Forensics has been my life for 42 years, ever since I competed in high school Policy Debate (armed with a recipe box) in 1972. I went on to St. Joseph’s College, and founded its speech team in 1976, a team still around today. Upon graduation, I took over Holy Ghost Prep’s program, which has enjoyed great success at PA State, NCFL, and National Speech & Debate Association competitions. During the early 90s, I was invited to start up and/or teach at institutes—Berkeley, UTNIF, FFI, and later GMIF—and composed curriculum and handbooks for students and teachers, ones that taught sound academic processes. Besides being a proud member of the Pennsylvania State and National Speech & Debate Association Hall of Fame, I’m happy to have brought Duo to NCFL, by drafting its guidelines, and to have first argued for its adoption by the National Speech & Debate Association Executive Committee in Ripon. More than anything, I believe in what this activity can do for kids, and remain generous with my time and with my resources.
Fifth Diamond u Fifth DIAMOND u David Matley Monte Vista HS - Danville, CA April 13, 2015 • 26,669 Points
Fifth Diamond u Fifth DIAMOND u Tony Figliola Holy Ghost Prep, PA February 15, 2015 • 13,002 Points
Mr. Matley has served as the director of forensics at Monte Vista High School since 1989. He has qualified more than 200 students to the state tournament and more than 140 students to Nationals. Mr. Matley has coached 26 state champions including 10 state champions in Congress (five as speakers and five as presiding officers) and six state champions in International Extemp. At Nationals, Mr. Matley’s students finished in the top 10 in their event 23 times, including the 2000 and 2012 national champion in Lincoln-Douglas Debate and national champion presiding officers in 2003 and 2010. At Nationals, the Monte Vista squad has won School of Excellence Awards seven times and the Karl E. Mundt Award in Congress. In addition to coaching and teaching, Mr. Matley has served as a leader in the forensic community through various roles including San Fran Bay district chair, Golden Gate Speech Association Congress Director, and as a member of the California Speech Association State Council since 2002. As CHSSA Congress Chair, Mr. Matley oversaw the development and modernizing of Student Congress at both the league and state level. Through his summer camps, Mr. Matley has introduced forensics to hundreds of elementary, middle, and high school students throughout the San Francisco Bay Area each year since 1992. His many honors include Alamo Rotary Club Educator of the Year 1994, GGSA Coach of the Year 2002-03, San Ramon Valley Unified School District Teacher of the Year Candidate 2008, California State Assembly Commendation 2009, Harry J. Aslan Fellow, and San Ramon Valley Education Foundation Honoree 2015.
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