Gades named 3A Speech Coach of Year

For the second time in three years, Kim Gades was selected as the Section 3A Speech Coach of the Year by her peers.

"It's an honor just to be nominated," she said.

"I knew I was nominated, but I didn't think I would win. We have some very good coaches in our section."

Gades, who teaches first grade in Minneota, has coached the speech team here for the last seven years along with assistant Amanda Engels.

The team has shown remarkable improvement each year under the two coaches as evidence by six team members advancing to state this spring.

"I couldn't do it without her," Gades said. "We work well together and complement each other well."

But Gades said most of the credit should go to the team members.

"I told the kids and told them I had won because of them," Gades said.

"They work so hard and do everything we ask of them."

"Without dedicated kids, none of this would be possible. The kids can start speech in sixth grade in Minneota and we really get to know the kids and build strong relationships with them when they been in speech for a long time.”

“They allow us to push them and that's why they are successful."

Coaches nominate and vote for Section Coach of the Year online. Gades and two other section coaches were the three finalists.

Gades was informed that she won at last Thursday's Section 3A coaches meeting in Marshall.

She will receive a certificate as the Minnesota Speech Coaches Association (MSCA) banquet this fall in St. Cloud. When the state meet ended, some of the team members were already looking ahead to next year.

"Natalie Bot and Tara Thooft, (who are in Duo together) were asking me on the way home when I could help them look for a speech they can do for next year," Gades noted.

“The kids push me to be more innovative, too."