Martha Benham coaches at Cherry Creek High School in Greenwood Village, Colorado. Marti is a double diamond coach.What was your first NFL experience?
My first NFL experience was at a novice tournament in Colorado. I had no idea what I was doing in LD Debate because my coach and I were learning about LD debate together. After losing my first round miserably, I found help from my coach and students from other schools and rewrote my cases. I went on to win the next two rounds and receive my first speech award. After that, I was hooked on speech and debate!
When did you decide to be a teacher and/or coach?
I began coaching and judging speech and debate right after I graduated from high school. I am not sure if there was a specific moment that I decided to be a teacher and coach. Ultimately all of the moments with students are so precious that it is hard to imagine not working with students. I love the challenges of speech and debate and the amazing group of students that are involved in the activity. I also greatly appreciate the opportunity to give back to others what was so generously given to me by adults in my life.''
What is your team philosophy?
One of the great aspects of speech and debate is the opportunity to compete as an individual with the support of a team. Speech and debate teams are a lot like extended families. Each member brings something unique and has a responsibility to care for the other members. I believe, as my coach believe, that winning is a natural byproduct of excellence and hard work. My expectation for students is that they do their best, learn something, and have fun!
How many hours do you spend with this activity a week?
Too many to count and not enough... I love speech and debate and there is always something else to do. There's always a new debate topic to research, a new play to read, students to coach, events to organize, and tournaments to attend.
What is your vision for the future of the NFL?
I would like to see the NFL continue to grow and involve more students and schools. The new website is a wonderful addition to the NFL and a great way to allow us to communicate and share resources. The NFL has a unique ability to bring together so many people from so many different backgrounds for the common goal of furthering speech education for all students and I hope to see the NFL continue to do this. It would also be great to have national endowments and more resources to continue to assist schools and coaches with developing new programs and strengthening established programs.
What is exciting about being an NFL coach in the state of Colorado?
The most exciting thing being an NFL coach in Colorado is the people. I love my students and treasure my time with them, but each weekend I also look forward to seeing other coaches, judges, and students. The collegiality of speech and debate is amazing and something I truly appreciate. It is especially fun in Colorado when I get to see teams and coaches from other parts of our state that we may not often compete against due to Colorado's expansive geography. There are great speech and debate programs in all four corners of our state. It is not uncommon for teams in Colorado to travel over 100 miles one way to a tournament.
What’s unique about Cherry Creek High School as an NFL chapter?
Cherry Creek High School is certainly not unique in this aspect, but we truly appreciate the tremendous support we receive from administrators, teachers, parents, and alumni.
What qualities do you look for when recruiting students for your program?
Enthusiasm and the willingness to participate on a team are the only two prerequisites that I look for when recruiting students.
What is your favorite memory from a National Tournament?
Each national tournament brings back fond memories, but the greatest tales come from the 2001 Oklahoma Nationals "Fun Bus" trip. Around 30 students and coaches from eight high schools boarded a bus early in the morning and began a 12-hour journey from Denver to Oklahoma. Songs were shared, Scrabble was played, briefs were written, and we watched the Colorado Avalanche win the Stanley Cup. All of this camaraderie served us well when the bus broke down for two hours just before arriving at our destination!
What is the greatest challenge as a coach today?
In my opinion, the greatest challenge we face today is coach recruitment and retention. There are students throughout the nation that are not able to participate due to the lack of new coaches and sponsors entering our activity. In an ideal world, every new high school would open its doors with a coach in place to start a speech and debate program on day one.
What’s your favorite weekend tournament food item?
Strawberry Twizzlers are a necessity for tournaments!
