Great NFL programs have served as an inspiration to Tommie Lindsey, Jr. He holds The Glenbrooks as the tournament all programs want to emulate. In much the same way, the program Tommie coaches at James Logan High School has become an inspiration to others. As a member of the Executive Council, Tommie is expanding his dedication to all of the National Forensic League.
Tommie currently coaches at James Logan High School in California. With a team of over 200 individuals, Tommie is fulfilling his love of giving students their own voices. Through forensics, he believes “the students are able to become examples and role models in their communities and most importantly, they can be the voice of the voiceless.” Tommie’s greatest memories in coaching are when his students work hard and reach the national level, proving the old adage that hard work produces outstanding results.
Speech and debate has been invaluable to Tommie, prompting him to run for the Executive Council. Tommie admits frustration when school administrators do not have the respect for the activity that it deserves. As a member of the Council, Tommie wants to make sure forensics gets the respect it is entitled to. He says “I ran for the Council to try to reach out to communities that weren’t able to have a Forensics program and were more than capable to have a program.”
As a member of the Council, Tommie has found working with coaches to be exciting. His dedication to garnering respect for the activity and bringing in new schools contributes to the desire and excitement of working on the Council. Tommie’s dedication to making the NFL the best it can be is clear in speaking with him. He states “I find it a really great experience to be able to sit with peers and develop policies that are going to be in the best interest of everyone, and to put in the energy to help the NFL grow far beyond current expectations.”
Tommie carries with him goals for both the council and the NFL. Tommie believes it is most important for him to do whatever he can as a Council member to promote the activity and build respect. He believes that to do that, as many people as possible must be exposed to speech and debate. He also believes that his own program is key to illustrating how forensics can further advancement in student lives. When looking to the future of the League, Tommie again sees an increase in membership as a necessary next step. He says “I think the growth of the NFL is just unlimited.”
Tommie has a number of responsibilities on the Executive Council. Attending meetings, resolving conflicts on a National level, and increasing the membership are all responsibilities that Tommie is accountable for. As a Council member, Tommie’s main role is to work as a role model and make decisions that are in the best interests of all the members. During the National Tournament, one of Tommie’s main duties is to do PR for the League. Tommie also assists, as do other members of the Council, with anything Scott Wunn may need in order to keep the tournament running smoothly.
In his spare time, Tommie loves reading books and plays, as well as sharing his ideas with new coaches. Tommie has a son, Terence, who will be graduating from James Logan High School this year as well as a daughter, Erika, who graduated from UCLA this year. As a result of his time at tournaments, Tommie had a quick answer to what his favorite tournament food is – those that he probably should not be eating. However, Tommie does recommend the chicken adobo at the MLK tournament.
It is clear that Tommie has a great love for all aspects of the NFL. His dedication to improving the lives of students through forensics is evident. Tommie has worked and will continue to work, to bring more recognition and schools to the NFL. Tommie was elected only two years ago, and as his term continues, he will continue to work towards fulfilling his aspirations for the league.
Brother Rene Sterner, FSC's involvement in forensic activities began in September of l960 when he was asked to become Director of Forensics at Pittsburgh Central Catholic High School. While he knew almost nothing about "forensics" at the time he agreed to learn. Brother found two outstanding mentors in Mr. Vernon Metz and Sister Mary Zoe, SC. Since then, Brother Rene has assisted the NFL in numerous ways.
Brother Rene was encouraged to run for the Executive Council in 1978 and was elected in that year. He served on the Council as an at-large elected member until Ron Last retired. That year, the school administrator on the Council retired, and Brother Rene was asked to take his place by the Council. He has continued to serve as the school administrator since that time. One of his tasks has been to present the case for listing the NFL National Tournament on the National Association of Secondary School Principals’ approved list of contests and activities.
He thoroughly enjoys his work on the Executive council. He believes the NFL has always been about developing "student leadership". As a school administrator, he feels the NFL continually succeeded in meeting this goal. The Council provides for the interaction of an extraordinary group of first rate individuals. He is always amazed at how often a consensus is reached, even when the most controversial of issues emerges.
Brother Rene’s responsibilities at the National Tournament have varied greatly over the years. He hosted the NFL Nationals in Pittsburgh (1972) and in Philadelphia (2005), co-ran the Speech Tab Room in the late 70's, chaired a variety of Council Committees for new events, conducted the Council's election of officers, ran and organized Extemp Commentary, and announced the contest results at the National Awards Ceremony. Brother was also heavily involved in the work of the Search Committee for the new NFL Secretary in 200l.
The teams Brother Rene coached in Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and Philadelphia generally ranged from l50 to 250 members and degrees. The NFL programs at each school were always full programs with students active in all aspects of debate, speech, and Student Congress. Some of the NFL highlights include winning the TKA Trophy (now the Bruno E. Jacob Trophy) in l972, the championship in Policy Debate at the l980 Nationals, and election to the NFL Hall of Fame in 1987. However, Brother says his greatest memories as a coach are the lives that have been impacted by forensic activities. As he says, “so many [NFL alumni] have gone on to do both ordinary and extraordinary things locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally.” His favorite tournament food is anything unique to the locale of the particular tournament. He can often be found his with students at Mom’s Dutch Kitchen, Hosses’, Marymack’s Tea Room. Brother can rarely be found at McDonald’s and the like. In the judges’ lounge, he prefers the food made by the local parents. He took this approach at the 2005 Philadelphia Nationals, introducing participants to soft pretzels, hoagies and cheese steaks, and the Reading Terminal Market.
NFL's' future has never looked brighter. Brother Rene believes that with the outreach to schools, sponsorships, involvement in the People Speak Project, the leadership of Mr. Copeland and Scott Wunn, and the reconnection with NFL alumni make this an exciting time for the NFL. Brother Rene has long been a part of the NFL. His dedication to his work on the Executive Council as well as coaching has made him an important member of the National Forensic League.
