Flathead debate coach garners top state honor

Flathead High School debate coach Doni Dilworth knows the importance of civil discourse.

Dilworth is in her fifth year at Flathead, but draws from 25 years of experience coaching speech and debate events in addition to her time competing in high school and college. In 2019, she was voted by her peers in the Montana Forensic Educators Association as the class AA Anne Sullivan Debate Coach of the Year.

What is sets debate apart from speech is the lengthy process of researching a given topic beforehand to give prepared speeches. At the same time, debaters need to think on their feet to give impromptu responses to competitor’s questions and rebuttals.

Debaters also need to be knowledgeable about all sides of an issue.

Currently Dilworth coaches Lincoln-Douglas Debate, which is ethics-focused and based on current topics of political, moral or social significance. During the season, topics are changed monthly.

“Students develop arguments for and against resolutions,” Dilworth said, and have to debate both for and against a topic.

Topics are complex such, as the January/February resolution: “States ought to eliminate their nuclear arsenals.” She coaches students to break down complex issues in a way that is understandable to the average person, a skill she said is an asset in other areas of life.

Dilworth got into Lincoln-Douglas Debate when it was fairly new.

“I was student teaching in Billings West in 1985 and Lincoln-Douglas Debate was a brand new event — a brand new style of debate,” she said. “Through the graciousness of the head coach at Billings West I was able to take on the Lincoln-Douglas Debate squad and I developed a passion for that style of debate.”

What makes Lincoln-Douglas Debate different from other debate events is that students are competing one-on-one rather than with partners.

“They have to really quickly analyze and think on their feet to defend their arguments and their opponent’s job is to find flaws with reasoning and evidence,” Dilworth said.

Researching, evaluating and debating both sides of a topic with logic and evidence is something Dilworth thinks is lacking in the present day, where there is a tendency to seek out sources with the same, or similar ideas, and opinions.

“LD, and debate in general, you must listen and evaluate ideas using logic and evidence,” she said. “I think that to really debate broadens students’ minds and encourages well-thought-out responses, which is something our world could really use more of.”

The ability to “think on one’s feet” takes a season (roughly four months) worth of researching to prepare responses while trying to anticipate competitors’ questions and rebuttals. Yet, not everything can be anticipated.

“You never know for sure what’s going to happen in a round. It’s just like a sporting event. People can throw a trick play and you have to be able to think, adapt and analyze on the spot,” she said.

Flathead debate students have found success both at the state and national level. In 2017, for example, former student Noah Love finished seventh out of 256 competitors in Lincoln-Douglas Debate in his second time competing at nationals.

“Being on stage, winning individual honors is a good measurement of their preparation and dedication,” Dilworth said.

For her, being able to teach students a skill set that gives them an edge out in the world is key to why she continues to coach debate.

Her coaching philosophy is simple: “You prepare for competition like it means everything; during the competition you debate like you’re just having fun and then the winning usually just takes care of itself.”

As far as winning the Anne Sullivan Debate Coach of the Year award, Dilworth said she was honored. She also noted that since the other two nominees were from Kalispell — Chris Adamcyk and Josh Munro of Glacier High School — it is a testament to the valley’s commitment to strong debate programs.

Finalists for the 2020 coach of the year awards will be announced at the Class AA state tournament in Bozeman Jan. 31 and Feb. 1.

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.