University HS Novice Meet October 23, 2021                 

You are cordially invited to participate in the 2021 University HS Novice Tournament on October 23, 2021. The tournament will be held in person October 23 with mask requirements (see details down below). We will also have an asynchronous Interp/Extemp option for those unable to attend in person, with recordings due by October 22. These will run as separate events from the in-person tournament. 

 Tournament Highlights:

-A chance for schools to get used to Tabroom/NSDA Classroom in a low-stress environment

-Asynchronous format to facilitate participation for ALL students in Interp

-In-person tournament for schools able to travel. Mask requirements will be in place. 

-Four preliminary rounds for a quick, easy day. All events will run at the same time. 

-Up to eight rounds of competition and feedback

-Unfortunately no doubling,  to allow for a shorter day. Students may enter 1 in-person and 1 asynchronous event.

-Multiple team and individual awards 

Equity Statement: 

University High School is passionately committed to fostering equity and inclusion within the Speech & Debate community. If there are barriers to participating in our tournament (like the entry fees, being new to the activity/lack of familiarity), please contact us. We will figure it out. 

Our program is a new one, and we are fortunate to have the support of our school community and the larger Colorado Speech & Debate community. This activity will never grow to encompass the full range of schools and students if proactive steps are not taken. Please read our full equity and inclusion statement, along with our action steps, further into this invitation.

Mask requirements:

Given the global pandemic, this year’s tournament will be in-person, but require masks for all in attendance. I have gotten approval from my Activities Director for all Drama, Humor, Duo, Poetry, and POI speakers to be able to take off their masks during their performance only, and to re-mask as soon as they finish. Debates and speech events where facial expressions are less pertinent will have to remain masked for the entire time. Speakers who prefer to keep their masks on at all times will not be penalized on ballots, and judges will be instructed accordingly. 

Teams will each have an individual classroom home-base, to help limit cross-exposure. Students also have the option to leave rounds once they have finished speaking, if they feel more comfortable doing so. Please make sure students go back to your team room and don’t wander. Thanks. 

Events: Students may double-enter by entering one in-person event and one asynchronous event. (For example, you could sign up for in-person OO and asynchronous OO, or for in-person LD and asynch HI). 

Asynchronous Events (recorded prior to tournament day; judged October 23) 

For asynchronous events, each competitor must record their performance. Video recordings must be submitted by providing a URL link to the recording in Tabroom by Friday, October 22, at 5pm.

• Drama

• Humor

• Duo Interp--Can be combined or split depending on school policy, will be judged together

• Poetry

• Program Oral Interpretation

• Oratory

• Informative Speaking 

• Extemporaneous Speaking--Topics released beginning of week, students submit one video for all 3 rounds

In-Person Events  (Held in person, October 23, at University Schools, Greeley CO)

• Cross-Examination (Policy) Debate (if enough teams sign up; please select backup) (Please provide 1 varsity judge per team entry)

• Lincoln-Douglas Debate

• Public Forum Debate 

• Extemporaneous Speaking (Combined)

• Drama

• Humor

• Duo Interp 

• Poetry

• Program Oral Interpretation

• Oratory

• Informative Speaking

Debate Resolutions: We will be using the following resolutions for our tournament. 

LD: Resolved: Civil disobedience in a democracy is morally justified.

PF: Resolved: The North Atlantic Treaty Organization should substantially increase its defense commitments to the Baltic states.

CX: Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase its protection of water resources in the United States.

Novice Case Limits for the 2021-2022 Policy Debate Topic

• Substantially strengthen federal surveillance and standards for lead in drinking water.

• Substantially limit the use of hydraulic fracturing by energy companies in the United States.

• Substantially strengthen federal standards for agriculture-related runoff into lakes and streams.

• Substantially increase the protection of wetlands in the United States.

Registration and Schedule: Registration will be held from 7:30-8:30 am on Sat, 10/23. Rounds will begin at 8:30 am, with awards at 3 pm. 

Schedule: (Mountain Time) *If we have to double-flight debate, round 4 will be dropped to keep 3 pm end time.

7:30-8:30 am- Registration

8:30-10:00 am- Round 1 of all events. (Extra time has been allotted for dealing with tech problems and ensuring each round is ready to run.)

10:30-11:30 pm- Round 2- Coaches meet-and-greet

11:30-12 pm- Lunch, time to debrief with students

12:00-1:00 pm- Round 3- University will be hosting an optional coach discussion centered on diversity and inclusion

1:30-2:30 pm- Round 4- Finals for events that need it; 4th round for everyone else

3:00 pm- Awards (in person only)-slide deck presentation sent out for asynchronous events

Entries:  Each school may enter a maximum of 5 entries in each event. You may add additional entries on to the waitlist and if room permits, I will add entries in as possible. Entries will be handled on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration will occur online at www.tabroom.com. 

Entry Fees: Fees are 6.00 dollars per student, 12.00 dollars for partnered events, based on the pre-registration numbers as of Friday, October 22.  

Please make checks payable to University Schools. Mailing address 6525 W 18th Street, Greeley, CO 80634 Thank you! 

Registration: Registration will be closed Friday, October 22 at 5pm. Since Tabroom is no longer free, we want to make sure we pay for the correct number of students.

Drops: Please use tabroom.com to submit drops by 8:00am October 23, 2021. Drops can also be done by calling 307-214-5914 or emailing luribe@universityschools.com.

Student Judges: Each school is expected to provide 1 student judge per 5 interp/platform entries, and 1 student judge per 2 debate entries.

**In Tabroom, please add your students as judges to be assigned via Tabroom. (After the novice season you can remove the students from your judges list.) Students will either be assigned an async round (videos they will watch on their computer) or an in-person round, for which they will travel to the room. Please make a note in Tabroom if a student is only able to do async ballots, if your school is unable to travel. 

To develop and increase equity and diversity for our speech community, all coaches and student judges will be asked to fill out the judges’ diversity training prior to receiving ballots.

Important Reminders:  

•      Competition is open to 9-12 grade students in their first year of competition (novice) representing the school in which they are officially enrolled and doing so with the permission of their school administration and/or coaches. 

•      We will use NSDA rules for all events, including the updated guidelines on virtual competition. 

o   Duo will be split-screen or combined for async submissions.

•      Students MUST have a Tabroom account for the tournament. 

•      Students/Coaches will upload speeches by Friday, October 22st at 5pm for recorded events.

•  Miscellany:  A responsible coach must be present on site (reachable for their team via call or email).

 Questions and Concerns:  Please feel free to contact Louis Uribe at University High School, 307-214-5914 (cell), or luribe@univeristyschools.com