Whether it’s football, basketball, baseball, or any other sport, coaches like to devise a game plan so that their team has an advantage over whoever their opponent is. 

  In this case, the members of HR’s mock trial team are getting coached up for the upcoming competition called “Providence Cup” happening Oct. 18 and 19 at the Denver University Sturm College of Law and the Denver Courthouse.

   Principal Chris Page and social studies teacher Matt Foster, the two head advisers of mock trial, are helping the team to prepare for the Providence Cup this month. 

  Providence Cup is the first competition that the mock trial team will compete in. This event invites teams from all over the nation to Denver University Sturm College of Law and the Denver Courthouse to compete. All the teams are given a case and have to prepare for it prior to the case event. 

  To set-up for their first competition, mock trial has been in preparation as they have been meeting twice every week to make sure they come into the competition ready. Foster said, “At our practices, we write our direct & cross-examinations (the questions the attorneys ask of their witnesses) and scrimmage each other by running through the case together.” 

  With Foster having attended law school at Colorado University, he provides a big help to the students who join the mock trial team and have an interest in law. In the club, there is a lot to learn a lot about the law. Things like learning the difference between civil & criminal, different burdens of proof for the prosecution & defense, and the federal rules of evidence are just scratching the surface. Foster said, “If you’re interested in the legal profession, this is an excellent place to start as it gives you a little taste of some of the things you’d learn in your first year of law school.”

   Senior and mock trial member Stephen DeCoste said, “The best part is getting into your role.” According to DeCoste, when he plays the role of a lawyer, he has to believe his client. He said, “Having this mindset helps me feel prepared to win over the jurors and that’s a rare experience to have.” 

  Mock trial hopes to put this practice into performance as they travel down to Denver to go head to head with mock trial teams across the nation in the Providence Cup.

Evan Naemura, Online Editor