His feet scraped the pavement with shakiness and undeniable shyness. Every step towards the entrance of the national speech and debate competition made Cooper City High School 2009 graduate, Eric Zizich, feel like he was taking a stroll down a state penitentiary corridor. He couldn’t have wanted this more than anything in his life, but his stomach felt like it was being weighed down with steel butterflies that were slowly scraping their wings against his insides. He opened the door and the nerves rushed throughout his body; this was it, this was the big event he had spent all of his adolescent years preparing for. “Preparation is key,” speech and debate sponsor, Melvin Tanner said. “The debate is almost over before you even get there.” The speech and debate club utilizes their time together, practicing and memorizing their ensembles. Although, there are more than seven events that CCHS is involved in, preparation is the most common thread that binds these students together. Whether they are memorizing a speech or reading up on political topics, readying themselves for any debate topic, it is imperative that they are ready for whatever comes their way. “I spent hours rehearsing my speech and getting instruction from Tanner,” Zizich said. “It’s all about repetition and preparing for different possibilities.” Preparation might possibly be the most important aspect of speech and debate, but there are several other additions that mesh together to create the best of outcomes. Determination and confidence have always been a plus in this equation. Speech and debate students must enter a competition with the mindset of “I’m going to win”. They need the humble confidence that every cowboy at CCHS must obtain in order to truly be a winner “We try to teach that with confidence you can perform and be happy with the results,” Tanner said. It seemed like time was slowing down to a lethargic speed as Zizich heard his name being called for the original oratory speeches. His first words felt foreign and unsteady, but as he continued to speak in his memorized pattern they began to move freely into the microphone. The stage no longer felt nonnative and awkward, it became his place of reassurance. “The magnitude of it all was overwhelming and a bit nerve racking,” Zizich said. “Once I started talking I was comfortable and the whole experience was one I won’t forget.” Babe Ruth once said “never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game”. This simple quote has promised hope and instilled assurance to many. The speech and debaters have let the word fear into their vocabulary. It’s just another obstacle standing in their way, something that must constantly be hurdled over. Obstacles lurk in every corner; they fill hearts with fear and block the way towards success. Due to one of Zizich’s obstacles, he entered the national competition with a handicap. While others spent their summer training and getting coaching from professionals, Zizich was hindered by their advantage before the season even began. “I was a lot less ready coming into it,” Zizich said. “But I gave me even more motivation.” The crowds and judges applaud as Zizich takes a bow. His speech is finished with clarity and conciseness. He realized that all the pressures and stresses of the year had paid
themselves off and produced the greatest of results. Zizich finished the speech and debate original oratory competition as number 48 in the entire nation. “The feeling was very satisfying and it was great knowing that I could achieve my goal because I set my mind to it,” Zizich said. “It’s like training for a race and having that feeling of accomplishment whenever you pass the finish line.”