Mind over chatter since 1920.
KHSSL Directors
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Years listed are the years of their state tournament service, usually in March or April. Most served the full year leading up to state and after. Please alert KHSSL of any corrections for this constructed timeline.
1920 W. H. Mikesell
Still investigating this timeframe’s
history . . .
1935-1956 Louis Clifton
1957-1970 Denver Sloan
1971 C. R. Hoger
1972-1979 Gifford Blyton
1980 George Willenbrink
1981 Marilyn Konrad
1982 Julie Dodd
1983-1985 Katherine C. Hume
1986-1987 John Edwards
1988-1998 Judy Woodring
1999 David Almand
2000 Sandra Schneider
2001-2004 Greg Robertson
2005 Jace Lux
2006-2007 Chris Chandler
2008 Jim Turner
2009 Stacey Gish
2010 Chris Medina
2011 Hannah Reliford
2012-2017 William Cooper
2018-19 Run by KHSSL Board
of Directors:
(2018) Daniel Hamm, Chair
(2019) Steve Meadows, Chair
2020-present Steve Meadows
Executive Director
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Steve Meadows serves as the KHSSL Executive Director and runs the day-to-day operations of the Kentucky High School Speech League. In addition to carrying out the mandates of the elected Board of Directors and assisting all member schools and coaches, he serves as the director of the three state tournaments and oversees the Regional Tournaments in coordination with the Regional Managers.
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Before taking on this role, Meadows coached Kentucky high school speech and debate teams for 28 years -- three years at Beechwood High and the last twenty-five at Danville High School.
His teams at Danville won nine state speech titles and a state debate title over the years, and he coached fifty-seven KHSSL State Champions.
Meadows coached nineteen entries to NSDA or CFL National final rounds over the years including two CFL National Champions.
Mr. Meadows is the founder of SPEAK and earned many honors during his coaching career, including
2019 - National Speech and Debate Association
Hall of Fame
2011 - Kentucky High School Speech League
Hall of Fame
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National Communication Association’s K-12 National Teacher of the Year (2016)
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NSDA’s first Kentucky Teacher of the Year
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Ralph E. Carey Award for Distinguished Career Service (NSDA)
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Barkley Forum Gold Key Coach
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George Mason University Mason Mentor
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Five-Diamond Coach (NSDA)
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He remains active with the NSDA as a member of the Kentucky District Committee and as the Co-Chair for Speech Tabulations at the NSDA National Tournament each year.