Alabama's Newest National Champion: Paper, rock 'n' Roll Tide

UA sophomore wins national Rock Paper Scissors tournament in New York City

By Lori Creel
Senior Staff Reporter, The Crimson White

April 12, 2006

The Alabama faithful can brag about another national championship - this time in the childhood game Rock Paper Scissors.

Julianna Vaughn, a sophomore majoring in marketing, out-shot players from 81 other universities across the nation last week to win the National Collegiate Rock Paper Scissors Tournament in New York City for a $5,000 prize.

Vaughn said she registered in a drawing to represent the University in the tournament through The College Store. When she received an e-mail telling her she'd won a free trip to New York, complete with airfare for her and a friend, Vaughn said she thought it was spam.

"I just randomly won," she said. "It was just weird because I'd never won a trip before."

Vaughn said the College Store officials told her she'd be playing in a Rock Paper Scissors competition, but she was more excited about the free trip.

"I spent about 15 minutes researching - looking it up on the Internet, but I didn't think I'd have a chance of winning so I didn't put the time into it," Vaughn said.

Vaughn said players spent the first night of the trip learning the game's international rules. The tournament began the next morning, narrowing the field from 81 to 16 players.

Other competitors took the tournament seriously, Vaughn said.

"A lot of people were dressed up in costumes," she said. "People I talked to had been reading books on it and stuff."

Vaughn said the costumes were meant to distract or "psych out" opposing players. The audience also tried to distract players by calling out what they thought each would do.

"There are really no rules except the way you shoot," Vaughn said. "You can say anything during the competition."

Vaughn said her only strategy was to try to determine the other player's next hand and shoot accordingly.

"I tried to put myself in their shoes," she said.

By having a "random strategy," she said, she was able to keep the other players from figuring out what she would do next.

As she defeated each round of players, Vaughn said she didn't know what to think, though her father, who she chose to go on the trip with her as her "coach," told her all along she would win.

"I just kept thinking 'This can't be happening,'" Vaughn said.

After several hours of playing, Vaughn said she started to care about the game.

"I kind of got into it when it got down to the wire," Vaughn said. "My hands started shaking."

Four hours and nine rounds of Rock Paper Scissors later, she won the tournament.

She said she plans to invest her prize money in stocks.

Vaughn said she doesn't know whether she'll continue on to the world competition or compete again in next year's national championship.

"I really don't know what's next," she said. "I don't really know what goes on after this."

The moment she won, Vaughn said she was shocked, but her father ran on stage yelling "Roll Tide."