The 1990’s was a decade of dominance for many teams. The Chicago Bulls, the Buffalo Bills, the Atlanta Braves and the Dobson Speech Theatre and Debate team. Yes, the Mustangs of Dobson High saw success that can only be rivaled by the likes of the legendary Bulls and Braves. However, just like those legendary franchises today, Dobson High is struggling to stay relevant.

The once legendary organization that holds the state record of 15 consecutive state championship titles didn't even attend the state championships this year and isn't even in Division 1 anymore. The team that once fielded 50 plus members only has a couple now.

“Today the team consists of, as of now, no coach,” Dobson English teacher Michael Sobek said. “But there are a handful of dedicated passionate students in need of guidance and support.”

Sobek was once a competitor on three of Dobson’s 15 state championship teams and also coached the team for two years after becoming a teacher at Dobson. Sobek does not coach anymore, but he's still teaching.

“I am still in the class teaching these students to think critically and holding debates with them,” Sobek said.

Dobson Speech and Debate started its legendary run back in 1985 under National Speech and Debate Association Hall of Fame coach Mel Olson. Simon Navarro, a teacher at Dobson High, joined the team in 1986 after Olson convinced him to quit the varsity basketball team.

“Mel Olson told me I'd be excellent and got me to my first tournament,” Navarro said. “After that, I was hooked.”

When he joined the team, the mentality was all about proving a point.

“Our team had just won its first of 15 consecutive state titles the year before I joined,” Navarro said. “That next year was about proving respect and proving we were not a fluke.”

According to Navarro, Dobson walked around with a swagger of knowing they were the top dog.

“We all felt like we were genuinely the absolute best,” Navarro said.

Navarro came back to Dobson and took over as head coach in 1997, midway through Dobson’s dominance. But the team didn't slow down. Sobek was a member of the team when Navarro started coaching.

“When I started, Dobson was in the middle of a 15 year run of state championships,” Sobek said. “There was an intensity in the air in everything we did. We worked hard, non-stop and we just knew we would win.”

Navarro led the team to five state championships and two national team titles. Navarro said it all started with making big goals for his team to chase after.

“We set winning nationals as a team goal,” Navarro said. “We would allow moments of downtime mixed with weeks of full commitment because the season is a marathon.”

“We would peak at the right time.”

Navarro retired in 2003 and left the speech and debate team in top shape. However, a new foe emerged in Desert Vista. Navarro said he knew the school would be a threat for years to come.

“I recall my last year as coach saying that Desert Vista was rising,” Navarro said. “Desert Vista was passionate at creating a great program and was extremely successful at doing so.”

Since Navarro stepped away from the program to start a family, Desert Vista has won the state title 14 times in 15 years and is only one championship away from tying Dobson in total championships. However, for a majority of that run, Dobson remained competitive under Jane Trayer. Trayer said Speech and Debate is the best program offered at Dobson.

“It’s a diamond in the rough but there is something for everyone,” Trayer said. “Speech and Debate is the best program you can be in on campus.”

Under Trayer Dobson didn't win a state championship but it remained a national threat.

“We had 130 members on the team,” Trayer said. “We were taking 20 kids to nationals every year.”

Trayer decided it was time to retire in 2011 after grandchildren came into her life. Trayer said it was a hard decision but she has no regrets.

“I miss it every day,” Trayer said. “But it's just not that time in my life to come back.”

After Trayer retired in 2011, Sobek returned to Dobson and picked up right were Trayer left and guided Dobson to two top-three finishes at the state championships. Sobek said he was proud of what he accomplished in his little time as head coach.

“I left the team strong,” Sobek said. “We had 60 plus kids competing and had five individual state champions we were in a constant battle with Desert Vista and Brophy for the top spot.

“We still had a feeling of respect and tradition in knowing who we were and that as a team and as individuals we were strong and nationally competitive.”

After the 2014 campaign, Sobek stepped down from head coach to focus on teaching. It was at this time that the program started to fall flat. Jason Schiffman was a member of the team during the transition from Trayer to Sobek and then was an assistant coach when Sobek stepped down. Schiffman said the decline was a shock.

“I didn't really feel like we were on a decline, I just felt like we were in a rebuilding phase,” Schiffman said. “I coached for two years after I graduated and it was at this time that I saw that it wasn't a rebuilding phase, it was something more serious.”

Schiffman cited lack of recruitment as a major factor of the team’s collapse. As the team shrunk, so did the coaching staff.

“The team didn't put up impressive results but it did have heart,” Schiffman said. “But at the same time fewer and fewer event coaches were coming back to help and that was a big part in why the program slowly faded away.”

It's been over 30 years since Dobson captured its first state championship. In that time Dobson has acquired quite a legacy. To the three coaches who are still at Dobson as teachers, the legacy they helped to create means the world to them.

“It’s a reminder of what kids are capable of,” Trayer said. “it’s a reminder that kids today can do amazing things."

“Dobson’s legacy means everything,” Sobek said “It's about winning but so much more, it's about the passion and dedication of the students. It's about hard work, commitment, camaraderie, and inspiration.

“No one who went through the program at Dobson left with anything less. When you entered room A32 for Speech and Debate you became family.”

Like most families, Dobson has hit a rough patch. However, the framework for success is there.

“It is extremely difficult to have a successful program without a head coach who does not have anything else going on in their life,” Navarro said.

Navarro retired in 2003 because he wanted to start a family, and with that, he had to let his other family go.

“My wife and I wanted kids and I'm the type that is all-in,” Navarro said. “I knew I couldn't be a father as well as being a fully-committed coach.

“Ask any coach and they will tell you the sacrifice is painful I didn't ever want to choose between my child and my team.”

Navarro has been at Dobson for more than 20 years and has seen the Speech and Debate program transform in front of his eyes. Navarro thinks it is possible for Dobson to regain its former glory.

“Of course it can but currently it's unlikely,” Navarro said. “You need passionate coaches to inspire kids, you need serious financial support to make it worth the countless hours necessary to create and sustain a team, hire coaches, and pay for travel nationally.”

Navarro said that on top of financial woes, the administration does not take Speech and Debate seriously and as a result, he thinks Dobson cannot succeed in future without change.

“Dobson lacks all of these ingredients substantially,” Navarro said. “To rebuild would require someone who cares enough to spend their time doing absolutely nothing else.”

“I don't need to tell you what our current state of education is like which makes achieving a meaningful rebuild challenging.”

Trayer echoes Navarro.

“The administration doesn't understand the power of the program,” Trayer said. “This program literally changes lives.”

Sobek agreed it’s going to be a challenge for the program to return to prominence but said the possibility is real.

“People may say it's about demographics and how the school has changed, but that's simply selling our kids short and I don't buy into that,” Sobek said. “The program could still be strong and thriving with the kids we have today. I go to all of our theater productions and am blown away at our talent.”

“All we need a dedicated coach who will go out and sell the program and sell the legacy,” Sobek said. “They just need the right person to come in and ignite it.

“It takes a lot to build a program and takes time and dedication but in the end, it's 100% worth it.”

According to assistant principal Christina Sweador, who is also in charge of club activities, Dobson is looking for a new head coach but have not made any meaningful progress. Sweador knows the sacrifice teachers make to take this role seriously.

“These teachers give up so much of their time to do this,” Sweador said. “I just want more people to know that.”

For Dobson, reigniting that passion for Speech and Debate which is needed to get students to buy in will take time but there is light at the end of the tunnel. Even the Buffalo Bills are rising back to prominence.

“Sports teams come and go but they always come back,” Trayer said. “I have no doubt that the team will rise again.”