Dates and Format

 -          February 4-5

 -          Online using NSDA Campus — all events are synchronous

 -          LD, Policy and Public Forum will run Friday/Saturday

 -          Congressional Debate will run Friday only

 -          Speech events will run Saturday only

 -          Complete schedules will be posted on Tabroom.com shortly

Events Offered

 -          First Year Lincoln Douglas Debate, Second Year Lincoln Douglas Debate

 -          First Year Policy Debate, Second Year Policy Debate

 -          First Year Public Forum Debate, Second Year Public Forum Debate

 -          First Year Dramatic Interpretation, Second Year Dramatic Interpretation

 -          First Year Extemporaneous Speaking, Second Year Extemporaneous Speaking

 -          First Year Humorous Interpretation, Second Year Humorous Interpretation

 -          First Year Original Oratory, Second Year Original Oratory

 -          First Year Program of Oral Interpretation, Second Year Program of Oral Interpretation

 -          First Year Informative Speaking, Second Year Informative Speaking

 -          First Year Impromptu Speaking, Second Year Impromptu Speaking

 -          First Year Duo Interpretation, Second Year Duo Interpretation

 -          Varsity Congressional Debate

Guidelines for Combining or Canceling Divisions

All Events other than Congressional Debate: The GFCA will cancel a state tournament event if there are fewer than six entries and/or fewer than three schools when registration closes. Students in that event will then have an opportunity to transfer to other event(s) if desired and if their school has not reached the cap in the other event or alternately, students may participate in a scrimmage on those dates. (Bylaw 4.15)

Congressional Debate: We will cancel Congressional Debate if there are fewer than 24 entries and/or fewer than four schools. (Bylaw 4.38(4)b)

Entry Criteria — All Events other than Varsity Congressional Debate

First Year students are defined as students competing in their first year of high school speech and debate activities.

Second Year students are defined as students competing in their second year of high school speech and debate. 

It is the coach’s responsibility to affirm that their debaters are eligible to compete. Email maggiekb@gmail.com if you have questions about a particular student — I’m happy to help you figure it out in advance!

Unlike in previous years, students need not have attended a particular number of previous tournaments to attend state.

Entry Criteria — Varsity Congressional Debate

Schools may enter up to eight students.

Judging Qualifications — LD, Policy, PF, Speech

Experienced students may judge these events. Students must be two years “out” of that division to judge — so a student in their third year of high school speech/debate can judge first year events only and a student in their fourth year or beyond of high school speech/debate can judge first or second year events. Please make sure to use the “judge notes” field to notify the tournament about student judges and their number of years in the activity.

Note: if we collapse an event by combining the First and Second Year divisions, students in their third year of high school speech/debate will no longer be eligible to judge that division. We will notify impacted schools if that occurs.

Please ask your judges to make sure they have an updated judge philosophy on Tabroom.com — it really helps the students that they are judging!

Judging Qualifications — Congressional Debate

Each qualifying school must bring one judge per four students entered. As this is a varsity event, all judges must be adults.

Hired Judging

We will have a limited amount of judging available to hire from the tournament. If you know you will need a hired judge, please submit this request ASAP when registration opens so we can make sure to meet as many needs as possible.

Forms to Submit

Each school must submit a School Eligibility Form (one per school) and an Individual Electronic Release Form (one per student.) These are available on Tabroom.com and are also attached to this email. You’ll upload the completed forms to Tabroom.

Other Notes

The First Year Policy division does not limit students to debating arguments in the novice packet.

LD will be using the January/February NSDA topic. PF will be using the February NSDA topic.