Talking to walls

To a normal person, strolling into school on a Saturday morning at about 8 o’clock, it would be a strange sight to see hordes of people talking to walls, but for a speechie, it’s a normal Saturday. Once speech season starts, each Saturday consists of a new invitational tournament, and when there are about 300 people competing, there’s no time to gather an audience to practice in front of, the only other option is to chat with the walls.

“You look ridiculous,” comments Emma Samuelson, but the speechies don’t really seem to care. Talking to walls could be seen as equal to a dancer stretching before a performance, “It’s how we warm up,” states Grant Schlichting, “I wouldn’t be prepared for my round without my thirty minutes of talking to walls.” No matter how ridiculous they look, the speechies are always prepared for their rounds and this could be why they’re so successful. Taking home first as a team at the Minnesota State H.S. League Speeech Tournament would not have happened without their pre-round ritual of chatting with the walls. The speechies plan on chattering to the walls all the way to victory.