What is loss? Is it losing the competition between yourself and another competitor? Is it the act of not living up to your own potential? These are the questions the Mock Trial team was faced with throughout the course of their trials. They choose to remember what Theodore Roosevelt once said; “comparison is the thief of joy.”
On January 10th, the Toll Gate Mock Trial team faced their final opponent, Jacqueline M. Walsh School of the Arts. Unfortunately, Toll Gate’s team lost the trial. After already competing in two trials and losing each time, this was the final chance the Mock Trial team had at making it to the next round of the competition. Unfortunately, the Toll Gate Mock Trial team did not qualify.
From the first trial, the Toll Gate team was faced with difficulties. The teams Toll Gate faced were very well prepared, while the Toll Gate team was not able to prepare as efficiently. With one of the three lawyers of the Toll Gate team being enrolled in CCRI’s Running Start program, it was difficult to unite the entire team along with every witness. Despite these difficulties, the team showed up to every trial and put their best on the stand for all to see.
The loss of the opportunity to continue in this competition may have been disappointing to the team, however, it is not about the destination but about the journey. The team performed well each time and made themselves and their coach, Mr. Brendan Friel, proud. Throughout every difficulty, the team was together through the journey.
Comparing our success to the success of the opposing teams will tell you that the Toll Gate team lost three times. Comparing our success in and outside the courtroom to that of our past years will tell you we won three times. The team succeeded in being a team and doing what they love the best. Loss has a different meaning for each person and to us, the mock trial team did not lose. They gave their best efforts.
This article is dedicated to our lawyers, Isabella Meyer, Maxx Tejada, and Rebecca Farias, thank you for serving and protecting and not abusing and neglecting your duties. To our witnesses, Katelyn Watson, Mackenzie Anderson, Grace Marchand, Natalie St Pierre, Bishop Cowan, and Mason Diodati, thank you for answering with yes or no answers. To our rules experts, Ella Mehta and Lena Butera, thank you for keeping the other teams in line. Finally, to our coach, Brendan Friel, thank you for clarifying that leading questions are allowed in direct examination and for everything else you did. I hope to see you in court again next year (for different reasons this time).
A warm congratulations to the Toll Gate Mock Trial team on a wonderful season!
