As the holiday season arrives, many of our school teams are hard at work preparing for future competitions. And the Mock Trial team is no different. They’ve been working hard since the end of October, meeting up almost every day to get ready for the county competition in February. But what does this work entail? Luckily for you, as a member of the team, I am willing and able to share how we work!
OP Mock generally meets every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday after school, as well as occasionally meeting on holiday weekends. Training usually lasts around two hours. During this time, the team discusses the case at hand, from strategies, to objections, to acting, to improvisation, many skills must be perfected for the team to excel. I believe Mock Trial training can be split into three broad categories: trial rehearsal (where the prosecution and defence sides test one another in various examinations and arguments, littered with objections from the peanut gallery), open discussion (where the team talks about particular strategies openly with one another in a regulated environment), and freeform (where the team is free to work on the reading and writing that needs to be done with one another to assist). All of our in-school meetings are led by our new coach, Mr. Leonard, who picked up the heavy burden this year of carrying the OP Mock Trial legacy, yet has moved with efficiency and grace in all that he’s done.
Furthermore, one great aspect of Mock Trial is that practice can be prepared in an instant. This allows members to call one another often to work on anything they please. This is one of the most vital parts of practice: the hours spent discussing ideas in a totally 1-1 environment. Or, if you prefer more teamwork, join specialized “Captains’ Meetings” zoom calls, where student captains lead the discussion while everyone gets to work from home.
With several scrimmages already under our belt, it doesn’t seem OP Mock Trial is ready to slow down any time soon. When we play our scrimmages, we don’t just compete – we learn. From the mistakes and victories of both ourselves, and our opponent. Each one has taught us valuable lessons we bring into our future trials. It seems there’s nowhere to go but up!
So, what’s the verdict? I can say, without a reasonable doubt, that OP Mock is looking to have an incredible year. With the lessons of the past and of the future, we will surely continue to grow and evolve until we prove undefeatable. Be sure to wish us luck. If you have any further questions, reach out to me or to Mr. Leonard at [email protected].
