Amidst Failure, Success: My Mock Trial Experience Anonymous

Finally, the long-awaited month of November has arrived. And we all know what that means: the start of another mock trial season. Case reports, opening statements, objections, the whole shebang. It is a time of hard work and diligence, but also frivolity and horseplay. But sometimes things go wrong.

Last season, my mock trial team performed well enough at the regional competition to earn a spot in the state tournament. We were sure that this was the year we would finally usurp the reign of our arch-nemesis high school and take home the first place trophy. However, when we arrived and tried our first case, we realized that the competition was not the same as before. These teams were hardened, sharpened, strong. We were defeated. Our first place trophy became a tenth place plaque. We had failed.

But we learned from the failure. We had taken techniques from veteran teams and adapted them to our own styles. We had seen the competition and the ferocity of the atmosphere. And most importantly, we had learned of our own faults as a team. And as that was last year and each member of our team still had yet another year of high school, we waited quietly and patiently for this year’s season to begin. Now that it has, we plan to utilize...