Master the Role Play by VP Julian

Role-plays can be a vicious beast, fighting on your side or against you. But there’s no need to fear because I’ve got the tools to help you tame them.

As a DECA warrior, you have many skills in your arsenal that have developed through experience and knowledge. When faced with role-plays, it is your job to highlight these skills and bring them to your judge’s attention.

The four main weapons of choice in taming your beast:

·         Creativity: Do something your judge has never seen before; leave a lasting impression on him/her.

·         Organization: Keep your information clean. Don’t hop from subject to subject. You are usually playing the role of a professional, put-together business person; it is your job to sound like one! Prepare well, my friends.

·         Realism: Celebrities usually won’t care about your situation; try to avoid outlandish plans that are not feasible for your business.

·         Confidence: The key to any successful role-play. If you are passionate in what you’re saying, you can buy yourself a lot of credibility in the eyes on a judge.

There’s no formula or sure-fire way of defeating the role-play beast. It’s up to you to add your own flare, create your own style, and attack your situation the best you can. As long as you go into your battle with a good attitude and have fun, the beast of the role-play has already lost.

Some Resources:

Ontario DECA role-play video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmbTzAY5IUY

Role-play Powerpoint:

Sample role-plays per event: http://www.deca.org/high-school-programs/high-school-competitive-events/