Ever freeze up when giving a speech in front of a crowd?

NIU’s Forensics team doesn’t have that problem. The team placed second this Saturday at Kishwaukee College’s Corn Classic Speech Tournament.

“I’m very excited,” said team coach Judy Santacaterina, an NIU communication instructor. “It sets the tone. I’m very pleased with how individuals did.”

The team has three different branches; individual, debate and public debate. The team also is divided into novice and varsity speakers.

This past weekend consisted of individual events in the novice division of the team.

Senior communication major Tracey Kelley placed in four different events.

“[I prepare with] lots of practice,” she said. “We have coaching throughout the week. I try to sign up for at least two hours of coaching a week.”

Phillip Kidd, a junior industrial technology major, also a novice team member, said he prepares by reading the material and memorizing it.

Santacaterina said the weekend’s experience was new to some students.

“Many of them have not competed before,” she said.

Santacaterina said she likes to coach students in the same fashion she likes to teach them in the classroom.

“You play their strengths,” she said. “You look at what a student is interested in.”

Kelley said she still gets tense before a tournament.

“[The hardest part is] trying to get over the nervousness,” she said. “It’s the initial fear. But, once I’m up there, I can do what needs to be done.”

Kidd said he also gets nervous and anxious.

“Sometimes I can’t even sit down,” he said. “I want to have fun, but I want to win also. I want to do my best.”

Santacaterina was pleased with what she saw overall on Saturday.

“I was so excited about the true sense of team,” she said, “and the support they gave to each other.”