This weekend my old undergrad mock trial team competed in their regional qualifying tournament. While I was studying here in Minneapolis I was getting a steady stream of updates from my old teammate Kostandinos. Although I am happy I moved home and very happy I am gone with college I couldn't help but feel a little bit of pain that I wasn't out competing with them.
During my undergrad tenure my coaches always stressed that we needed to continue in the mock trial tradition. Before regionals every year the entire program would meet up in a room and our coach would write on a chalk board every year our college had won the regional championship. Every year from 1995 to 2007 (except 1998, known in our program as "the dark year" was written up there when we met before regionals my senior year. I looked at the last three years on the list and felt a pride swell up knowing that I had contributed to our most recent regional championships.
For a few years, I was the face of my mock trial program. I was known at tournaments around the country and when people asked which of my programs several teams they would face they often asked if they were facing "TheHambogler's team." Aside from the social problems this caused by stepping on the ego's of the rest of my teammates this felt great. I could feel very proud of being nationally known and respected for something. Although I knew these feelings were fleeting I didn't know how quickly they would come to an end.
There is a reason that people like Brett Farve and Jerry Rice never want to get out of the game (not to say Mock trial is anywhere near what football is, or that I meant as much to mock trial as those guys did to their sport). Stars don't want to feel forgotten. It is also very hard to imagine your team moving on without you. Thinking about your teammates rejoicing from a win that you had nothing to do with, when for the longest time you were such an integral part of the teams success is surreal to say the least. These were my thoughts this weekend while receiving texts from Kostandinos.
Although I was sad that I could not perform with my team this year I do like to think I am still part of their victory. I had a lot to do with coaching the core of what my old team is now and I am told I am pretty well remembered. I think the part I am most upset about is that I will never get to see the people I helped to coach at their peek. The team is better now that it ever was while I was a participant and I wish I could be a part of that. So while I am so proud of those kids and I send out my congratulations, it is with a little bit of sadness.
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