2017 Panther Fun Novice Tournament
on November 11 + 12 at Presentation High School in San Jose, CA

THE TOURNAMENT

We have designed this tournament to achieve three main goals:

1. An accessible, introductory experience for novices.

2. An educational experience for parent judges.

3. A service experience for varsity students.

We will offer entry in all NSDA events at this tournament, but will reserve the right to collapse divisions which cannot sustain competition. We will use the September/October PF + LD topics.

As this is a novice tournament, no double entry will be allowed within speech events or within speech events, as we want students to learn to serve as excellent audience members, in addition to being excellent performers.

In debate, students will have 6 prelims, breaking to a semifinal, depending on numbers.

In speech, students will have 5 prelims, breaking to a semifinal or final, depending on numbers.

WHO IS A NOVICE

Anyone in their first year of high school competition OR any middle school student, whether or not they are experienced.

LOCATION

Presentation High School is located in south San Jose near the Willow Glen neighborhood. We ask that you park on campus at all times. We also ask that students remain on campus for the duration of competition.

ENTRY FEES & PAYMENT

Entries in speech events are $40/entry. Entries in all debate events are $60/entry and are inclusive of free lunch on Saturday, and free lunch on Sunday for all students, judges, and coaches. We will also have a variety of concessions available for purchase throughout the day each day, including breakfast items.

All payments are due prior to the start of the tournament and all fees must be paid before Round 1.

JUDGING

The judges for this tournament will be entirely made up of varsity debaters, coaches, and highly experienced judges as to maximize the educational mission of the tournament. All judges are expected to write substantive, complete ballots for students and are expected to give detailed constructive criticism that students can take back to work on improvement. This is a tournament policy.

If you have a significantly experienced judge who would like to judge, please register them. Junior or senior high school students will be allowed to judge.

INDEPENDENT ENTRY POLICY
There are no exceptions to these rules. Please do not ask, it will be a futile effort. We cannot, for liability reasons, accept independent entries who do not achieve the following criteria:

1. You must have an adult, school-approved chaperone on campus at all times during the tournament. This chaperone is not allowed to leave campus and must be present if you compete in elimination rounds. Failure to do so will result in immediate disqualification--even if it's during the bid round.

2. You must possess approval, in the form of a signed official letter, to compete by your school's administration and acknowledging the name of your chaperone as a school-approve chaperone.

We do not accept entries under the names of for-profit private organizations and those students must compete under the name of their actual school. Students who participate in these groups are free to continue to do so, but they will have to obtain approval in the same way that any other independent entry would.

We do not offer "school protection" for these students to not have to debate each other. We do not provide school protection between a high school and their affiliated middle school.