for the past four years, said that Naylor's regimen of instructing students is what has helped her earn her fourth diamond.

"Mrs. Naylor has given strict discipline to her students and given them the drive to succeed," he said.

For her achievement, Naylor will be recognized at the NFL National Tournament which will be held in Phildelphia in June 2005.