Hello Friends, Neighbors and Colleagues:

The students of Athens HIgh School Speech and Debate, along with Nicole Cornish and I, would like to invite you to our community for a quality face to face forensic experience. We will again be returning to our TFA/UIL swing format with a full TFA tournament Friday November 11. We are returning to the UIL portion of our swing with full academic events along with MIDDLE SCHOOL events on Saturday November 12..  Athens High School, our parents and students, and the community of Athens, Texas would hope that you all will come and experience our open armed welcome as we show off the best hosting experience our community has to offer.

The details:

Deadlines: We would appreciate completed entries by Thursday, November 10th.  Drops for speech & debate events made after Tuesday, November 8th at 5:00 pm will result in the loss of your entry fee.  Drops made the day of the tournament will result in a $100.00 drop fee.

Cross Entering: You may only enter one debate event as well as one extemp speaking event.  We would discourage students from entering Debate and the speaking events, but entering one debate event and one speaking event is permissible. In addition, students may enter as many individual events as they would like, but we would discourage over extending young people with too many cross-entries.

Judging: Each school will be required to provide reasonably qualified judges. More details are on the Tournament Information Page. We will be balloting through tabroom, so your judges need to have tabroom accounts and a device for entering the ballots. We can accommodate a degree of judge tabroom training, if you let us know with enough time before the round begins. Also, note that judges ought to write a little about their paradigms on tabroom, even if it is only to say that they are parents judging in support of their team. First Year out judges definitely need to be noted on the paradigms.

            CX Debate:  One judge per two teams or part thereof

            LD Debate:  One judge per two entries or part thereof

            PFD:  One Judge per two teams or part thereof

            Speaking Events:  One judge for each 6 entries or part thereof

If you have any questions, please feel free to call us. We are also available by email:

Nicole Cornish                                                              Walter Willis

School phone: 903-677-6920                                         School Phone: 903-677-6920

Cell: 903-570-4949                                                        Cell: 713-819-2082

NCornish@AthensISD.net                                              WWillis@AthensISD.net

Hospitality and student meals. As forensics sponsors and debate coaches, Mrs. Cornish and I are both characterized largely by our East Texas roots. Hosting is something we take seriously, and particularly hospitality. Our community is eager to host you and your kids and we expect you to leave with great memories of the competition, the collegiality and the food. Similarly,, we are making every effort to be sure the food offerings in concessions are wholesome and priced reasonably.

Coronavirus Protocols. We are mindful that this virus is continuing to require our vigilance. We are going to recommend common sense and consideration for others above all else. While we will require no specific protocols at this time, we do reserve the right to change this approach should the community appear to be experiencing a surge. It is our hope that all who attend are comfortable with the face to face experience and our prayer that the only thing ‘spread’ is a neighborly spirit and the educational rigor of a fine forensic competition.

Warm Regards,

Nicole and Walter