By Mallory Sherwood, Staff Writer

For most, it would be about the trophy, the bragging rights or the sense of pride.

Not in Abilene.

For ACU’s nationally ranked forensic team, this is what it all comes down to: team camaraderie, fellowship and friendship.

The forensic team might not have advanced to nationals in Lincoln-Douglas debate at the tournament in Minneapolis, Minn., two weeks ago, but next semester, the team plans to work hard to get seven or eight members to nationals. Right now, the members have learned a more important lesson about being a team.

“We talked about where we saw God at this tournament for a devotional, and a lot of team members said that it was the team dynamic that made them see God,” said Elizabeth Alvarez, senior political science major from McAllen and forensic team captain.

It is this team dynamic that often separates them from their competition.

“A lot of times on debate teams, you have inner-team competition,” Alvarez said. “They all want to be the captain, the best debater or want someone else’s partner. It doesn’t happen to our team because we are all friends outside of the debate world.”

At the Minneapolis tournament, the team faced some of the best debate schools in the nation and felt the tension debate teams often experience.

“It was any eye-opening experience for how stiff the competition gets,” Alvarez said. “They’re not Southerners, and it was a different kind of culture. We were competing against top-10 debate schools in the country all at the same place. They weren’t too terribly happy to see another team that could take their trophy.”

ACU proved to be tough competition but didn’t advance to the finals.

“The team played well and competed to the best of their ability,” said Sally Gary, assistant professor of communication and director of forensics.

She also said of all the members, Alvarez and her partner, Josh Massingill, sophomore political science major from Abilene, made it the furthest, to the top 16 teams.

“We would have liked to go further,” Massingill said in an e-mail. “I take comfort in knowing we beat teams like Notre Dame and Western Kentucky, which is perhaps the most prestigious debate school in the nation.”

The next competition will be in January at Columbia College in Nebraska, and Alvarez said she is anxious to see how well the freshmen and new members continue to do.

“People need to know that the freshman especially do a really good job representing ACU around the country and how hard they really work,” Alvarez said. “Our team of novice players, who are upperclassmen, performed great at this tournament. They earned the right to travel with us.”

Gary agreed and said the entire team exhibits leadership.

“We have a strong bunch of freshman coming up,” Gary said. “They have a real desire to compete and to do well. There is a strong sense of camaraderie on the team, and that is more important than winning a bunch of trophies on my team.”

Another member feels the bonds they have made as a team.

“There are so many people from so many different backgrounds that possess entirely different abilities,” said Brandon Lemley, sophomore political science major from Abilene and two-year member of the forensic team. “Some of the people have only been in the program a few months and already are showing amazing results. I believe that each person brings a lot of things to the team.”

Each contribution someone brings to the team is considered their gift, Alvarez said.

“The important thing to remember is that it isn’t about you,” Alvarez said. “It’s a gift. Trophies don’t matter to us; it’s about being a team that is the most fun.”

It’s not about winning or trophies but the students’ character development, Gary said.

“We want to do the best we can and use the talents and abilities God has give each of us,” Gary said. “Sometimes that means that you’ll win, and sometimes you won’t. It’s about developing skills that you will use far outside the competitive world, skills that further the kingdom.”