Groups of students milled about Oak Park High School this morning to the point even a casual observer could tell that many of the individuals gathered there for the first day of competition at the 2010 National Forensic League National Tournament were nervous.
Very nervous.
As the moments wound down before the first draw of Extemp and rounds in Original Oratory, coaches pulled students aside to whisper final words of encouragement. For individuals who spend several weekends out of the year at high school speech and debate tournaments, the scene was fairly ordinary: a typical high school, students dressed in suits and brightly-colored schematics already showing signs of wear.
Among the crowd was Michael Curry, a coach from Salem, Ore. Like other coaches, though, Curry knew all-too-well that this was no ordinary weekend tournament. However, the advice he offered to his students was quite basic: though these young adults are competing in the world’s largest academic contest, they shouldn’t let that fact overwhelm them.
“I try and get in the mindset of that it’s going to look and feel like other tournaments,” Curry said.