The forensics team has begun preparing for the new debate competitions and EC is striving to uphold its reputation as a community college Cinderella story.

New coaches and new students will come together shortly and go through a learning process on their way to upsets and victories over some of California’s elite teams, but that is what makes forensics unlike any other team activity on campus.

Students joining the team this year do not need to be skilled orators.

The forensics team is split up into different categories based upon skill.

Novice speakers join intermediate and senior level speakers on the varsity squad that competes against and beats out top colleges such as USC and UCLA on a regular basis.

“Our team may not win every tournament, but the team places higher in the standings than most top colleges in the state,” Johnathan Davidson, forensics coach, said.

Speakers who are new to the forensics team start out at the novice level and compete against novices from dozens of other colleges and universities from across the country.

Speeches given at forensics tournaments include persuasive, informative and humorous after-dinner speeches, which can be up to a half an hour long in certain instances and must be memorized by the students.

Tournaments also include impromptu and extemporaneous speeches that do not need to be memorized, but the speaker only has a few minutes to prepare before giving their speech to the judge and the audience.

This year, Francesca Bishop is returning as the coach, and is joined by new part-time coach Mark Urista and Diane and Mark Crossman to help prepare and teach the team this year.

Over the years, Diane and Mark Crossman have coached the team, but recently stepped down from that capacity.

“The forensics team is the Crossman’s baby and their help and hard work has been invaluable to the teams success over the years,” Davidson said.