Invitation: 1st Annual Brad Smith Memorial Debate Tournament - Regional Championship and District 8 NDT Qualifier - at the University of Rochester

Dear Friends,

The University of Rochester Debate Union is pleased to invite you to the first annual H. Brad Smith Memorial Debate Tournament, taking place Saturday, February 26th and Sunday, February 27th at the gorgeous winter wonderland that is the University of Rochester campus. Our tournament is named in memory of H. Brad Smith, a longtime and invaluable supporter of the University of Rochester Debate Union, who passed away last year. We are thankful that Brad’s wife Jane Smith will be joining us to celebrate Brad and, as always, to help us run the tournament.

It is appropriate that this year our tournament will serve as the CEDA Northeast Regional Championship in Novice and JV – Brad’s first experience of debate was in the policy format, and as most of you probably remember, he hugely enjoyed judging debates over the course of the weekend. We’ll strive to keep that spirit that Brad brough to the “BS Debate Tournament” going strong this Spring!

Regionals: We’ll be offering five preliminary rounds of Novice debate on Saturday with elimination rounds on Sunday; in JV we will have five preliminary rounds Saturday and round 6 on Sunday morning. Elimination rounds to follow, breaking to Octos or Quarters depending on the size of the field.

Districts: We’ll be following the established rules for the District 8 tournament. Three rounds each on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.

Tournament Info:

Tournament Director: 

Brady Fletcher - feel free to contact me with any questions (585) 755-5156 (cell) or brady.fletcher@gmail.com 

Tab director(s): 

Regionals (Nov and JV): Joe Schatz; District 8 Qualifier: Sam Godbey and Kathryn Rubino

Registration and Entry Questions/Concerns:

Please enter all teams on tabroom by Tuesday before the tournament.

• Email any registration questions or concerns to Brady Fletcher at brady.fletcher@rochester.edu 

The judging requirement for Regionals will be n-1 to ensure we have a large enough judge pool. For Districts, judging will be n (one judge per team). That judge pool will only be as strong as your judges, so please be good community members and bring your extraordinary critics!

We will also have some limited funds to hire external judges for the Districts pool. We’ll use the Hiring Exchange on tabroom, so please look there if you need to hire.

The remainder of this invitation includes all the necessary information for registration and lodging, as well as the schedule. We hope to see you at our tournament in November – please let me know if we can do anything to help make that happen. I can be reached at (585) 755-5156 for any last-minute questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Brady Fletcher

Director, University of Rochester Debate Union

Registration

Entry fees will be $50 per in-person team. That fee will cover breakfast and lunch on both days.

• Please make all checks payable to “University of Rochester.”

Lodging (recommendations nearby, no official “tournament hotel”)

Staybridge Suites (by far the most geographically convenient, 15-minute walk to tournament): 

1000 Genesee St, Rochester, NY 14611

$122/night rate, no deadline

Best Western (10-15min drive to campus): $89/night rate UNTIL FEB 16

940 Jefferson Road Rochester, New York 14623 United States

Call Group Reservations: 585-427-2700 and use code: 1444

Or you can use this link:

https://www.bestwestern.com/en_US/book/rochester/hotel-rooms/best-western-rochester-marketplace-inn/propertyCode.33132.html 

Sexual Harassment and Discrimination

The University of Rochester will uphold the principle of debate in an atmosphere of civility and mutual respect. All our guests should be treated fairly without regard to race, creed, age, gender identity, sex, national origin, and sexual orientation. Any incidences of harassment or discrimination should be reported to the tournament director (Brady Fletcher) immediately. 

Tournament Schedule (tentative)

Saturday

7:00am – 8am        Registration and Breakfast in Hutchison Hall

8am                        Round 1 Start

10:30am                Round 2 Start

12:30-1:30            Lunch in Hutchison Hall

1:30                       Round 3 Start

4:00                       Round 4 Start

6pm-7pm               Dinner in Hutchison Hall

7pm                         Round 5 Start (Nov and JV, Regionals)

Sunday

7–8am                 Breakfast and Check-in, Hutchison Hall

8am                     Elim Round 1 (Nov); Round 6 Start (JV); Round 5 Start (D8)

10:30                   Elim Round 2 (Nov); Elim Round 1 (JV); Round 6 Start (D8)

12:30-1:30pm      Lunch and Awards, Hutchison Hall

1:30pm                  Elim Round 3 (Nov); Elim Round 2 (JV)

3:30pm                Final Elims