A study was conducted to determine (1) what active forensic coaches currently perceive to be the purpose of forensic participation courses, (2) the difficulties they have had in reaching their course goals, and (3) what they think the purpose of the courses should be. Data were collected from coaches at 130 schools with active forensic programs. Results indicated that the initial motivation for the development of a participation course was the effort of coaches to academically reward students who compete on forensic teams. The coaches defined their courses to include preparation, practice, on-campus activities, and competition, and reported experiencing a number of difficulties--generally grouped into the areas of time, content, and commitment. Suggestions for improving the course included providing objectives, creating a syllabus, offering content that is instructional, offering practice sessions, creating both competitive and noncompetitive opportunities, and developing an appropriate method of evaluation. (FL)