A Story of Success

Comeback Year At the end of the 2016 season, the

World Series (Cavaretta 3). As the week

LSU Tigers baseball team lost in walk off

went on, players were forced to view

fashion to the Coastal Carolina University

baseball as a priority and understand the

Chanticleers one game away from the

work that would be required to reach the

College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska.

CWS this year. Moreover, LSU players like

Led by star shortstop Dansby Swanson, the

Dansby Swanson put in tremendous

Tigers made a vow to not just come back to

amounts of work in the offseason.

the Super Regional Championship but to

Specifically, much of the starting lineup

finish the job and punch their ticket to

engaged in voluntary offseason training.

Omaha. A perennial powerhouse, LSU

Players like Swanson consistently credited

expects to make it to Omaha on a yearly

this desire to work hard to an internal desire

basis. As such, the constant devotion to the

to succeed, a trait many claim will translate

process and relentless attention to details

to more than just baseball and help each

allowed the LSU Tigers baseball team to

player succeed at any job later in life.

battle back from their heartbreaking end to

Specifically in law, Jemma Smith of

the 2016 season to earn their way to

Prospects explains that lawyers have

greatness the next year.

incredible requirements for having to

The Tiger’s success came primarily

research consistently in order to prepare a

as a result of the willingness of the team to

case (Smith 1). Leigh Abramson of the

commit to achieve greatness. Alissa

Atlantic confirms that despite working

Cavaretta, a writer for LSU Athletics,

almost 70 hours a week, Lawyers only get

reports that during the fall before the season

paid for around 40 (Abramson). Thus,

this year LSU baseball engaged in an

despite many saying that college sports do

“Omaha Challenge” with the entire team.

not translate to real life skills, the hard work

This challenge included the entire team and

and dedication to excellence creates a high

was a week long conditioning boot camp

work ethic that helps generate long term

with the goal of establishing the team’s

success.

singular focus of reaching the College

In addition to commitment to

goal of “begging for attention”, the true

excellence, the Tigers also dedicated

intent of this action remained to inspire the

themselves to achieving their goal. Players

players who had experienced a devastating

like Swanson kept reminders of their loss to

loss to succeed (TC 1). As such, the LSU

Coastal Carolina as screen savers on their

baseball team had tremendous success in

phone to inspire them to continue to work

2017 due to their incredible dedication to

hard for the entire year. This form of

success and internal motivation. The lessons

motivation began to catch the notice of the

learned by LSU from the 2016 and 2017

national media as LSU began to advance

seasons have the ability to translate to any

through the national tournament. While

walk of life or type of work as a way to

some called this “a hardo move” with the

learn how to succeed as a person and group.

The Best Injury I’ve Ever Had POP!​ I could barely hear the sound

beginning of every debate, a coin flip

of my knee give out during a basketball

decides which side of an argument each

open gym, but at the same time the pop was

team defends. As a result, I had to quickly

all I heard. After limping out of the gym, we

learn to remain objective when faced with

went to the hospital where an MRI

an issue. My newly found objectivity gave

confirmed that I had torn my ACL.

me a unique insight into the world. Even

Unfortunately, my injury required surgery

seemingly simple issues forced me to accept

with a six month recovery time. I felt

that the issue is more than just a simple yes

hopeless, thinking “What am I going to do if

or no answer. I have learned to embrace

I can’t play sports?”

every viewpoint, and angle on an issue,

At the suggestion of my friends and classmates, I joined Public Forum Debate,a

while still maintaining a hunt for objective truth within a topic.

two person event where we argue a different

As juniors, Chris and I qualified to

current issue every month. My intent was to

both the state and national championships.

find something to do until I was cleared for

We came into the national qualifying

athletics again. Instead I found my passion.

tournament hoping that our preparation and

Debate has surrounded me with the most

hard work would lead to success. In order to

intellectually stimulating people I have ever

qualify for Nationals, Chris and I had to beat

met. Despite the fact that my partner, Chris,

out the number one team in the country. We

and I had been classmates since

did, winning our first five rounds and

kindergarten, I only got to know him as a

qualified into the national championship in

result of Debate. Together, we learned to

Birmingham, Alabama. I am excited to

take a topic, research it objectively and

continue my debate journey throughout my

understand it in depth.

senior year. I can not wait to take the next

During my first year, I began to see

step and find new passions in college.

the world through a new lens. Because we

Through my ACL tear, I learned that when

debate real issues in Public Forum, personal

one door closes a better one can open... the

beliefs are often challenged. At the

key is giving yourself a push

Interview

​I interviewed Richard Haber for my capstone project. Mr. Haber is a practicing attorney at Haber Polk and Kabat Law Firm in Cleveland, Ohio. In the courtroom, Mr. Haber has achieved numerous accolades. Best Lawyers in America has ranked him among the top practicing attorneys in the nation 3 out of the last 5 years and his civil cases have been heard as high as the Supreme Court. Mr. Haber demonstrates excellence both inside and outside of the courtroom as he continues to share his legal expertise with the Chagrin Falls Public Forum Debate Team. Pursuant to my definition of success, Mr. Haber has achieved amazing heights in the courtroom and has also given back to the community in a way that allows others to perform at a elite level at their events. As a member of the Public Forum team myself, I truly believe that Mr. Haber embodies every facet of the definition of success and remains ever willing to share that success with others, a trait Sally Kane of the Balance claims that Mr. Haber shares with many attorney’s as she finds that the purpose of lawyers nationwide is to share their expertise with others.

With all of the time you spend on perfecting your case and courtroom presentation, how do you find the time to give back to the community as a coach in such a time-intensive event?

Well it was because of my daughter’s involvement in public forum that got me roped in at the beginning. When Victoria signed up and began to really get invested in debate and working as a coach. As the years went on, I first realized that this is something I’m pretty good and doing, but more importantly I realized that the kids I was helping were learning skills critical to success in my profession and professional skills as a whole. The ability to effectively

communicate ideas, understand the Constitution, and critically think about ideas or opinions from both sides are skills imperative to professional success.

Obviously you’ve had tremendous success in the courtroom during trial. Do you credit any that success to any specific part of your preparation or any specialty you have as a lawyer?

I think more important than anything else in the courtroom, coming across as both understandable by the average listener as well as well read and Constitutionally correct is the “key” to success if that makes sense. At the end of the day, the jury and the majority of those hearing the case are not legal experts and will be lost by a tsunami of “legalese” by both the plaintiff and defense. As such, it becomes my responsibility to provide as much understandable context as I can, moving past merely citing the legal code and expecting the rest of the courtroom to follow. Instead I realize it must be my responsibility to make those connections for the jury and judges themselves.

Success Comes in All Shapes and Sizes Despite being an avid reader, my

grown for one simple

favorite work is the TV

reason: a constant drive for

documentary,Treehouse Masters.

innovation. By building with

Architect Peter Nelson has turned

new architectural concepts,

treehouse design into a multi

discovering new ways to

million dollar business. In addition

use the environment around

to the entertainment of the building of

him, and growing his market to a

the treehouse, Nelson’s show is my

national audience, Nelson has taken his

favorite for a much larger reason. Peter

passion and created an amazing

Nelson’s hard work, dedication, and

enterprise. As a result, my favorite show

constant innovation in the field of

is Treehouse Masters due to Peter

treehouse building. While his love of

Nelson’s ability to make a career out of

trees caused Nelson to start his

his passion through hard work.

business, Nelson Treehouses has Inferno in Real Life

I remember reading Dan Brown’s

squeeze onto the subway because it was too

novel Inferno on the 24th floor of a block

full at three in the afternoon really opened

apartment in Beijing, China. I was visiting

my eyes to the issue. I remember reading

my former chinese teacher, Yaxing Guan,

Dan Brown’s assessment that large

with my grandmother. Mrs. Guan had stayed

populations would make food a scarcity, and

with our family for two years as an

then walking through a Chinese “farmer’s

exchange with the Chinese Government.

market”. Coming from the midwest, my idea

While visiting her, we stayed in her

of a farmer’s market was very different from

apartment complex in the second ring of

what I saw. Instead of mounds of fresh

Beijing with identical buildings on both

produce, vendors were selling old, dried up

sides. During the visit, I was reading the

vegetables because there were just so many

book Inferno by Dan Brown. In the novel,

people who needed food. Reading Inferno

Robert Langdon attempts to stop an act of

while in Beijing challenged me in a way that

terrorism with the goal of curbing global

no other book had before. Inferno

overpopulation. Beijing is home to 22

challenged the way that I viewed the world.

million people, and while reading a book

No longer could I view a global event as just

about overpopulation I noticed every single

something that happened in some far away

one of them. Just the fact that Brown used

place. I realized that these issues actually

real data and real sustainability predictions

affect real people. The impact of reading a

in his book was enough to get me thinking

book like Inferno while in China forced me

about the topic. But actually having to

to confront overpopulation head-on and this all happened as a result of a single book.

Works Cited Abramson, Leigh McMullan. “Making One of the Most Brutal Jobs a Little Less Brutal.” ​The Atlantic​, Atlantic Media Company, 10 Sept. 2015, www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/09/work-life-balance-law/404530/.

Cavaretta, Alissa. “Gold Wins Baseball Series.” ​LSUsports.net​, LSU Athletics, 5 Nov. 2016, www.lsusports.net/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=27865&SPID=2173&DB_OEM_ID=5200 &ATCLID=211275490.

Haber. “Richard Haber.” ​Haber Polk Kabat​, haberpolk.com/attorneys/richard-haber/.

Kane, Sally. “Here Is a List of the Top 10 Reasons You Should Become a Lawyer.” ​The Balance Careers​, 19 Feb. 2018, www.thebalancecareers.com/top-reasons-to-become-a-lawyer-2164599.

Maria. “Pinecone on an Old Book - HD Wallpaper.” ​SuperiorWallpapers.com​, 2 Nov. 2017, www.superiorwallpapers.com/miscellaneous/pinecone-on-an-old-book-hd-wallpaper.

“Pete Nelson of Treehouse Masters.” ​Ab-Header​, www.york365.com/event/pete-nelson-of-treehouse-masters/.

Powers, Matt. “What Is Dansby Swanson's Value?” ​Fake Teams​, Fake Teams, 25 Feb. 2016, www.faketeams.com/2016/2/25/11111760/2016-fantasy-baseball-prospects-what-is-dans by-swansons-value.

Sloan, Karen. “Lessons From Long-Shot SCOTUS Clerks: Work Hard, Stand Out, Stay Grounded.” ​Texas Lawyer​, 12 Dec. 2017, www.law.com/texaslawyer/sites/almstaff/2017/12/12/lessons-from-long-shot-scotus-cler ks-work-hard-stand-out-stay-grounded/?slreturn=20180319183624.

Smith, Jemma. “7 Skills for a Successful Law Career.” ​Prospects.ac.uk​, Prospects, Mar. 2018, www.prospects.ac.uk/jobs-and-work-experience/job-sectors/law-sector/7-skills-for-a-suc cessful-law-career.

TC. “IS LSU GUYS’ IPHONE BACKGROUND MOTIVATING OR CRY FOR ATTENTION?” ​Foulpolesports.com​, Foul Pole Sports, 11 June 2017, www.foulpolesports.com/2017/06/is-lsu-guys-iphone-background-motivating-or-cry-forattention/.

When I was 4, my grandmother gave

do so. In 6th grade I gave a report on my

me a 45 minute lecture on pinecones. I was

favorite book. My book was a 400 page

out playing in the backyard with my brother

detailed work of nonfiction titled ​The

and I asked why there were so many in the

Mental Floss History of the United States​.

trees. This is not uncharacteristic of my

During my book report, I took 60 minutes,

grandmother. A teacher for 20 years, she

and presented 32 Powerpoint slides to teach

loves to give lessons on anything she can...

my class the history of the North American

to anyone she can. Little did I know it at the

continent from the Olmecs all the way

time, but that lesson and the many others

through the 2008 election. The student was

like it created a major part of who I am and

now the master!

how I learn.

Through the seemingly never-ending

Eventually, in my sophomore year of high school, I found Speech and Debate.

lectures and lessons on topics ranging from

Joining Debate allowed me to fully explore

pinecones to the history of Russian Tzars,

a variety of topics in as much depth as

my grandmother instilled in me the value of

possible for an entire month. In Public

thorough knowledge on a topic. I have

Forum Debate, the topics rotate monthly

learned that in-depth analysis provides not

and as a result many debaters lack deeper

only interesting knowledge on a topic, but

understanding, rushing to create arguments.

also creates a level of understanding and

For those debaters, Debate is less about the

appreciation that those who study the same

art of arguing and analyzing a topic from

topic with less emphasis simply can not

every angle possible, but more about

possess. As a result, my grandmother’s

building up their resumes. In contrast, my

lessons taught me that the best thing I can do

desire for thorough knowledge drives me to

with topics I am interested in is to

analyze every topic I debate as deeply as I

understand them as deeply as possible,

can, and look for understanding rather than

regardless of the amount of work needed to

simply searching for surface level statistics.