Veteran Whitefish speech coach steps down

The Northwest Class A Division lost a second longtime speech and debate coach recently when Pat McLaughlin submitted her resignation.

McLaughlin has coached speech and debate for 17 years. She has been the head coach at Whitefish High School since 2006.

Her resignation comes on the heels of Michael Christensen’s decision to step down as head coach of the Columbia Falls speech and debate program after 26 years of coaching.

McLaughlin cited several reasons for her decision to stop coaching. She and her husband are busy as “urban archaeologists” cleaning at the home of McLaughlin’s mother, who died in February.

McLaughlin also said recruiting team members had been difficult for her since she is not a staff member at the high school.

“I really believe that a staff person needs to be directly connected via the classroom to potential speech/debate team members,” she wrote in a resignation letter addressed to Superintendent Jerry House.

McLaughlin said she hoped the district would find someone enthusiastic to replace her.

“Believe it or not, WHS needs someone who is younger, believes in the value of speech and debate, and has the vigor to take on all of the required head coach responsibilities,” she said in her resignation letter. “I always believed in coaching until I knew I didn’t have the impact and energy, and that time is now.”

McLaughlin began her coaching career at Glasgow High School in 1976. She coached there three years, then moved to Whitefish, where she helped start the high school’s speech and debate program in 1979. Her position was cut in 1981.

In 1984, McLaughlin began commuting to Polson, where she was an assistant speech and debate coach. She took over as head coach in 1988 and resigned from coaching in 1992.

Her resignation from speech and debate lasted until 2006, when McLaughlin took over as head coach at Whitefish High.

During her years in speech and debate, McLaughlin twice was named the Class A Coach of the Year. The first award was in 1991 while she was still at Polson High. She was named top coach again in 2009.

During her most recent stint as Whitefish’s head coach, McLaughlin’s team never finished lower than third place at the state tournament. The team came in third in 2007, 2008 and this year; in 2009, Whitefish finished second.

But even with successful teams and personal awards, McLaughlin said her favorite moments have been watching students grow as competitors.

“There is nothing like starting with a freshman, timid or not, and taking that person through the high school years of competition,” she said. “Even the weakest speaker, with determination, becomes more confident, strong and aware of a personal voice. That voice will take the kids through the high school career and beyond.”