Broward Community College - Silver Sands Yearbook (Fort Lauderdale, FL)

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The title best coach conjures up images of gridiron glory and impassioned locker room victory pleas. Don Nichols started college on an athletic scholarship, so there- fore he was the star of BjC's athletic department, right? WRONG!!! Don Nichols is the coach of Broward's fantastically successful forensics team. When he was in high school in Kansas he won a three week trip to Estes Park, Colorado with his heart warming speech, What co-ops can do for the farmers. After graduating from high school he went on to XVestmar Col- lege in Iowa on an athletic scholarship but changed his major to Speech and drama and English. He worked sum- mer stock for a few years and then decided to go to Temple University and work on his masters. It was then that his old interest in Speech and debate was reborn. Nichols came to Broward in 1966 and served as an as- sistant coach to Mrs. Marjorie Esco who was then forming Broward's first forensics team. XVhen Mrs. Esco became ill Nichols continued where she left off and the team progressed to where it is today. Nichols feels that the importance of speech training is vastly underrated in our educational system. lt seems rather odd to him that a child is taught how to write prop- erly from the first grade till he graduates from college yet in all that time he may take one or two speech courses. this seems rather incongruous since 75 to S07 of all com- munication is oral. Nichols would like to see speech courses remjuired in all high schools and a requirement for a degree at Broward. ,li 5 'Q -any Gif 6 'T ooN Nicaois 18 Don Nichols Best Coach of the Year Nichols sees speaking in two different categories. First in the practical sense as an academic necessity or intelli- gent communication and secondly as a fine art used in intercollegiate competition. However, Nichols says, For- ensics is probably the most underrated activity on college compuses today. Nichols enjoys tremendously coaching debate and feels it is a worthwhile activity, dit teaches a discipline not taught in any other area. One learns how to research both the pro's and con's of a subject and how to reason and respect evidence. Truly it is the gentleman's sport. There is a place for every one in forensics according to Nichols but the work is not as easy as many people think. According to Nichols a basketball player spends maybe three months of good hard work for his sport but a debater spends ten months from the time he begins to research the topic till he competes in the finals at the end of the school year. Nichols thinks that there should be an increased emphasis placed on forensics, he does not feel that sports should suffer though. Like the athletic coach he almost turned out to be he is now recruiting debaters from the local high schools. Though Nichols gives credit to Bob Van den Berg and Irmgard Bocchino for sparking the team on these last two years it is obvious that the forensics program would be flounderidng today were it not for the man who cared enough to push the students to their finest. But then again they had the finest for their coach. Bob Van den Berg could be the traditional angry young man. But the BJC Sophomore doesn't burn buildings, doesn't wreck offices and doesn't make a parctice of kid- napping deans. Bob doesn't need to for the simple reason that he is one of the most convincing speakers in the state.

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IT CAN HAPPEN AGAIN lt was hard selecting a pair of trousers this morning. Clean socks, took too much time to sort out. Sen- ator Robert F. Kennedy, Presidential hopeful, was shot last night after con- cluding a speech with, I think all these primaries have indicated it is quite clear that we can work together in the last analysis and that what has been going on the last three years, the divisions, violence, disenchant- ment with society between black and white, poor and affluent can be healed. Nlinutes later Senator Ken- nedy lay on a kitchen floor. a 22 long caliber bullet in his head. Children wondered why their par- ents seemed to ignore them and shooed them away as the reports and filmed primary scenes. interrupted breakfast and morning amenities. Housewives and workbound men si- lently asked themselves a question. Students and instructors were quiet over their morning coffee. Thinking Americans were wondering why one single man could affect so many lives. It was said by TV reporters 4Ellie Ablej the youth of the nation just can't believe it. Sandra Marchetti. student at Broward junior College, said, place a greater importance on the seriousness of murder. An un- identified student injected 'ipublicity stunt. Bob Heekin, BIC student couldn't see how it happened. The quiet students were reluctant to speak and asked questions of who wants to knowfi A few students just got up and left early for their classes. No comment. A shocked campus security man placed the American Flag at half mast to show his sorrow. The half masting was incorrect but his respectful sor- row is understandable. An ex-marine. more familiar with the rules of the flag raised the banner to its correct position and understood the sincere quiet message of an American citizen. XYhat can you say, said Don Nichols, speech instructor. Some stu- dents metioned the communists. and the cuban problem. There are those who wonder about a conspiracy. The general feeling of things looking bad, was expressed during the unusually quiet morning scene. George Cath, sales representative. said. senselessl Xlarrill Stunt. English department. B-IC though it was an avocation of 1 person extremism, emphasize the l. There were those who Clidnit know. It seemed too early to ask about the thoughs. Students seemed to wonder why. and some weer just waiting for the result of the attempted assassina- tion. The morning was indeed quiet as Broward junior Students asked aloud and visually silent. why. and what was happening to this country. XYhat was the silent answer felt by student. Nlary Florea when she asked is anybody safe? 17

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nueuvwufwt-ufnwff-un. an 1 V .sp to .1 l Li lllffif' ,ff ii' I I nnvur-ev U ' llllllilll ,. 1, , i -fs., EUUSIN -1 I . The fact that Bob has been a finalist in every state speech tournament this year lends credence to his ahility. The fact that he has placed first or second in a majority of the contests confirms his effectiveness. He is proudest of his victory at the Florida State Invitational Tournament at Tallahassee where he spoke on respecting Vietnam XVar dissenters. He later taped the speech for the use of Flor- ida State University. Bob was born twenty years ago in Forest Hills, Long Island, New York, and is a graduate of Chaminade High School in Hollywood. He became intersted in forensics in his freshman year at BIC when two of his friends formed the first speech and debat team on the campus. Bob has tried many categories of speaking but fayors oratory and oral interpretation. Public speaking can be very beneficial to a student and Bob thinks his experiences 'ihelped me get an honor- able mention for Sophomore Man of the Year. But hc has found more than just glory and acclaim in Forensics. Public speaking has allowed me to express my yiews on the political and social issues to a great number of people. In the National Forensic Tournament held recently in 5 i N -cr ' Miami Beach, Bob was a semi-fina'list. This along with his other successes has encouraged Bob to major in speech when he goes to FSU this fall and hopes to become active in the usenior circuit of forensics. As for this summer Bob has his work cut out for him as he is working in Senator Eugene NIcCarthy's presidential campaign. XVhy did B,lC's championship speaker choose to support Senator Mc-Carthy? 'Because Senator McCarthy stood up alone when it counted the most. He stood the chance of losing everything he had worked twenty years to get when he announced his candidacy for the Democratic Presidential Nomiantionf' And what if McCarthy's bid is unsuccessful? Then we at least owe the man a debt of gratitude for his attempt to bring this country back to political and social responsibility. Along with his forensic abilities Bob takes the respect and admiration of his fellow students with him when he goes to FSU next fall. Bob has one regret though, I wish we had a display case so the students could see and be proud of all the Forensic teams' trophies. It better be a big trophy case if there are more Bob Van den Bergs coming to Broward. 19