Comet Speech and Forensics
Overview
Comet Speech and Forensics is UT Dallas’ competitive speech team, focused on the following American Forensic Association (AFA) speech events:
- After-dinner Speaking
- Communication Analysis
- Dramatic Interpretation
- Duet, or DUO, Performance
- Extemporaneous Speaking
- Impromptu Speaking
- Informative Speaking
- Persuasive Speaking
- Poetry Interpretation
- Program of Oral Interpretation
- Prose Interpretation
The team also competes in limited-preparation debate formats and styles aligned with the International Public Debate Association (IPDA), National Parliamentary Debate Association (NPDA) and British Parliamentary (BP).
Read about the Team
Comet Speech and Forensics achieved a lot during the 2023-24 academic year, but nothing was more memorable than its trip to Ireland and Italy.
Find out more about what it’s like to compete in all those speech categories.
History of Achievement
Established in 2018, Comet Speech and Forensics has had finalists in many tournaments, including the Texas Intercollegiate Forensic Association (TIFA), International Forensics Association (IFA) and Southern Forensics Championship (SFC).
Join the Team
For more information on the team and to join, contact Dr. John Gooch at john.gooch@utdallas.edu.
Staff
Dr. John Gooch
Lead Coach
Dr. John Gooch joined Comet Speech and Forensics as assistant coach in 2020 and became lead coach in fall 2022. He focuses on coaching students in informative, persuasive, extemporaneous and impromptu speaking as well as styles of extemporaneous or limited-preparation debate.
A faculty member at The University of Texas at Dallas since 2005, he is Area Head for Communication Studies and Associate Professor of Rhetoric in the Harry W. Bass Jr. School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology. He was nominated for the 2024 UT Dallas President’s Teaching Excellence Award in Undergraduate Instruction and is actively engaged in international education programs at UT Dallas.
He also participates in teaching and research collaborations with colleagues at the University of Brescia and University of Verona in northern Italy. His research focuses on interdisciplinary collaboration in scientific and technical communication and the rhetoric of law and policy.
B.S., M.A., West Texas A&M University
M.A., PhD, Texas Tech University
Kathy Lingo
Assistant Coach
Kathy Lingo, also known as “The Queen of Improv,” works with Comet Speech and Forensics students on poetry and prose reading, dramatic interpretation, “duo” acting and after-dinner speaking (ADS). She is Professor of Instruction in the Harry W. Bass Jr. School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology and has taught at the university and college level for more than 40 years.
She has received multiple teaching awards, such as the Victor Worsfold Award and the Rose Award, and has been nominated for The University of Texas System Regents Outstanding Teaching Award. She also has been a director and an assistant director of theater.
BSE, North Texas State University
MAT, University of Texas at Dallas
MFA, University of Texas at Dallas
Additional graduate work, Southwest Texas State University
Brad Skiles
Founding Coach
Brad Skiles founded the Comet Speech team in 2018 and coached for four years. He’s still available to assist coaching all events but is especially interested in the limited preparation categories (impromptu and extemp). Brad joined UT Dallas in 2014 and has a full-time job as the Manager of Digital Content Services in the Office of Information Technology. He is also an adjunct professor of communication in the Harry W. Bass Jr. School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology. Brad has taught collegiate communication courses for more than 30 years.
As a speaker, Brad has received more than 100 awards, including state and national titles, and delivered a TEDx talk at UTD in 2019 as well as many conference and keynote presentations.
B.S., Ball State University
M.A., Miami University