The first BYU mock-trial teams met their goal of representing the university well — and returned with awards for performance and sportsmanship.
When Brigham Young University students traveled to Des Moines, Iowa, for the American Mock Trial Association regional tournament, they were representing a program still in its infancy. The competition — featuring 26 teams from universities across the region —marked the debut of BYU’s first-ever mock trial teams, which had started forming in the winter of 2025.
True to the university’s values, BYU chose not to compete on Sunday, and tournament organizers adjusted the schedule to accommodate their request. That decision, along with the teams’ focus on representing BYU with integrity and professionalism, reflected a willingness to dare to be different — to stand out for the right reasons and show that success means more than winning.
By the end of the weekend, the teams returned to campus with two trophies and a promising foundation for the program’s future. The BYU A team was one of six teams to qualify for regionals, placing the university among the region’s strongest teams. At the same tournament, the BYU B team, composed largely of students competing in mock trial for the first time, received the Spirit of AMTA Award.
Objections and Adaptations
Sophomore Peter Hyde, an applied mathematics major from Salt Lake City, Utah, is one of the students responsible for forming the teams, getting the faculty sponsor, Chris Krewson, and getting funding from the Political Science department. One of the defining lessons of the tournament for Hyde was the ability to adapt.
“There’s so many things that can go wrong in a trial,” Hyde explains. “We did a really good job of rolling with that when things changed. If a big objection was sustained against us, we were able to move on and create a new line of questioning.”
Between rounds, the A team gathered to review what had happened and make adjustments before the next trial began. Strategy discussions often happened over quick meals or in hallways between courtrooms, with individual participants revising questions or refining arguments before the next round.
Learning the Courtroom
While the A team included several students with prior mock trial experience in high school, the B team entered the tournament with far less familiarity. Many participants had joined only months earlier through a political science course and were competing for the first time at the collegiate level.
The early rounds reflected that learning curve. Facing experienced programs, the B team struggled initially to match the technical precision of competitors who had been preparing for years. Judges’ feedback and observation of opposing teams quickly became an informal classroom.
Each round offered new insights — from how attorneys structured objections to how witnesses handled cross-examination. The team absorbed those lessons and applied them immediately, steadily improving as the tournament progressed.
By the final round, the difference was visible. The team secured a win, demonstrating how quickly they had adapted to the demands of the competition.
From the B team, Caleb Haymore a junior and finance major from Oklahoma City explains that the experience was less about perfect execution and more about learning to perform under pressure. The most challenging moments often arrived when carefully prepared plans collapsed mid-trial.
“I had prepared what I thought was a good closing speech,” Haymore recalls. “Then I got into my first trial, and they completely changed the charges we were expecting. I couldn’t use the notes I had prepared — I had to work everything into it on the spot.”
More than Winning
The Spirit of AMTA Award added another dimension to the B team’s experience. Unlike performance rankings, the award is determined by votes from opposing teams based on professionalism and sportsmanship. Every team evaluates the group they compete against, making the recognition a reflection of how competitors treat one another both inside and outside the courtroom.
For BYU’s B team, the honor carried particular meaning because of the expectations they had set for themselves before the tournament began.
“My biggest fear going into this was just that we wouldn’t represent BYU well,” Haymore says. “We knew we were new and probably wouldn’t perform like teams that had been doing this for years.”
The team approached the tournament with a focus on learning rather than just winning. After rounds concluded, competitors often stayed to ask opposing teams about their strategies or techniques. What might normally feel like rivalry in such a high-pressure environment became an opportunity for collaboration and improvement.
Standing Out for the Right Reasons
The tournament also highlighted the visibility that accompanies representing the university on a national stage. Because BYU requested accommodations not to compete on Sunday, tournament organizers scheduled additional rounds on Saturday evening.
The adjustment made the team more noticeable among competitors, but it also created additional opportunities to interact with other schools and learn each other’s differences. With a win from each team, the program’s first season demonstrated BYU’s competitive potential and a distinctive culture.
Want to experience the courtroom firsthand? Applications for the upcoming season are now open to all majors. Spots are limited, so those interested are encouraged to apply early using this form. A program website is coming soon — applicants will receive updates via email.