Coached by a father and son, and teaching in schools just 50 miles apart, Imperial and Hayes Center FFA teams captured first and second in the state’s FFA parli pro competition earlier this month. Team members gathering at the state convention, above from left, are Hayes Center team members Ashton Erickson, Julia Broker, Jaycee Lapp, Zane Mintling, Avery Johnson, Jakob Anderjaska and Advisor/Coach Randy Vlasin. The Imperial team includes, from left, Advisor/Coach Jeremy Vlasin, Brooklyn Christensen, Lindsey Mendenhall, Jozie Schilke, Alexis Richmond, Courtney Odens and Valerie Herbert. (Courtesy photo)
Father, son bring A game to FFA parli pro competition
It’s no secret among chapter members and Imperial FFA supporters that the organization’s parliamentary procedure, or parli pro, competition is a big deal.
FFA Advisor Jeremy Vlasin not only competed in parli pro while in high school here, he’s been the team’s coach all 10 of his years as a co-advisor for Imperial’s chapter.
While this year’s state parli pro championship wasn’t new (his teams have won four others), it was special to see his dad Randy’s team from Hayes Center take the runner-up spot.
Both Vlasins believe it’s the first time in Nebraska that teams with father and son advisor/coaches have captured the top two spots in the parli pro competition.
It happened during the FFA state convention earlier this month in Lincoln.
And, make no mistake. Both coaches and their teams had state championship goals, and did the work to get there.
“We both know we have to bring our A game when we come up against each other,” Randy said.
He smiled as he said his parli pro team now looks at Imperial “kind of as their rivals.”
Jeremy said it’s a little bittersweet competing against his dad, but holds nothing back.
“It makes it hard, because I don’t want to see him fail. That doesn’t mean I don’t want my team to win,” he said.
“I can’t say I enjoy beating him per se, but I enjoy our kids winning and succeeding,” Jeremy added.
Randy went a bit further.
“We both agree it would be an insult if either one of us pulled back because we’re related,” he said.
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