I think we've got a coaching staff that understands the competition well. I think a combination of our coaching and the coaching of the returning students as well has helped this program to build on itself. The interaction among the students on the various teams has played a large part in the success of the mock trial program. We probably have four teams of kids here who could make the first teams anywhere else. As for the two teams that will advance to nationals, Pohlmann believes that they are even stronger than last year's extremely successful teams.
Competitions involve several trials of the same case.
This may sound repetitive, but each trial involves countless new angles taken on familiar evidence. This year's case, which is studied by students participating at all levels, is an alleged police beating case, modeled after the Rodney King case. Students are required to devote many hours of practice and critique to learning how to play the parts of specific attorneys and witnesses. They must be prepared to respond to any line of questioning taken by the opposing team, which is something that cannot be easily predicted in practice or in competition. Regional reuslts prove that the dedication of Rhodes mock trial students is paying off.