If you mention to people that you compete in forensics, a funny look comes over their face, as if they're imagining a group of coroners in a room full of dead bodies racing to discover the cause of death for each one.
Even if some of the members of ASU's Forensics team do this on the side for fun, the only people that die in this activity are up on stage.
The activity is better known as Speech and Debate, and ASU's team, which has been competing for the University for over 100 years, will compete at the American Forensic Association's (AFA) national tournament this weekend in Illinois.
The team, directed by Dr. Kelly M. McDonald, took third at last year's competition to University of Texas, Austin, and Bradley University, Illinois, but it has high hopes for a championship this year.
"Anything less than winning is a weak goal. We don't want to say that 5th is our goal, or that we want to take 15th because 15 is a good number. We want to win and we've been working hard to do so," said English education senior Erik Dominguez.
Speech and Debate is a barrage of acting interpretation, public speaking and debating activities, all performed for judges at tournaments throughout the year at universities across the country. Individual competitors, led by a handful of coaches, take on several events each tournament, with the goal of earning points for each quarter, semi-final or final round they, or the team as a whole, succeed in making it into.
Dominguez placed in the semi-finals at nationals last year in poetry interpretation, in which the speaker performs a piece, or pieces, of poetic literature that have been arranged and cut down to 10 minutes. (All interpretation events, such as drama, poetry and prose, are 10 minutes and are performed one-man-show style in front of only one or a few judges and the other competitors in the round.)
After having an accomplished high school career in the activity, Dominguez had good reason to continue to compete throughout college. "It's a great outlet for a lot of things, like stress. Performance is a great way to put yourself out there, on the line, and you learn a lot about yourself in the process," he said.
Walk in the squad room in Stauffer Hall at any time during the week and you'll find team members practicing at all hours. You'll see debate evidence scattered on a table and people performing in front of a blank wall. Most of all, you will see a group of passionate competitors who love what they do.
"If you're a student and looking for some way to connect with the University and your fellow students," Dominguez continued, "you're missing out on a great opportunity if you're not involved in this event. We don't hold tryouts, just come in and we'll help you get ready."
For this year's tournament, Dominguez's favorite performance piece is his dramatic interpretation, written by ASU alum and former team member Brian Davis. "The piece is called Horror Show, and it's about a Mexican-American who loves horror movies and sees a lot of analogies between his life and those movies. He is trying to escape the Mexican-American stereotypes and his ex-wife who is trying to steal his two boys. It's a very strong piece."
Another facet of competing lies in the speaking events, and there is nobody better in the nation than political science senior John Parsi, literally.
Last year, Parsi garnered a national championship in extemporaneous speaking and communication analysis (CA). These events center on everybody's favorite thing: public speaking.
Parsi competed for four years at Dobson High School in Mesa, and now for his fourth year in college, so this is his eighth year doing an activity that he loves and dominates.
"More than likely this is the end," Parsi said. "Coaching might be in my future, but this is probably the end of the road. Eight years is a long time to do anything, so it will be kind of odd not doing forensics, but in some ways it's good to see all this work come to fruition."
Parsi is looking for his second national championship this year in CA with his speech about a radio show broadcast into Afghanistan. Parsi explained, "The show is put on by Afghan refugee actors and writers. It tries to resolve problems occurring in Afghanistan internally by empowering people to resolve their problems. Eighty percent of Afghans listen to the show."
Learning and teaching about topics like this is what makes this activity so valuable to its competitors.
But Speech and Debate isn't just a weekend thing, and it isn't just all about competition for its members. It impacts nearly every aspect of their lives. From landing coaching jobs at universities after graduation, to meeting that one person crazy enough to spend their life with you, the activity is far reaching.
Sophomore Katherine Munley came to ASU last year from Michigan and picked up the activity. "It's been a great way to get to know people not only here at ASU but all over the country because of all the travel we do," she said. Last month, Munley and Parsi celebrated their one-year anniversary of being together, giving hope to all of us undesirable males on campus.
This weekend's tournament will be held in Peoria, Ill., which is one of the many locations the team has already traveled to this year. It has traveled to several spots in California and Texas, as well as a slew of spots throughout the Midwest.
All travel is paid for by the school's funding, so if you want to travel and aren't too eager to join the Navy, this is another option. In the words of UT Austin's coach, Peter Pober, "I've been in this activity for over 20 years now and I can travel anywhere in America and always have a friend to stay with." UT Austin won AFA last year, so it is just one of the teams ASU will be watching out for.
For seniors like Parsi and Dominguez, graduation isn't where the activity loses its impact. Dominguez is looking for a teaching job in the Valley next year where he has considered coaching, and Parsi knows that what he has learned is going to transfer into all walks of life.
"The best thing you learn and a skill that a lot of people are lacking is the ability to effectively tell people about your opinion validly," Parsi said. "It's the No.1 job skill that employers are looking for and that's what this activity gives you."
Munley rephrased John's explanation in a more disturbing and colorful way. For her, "It's a real kick in the pants."
Reach Josh Deahl at joshua.deahl@asu.edu.
