Mark Deloach was one of the best parts of my earliest memories of college debate. i attended ADI the summer before i started at West Georgia. lucky enough to be in Vince Meldrum's lab. other than Omar Guevara, i didn't really know anyone there. my introduction to college debate was largely informed by observing the relationships of the staff at ADI. and it was Deloach's easy-going attitude, his love for debate, but more obviously, his love for his friends and colleagues and students and life itself, that stuck out to me. the feeling of immediately belonging, of being treated like one of the gang - that's how being around Deloach made me feel. in many ways , i was a punk kid who thought he knew all he needed to know about debate, and folks like Vince and Mark could have easily have put me in my place. instead, they made a place for me. i spent the first five summers of my college debate life (4 as a student, and 1 as a faculty) at ADI and i will always cherish those memories. Just seeing how that group of faculty got along made it clear to me this was a community i wanted to be a part of.
Mark Deloach was always approachable, always laughing (that dang mustache!), always friendly.
to everyone currently at ADI - if you are enjoying the person teaching you or teaching with you: hug them right now and tell them how much you appreciate them.
i'm really missing ADI right now...