It does not take long for a new student to realize that UA is a campus built upon tradition. From football and gymnastics to homecoming and Tutwiler, it is obvious the University takes pride in these traditions and provides many different outlets for people to become a part of the Alabama tradition.
While I concluded long ago that my chances of playing Crimson Tide football were slim, I did find my own storied, albeit smaller and more academic, tradition on campus: The Alabama Forensics Council.
Obviously, The Forensics Council doesn’t exactly receive the same recognition level as other Alabama traditions; however, the team’s contributions to this campus and the student body cannot be discounted. As the oldest extra-curricular on campus, the team has won eighteen national speech and debate championships titles and countless more individual titles.
This record, success and tradition can largely be credited to Frank Thompson, the team’s director, who is entering a well-deserved retirement after 30 years of dedicated service. While I have only had the pleasure of competing under him for a small fraction of his tenure at UA, his incredible impact upon both this campus and myself holds valuable lessons that demand attention.
During his tenure at UA, Frank has produced tangible results. After all, the majority of the team’s national and individual championship titles were earned under his guidance. However, these numbers cannot fully tell the story of who Frank Thompson is.
Beyond the statistics is a coach who dedicated himself wholeheartedly to forensics and the success of his students, a mentor who mastered the delicate balance between being a hardliner and being supportive, and a friend who understood the importance of relationships.
I attribute Frank’s effectiveness in coaching largely to how he works. Instead of using his title or even experience to demand a work ethic out of me, he was determined to motivate me by demonstrating that he genuinely cared. I can honestly say that the time he spent just talking with team members equaled, if not exceeded, the amount of time spent directly coaching them.
This method created a bond that extended beyond simply competing at tournaments. He became a person who could be approached with a serious personal problem or simply an offer to go eat lunch on The Strip. He was able to tear down the inhibitive instructor-student barriers and replace them with an environment of mutual respect, which in turn made me strive to succeed not only for myself, but also for him and the team.
Even though he is retiring, the implications of Frank’s tenure will remain. He has empowered leaders across the country. He has facilitated the growth of a thriving national forensics community. He has sustained a unique outlet of expression often overlooked on campuses. He has won so many awards that Reese Phifer has run out of glass display cases and resorted to closets as storage space for them.
Most importantly, he has left a legacy that is embodied within the lives of the countless students who have called Frank Thompson a mentor and friend over the past 30 years.
Frank, as I look back upon the flurry of speeches, van rides, coaching sessions, early morning warm-ups and late night awards that were my time competing under you, I can only say thank you for everything. You have built a lasting tradition that expands far beyond this campus and I am proud to be a part of it.
John Brinkerhoff is a junior majoring in political science and communication studies and a member of the Alabama Forensics Council. His column runs biweekly on Mondays.
