Mock Trial 2018-19 Competition

Anticipation. Anxiety. Tension. The weight of these emotions combined is enough to crush even the strongest of spirits, and nowhere are they more prevalent than inside of a courtroom. But to the participants of the 2018-19 NC Mock Trial competition, emotions like these are no stranger.

On February 2nd, 2019, the Mock Trial regional competition took place all across the nation. In select courthouses, teams from the surrounding area of the state would duke it out in order to advance through the levels and (hopefully) become the national champions. The Enloe Mock Trial team was one such competitor.

Before the competition, the Mock Trial team had been preparing for months on end. At first it was Thursdays, then Thursdays and Mondays, then, in the final weeks before the competition, Saturdays were thrown into the mix. The whole process, although tedious, is very rewarding. For those who want to sharpen their public speaking skills, Mock Trial is the place to go.

On the day of the trial, everyone is dressed up in their finest of outfits: blazers, suits, ties, slacks, skirts, blouses, you name it. There really isn’t anything quite like walking around an empty courthouse dressed in business formal. A side note: the looks on people’s faces when you go out for lunch are priceless!

In a building so large, it is remarkably easy to get lost, so staying with your group is ideal. After registration, each team gets assigned to a courtroom, along with one other team. For the next two hours or so, those six people on you left or right are your sworn enemy, and the Judge and Jury are your best friends in the whole world. On paper, your job is to do your best and earn points, but when it comes down to it, your job is to destroy the enemy. That much is evident by the sheer fire in each competitor’s eye.

At the end of the day, when all the losing teams were walking to their cars, something in the air was different. The weight of anticipation, anxiety, and tension had evaporated, and was replaced by a new emotion: satisfaction. Yes, despite everyone’s loss, be it utter or close, one could clearly sense satisfaction in the back of their minds. Obviously, it wasn’t satisfaction with victory, but rather it was with the experience itself. Everyone had given it their all, and that’s what Mock Trial is really all about.