Mock Trial Prepares for Upcoming Season
For the past two years, Campolindo Mock Trial has been a dominant force in the state, consistently placing second behind California High School (San Ramon) and nearly qualifying for state. The team’s performance, especially given Campo’s lack of an elective Mock Trial course like its main contender, California (Cal-High), has been nothing short of impressive. However, with the start of a new season, the team faces new challenges that may test its ability to repeat previous successes.
Senior Mock Trial Co-Captain Kaila Vineyard is a key member of the Mock Trial team, playing many roles in the club throughout her high school career. She has seen the team come close to qualifying two years in a row, but each time they fell short and were out-matched against powerhouse team Cal-High. “We’ve lost against Cal-High in the championships both times, but we’ve gotten really close,” she explained. This year, Vineyard hopes to focus on ensuring the team retains its competitive edge. “I think we’re hoping to do just as good as we have the past two years, and maybe even make it to state,” she said optimistically.
But the team’s road to success is not without obstacles. The loss of 12 seniors has left a significant gap in experience and leadership and third time might not be the charm to gain a bid to state. Both Vineyard and club manager Matt Bostick are aware that this year’s team will look quite different. “We will have a lot of new faces in a lot of new roles,” Bostick explained. “I don’t think our expectations are as they were the last couple of years,” but he hopes the team will adjust, saying, “I want a lot of our new people to get experience in the courtroom, and that will inevitably include some times when they stumble. But those stumbles are a part of the learning process, and they will prepare us for the playoffs.”
Vineyard and her fellow teammates are ready to dive into the next phase of preparation. “Once we get our full case packet, we will start working on our roles and figuring out our case,” she said. “We start really early, and we all put in the effort to make sure everyone is ready.”
While the team’s hopes for state may seem uncertain this year, there’s no shortage of determination. Vineyard and Bostick both agree that regardless of the outcome, this season is a new year of growth for Campo’s Mock Trial team. Whether or not they make it to state this year, the foundation they’ve built over the past few seasons and eager recruits will undoubtedly shape a winning team for years to come.
