For the Doane forensics team, “transition” is not just a technical term for crossing the room.
After losing four seniors last year, the team transitioned from a majority of upperclassmen to a largely underclassmen-based team with the induction of six first-year students.
This weekend, the team is traveling to the national American Forensics Association (AFA) warm-up at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire in Eau Claire, Wis. The tournament will allow team members to familiarize themselves with the campus and competition they will face during the national tournament on April 1-5.
Last year, Doane placed No. 11 at AFA at the University of Akron in Ohio.
Since then, the team has undergone multiple changes, from losing upperclassmen to gaining new assistant coaches.
Forensics Coach Dawn Bartlett said the change impacted the team for the better.
“It’s a whole new team,” she said. “We’ve always had a family-like team, and I love the new (team members); it’s fun having all these new people.”
Sophomore Lukas Petersen said that the change helped him and others to fill the void left by the seniors.
“Last year, we were very senior heavy and relied on those people for leadership,” he said, “and when we replaced four seniors with six freshmen, it kind of forced the rest of us to really step up into a leadership role.”
Freshman Lindsey Oelling said that transitioning from high school to college was interesting and often challenging.
“College forensics is pretty scheduled, and a lot stricter than high school,” she said.
The team placed first at one tournament last semester, along with two second place and one third place finishes. But Bartlett said she had high hopes for the spring.
“The team is making a lot of progress,” she said. “(At first) there was a lot of building, a lot of growth…so we should be doing very well from here on out.”
Team Vice President Anne DeLuca, a junior, said that the team was stepping things up this semester.
“Everyone has done a really good job this semester getting their events up and going,” she said.
Kyle Carroll, a sophomore, is new to the team this year and said working hard was the key to finding success.
“It was a difficult transition curve at first; it took me a while to get used to things and learn what it was all about,” he said, “but if you want to work pretty hard you can get through it pretty quickly as well.”
Next weekend, Doane will host the annual state tournament, the National Intercollegiate Forensics Association (NIFA). Last year, Doane placed No. 3 at NIFA at Concordia University.
Bartlett said that the team was catching up to last year’s success.
“We are highly competitive in the region,” she said, “and they’re almost where last year’s team is.”
Bartlett said while the team might struggle to find the same national success as last year, she didn’t want to eliminate the option.
“I’m not sure if this team is as nationally competitive as last year’s just because of the numbers (of events), but I also think it is too early to make that determination,” she said. “A lot can happen between now and April.”
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