Dear Colleagues,

On behalf of the Myers Park Speech and Debate team, we would like to invite you to consider participation in the 50th Annual Laird Lewis Invitational at Myers Park High School in Charlotte, North Carolina on January 7-8, 2023.

Events at this year’s tournament will be:

Debate

Varsity and Novice Lincoln-Douglas

Varsity and Novice Public Forum Debate

Varsity and Novice Congressional Debate

Public Address

Declamation, Extemporaneous Speaking, Impromptu, Informative Speaking, and Original Oratory

Oral Interpretation

Dramatic Interpretation, Duo Interpretation, Humorous Interpretation, Poetry/Prose, and Programmed Oral Interpretation

We are pleased to be able to continue to offer Tournament Of Champions bids to Quarterfinalists in Public Forum Debate in the GOLD division, and Octafinalists in the SILVER division, and Finalist competitors in Lincoln-Douglas Debate. TOC Bids in speech events will depend on numbers.

Given that the pandemic is a constantly evolving situation, we reserve the right to move the tournament online at a later date, but we hope to welcome you all to our campus in 2023.We will post announcements and new information regularly if this becomes a safety issue in 2023, so be sure to check back regularly. Please be sure to note drop deadlines and penalties.

We want to give every school a chance to register their students. Please see the Fees and Deadlines page for details. Although there is no drop fee, fees will be frozen, and not adjusted, after January 5^th, 2023. Due to area regulations, and the policies of some area schools, we have altered the Congress and Speech schedules to reflect reduced numbers and a Saturday only event. The TOC qualifying events will not be affected. For students remaining with schools on Sunday, a mini-tournament of Extemporaneous Debate will be offered.

As we close, we would like to thank you for consideration of this invitation to attend the Laird Lewis Invitational on January 7-8, 2023. We know you have a lot of choices when it comes to tournament attendance, and we are glad you have selected the Laird Lewis Invitational. If at any time you have questions regarding this tournament, or if there is anything we can help you with, please do not hesitate to contact me (lynnecoyne@gmail.com) at your earliest convenience.

Most sincerely,

Lynne Coyne, Tom Hamilton, Robert O'Donnell, and Bob Folk (Principal)

Congress Schedule

Saturday, January 7

9:00 am-11:30 am  Session 1

12:30 pm-3:00 pm Session 2

4:00 pm-6:30 pm Final Session

7:00 pm Awards

Speech Schedule

Saturday, January 7

9:00 am Round 1

11:00 am Round 2

1:00 pm Round 3

3:00 pm Round 4

5:30 pm Finals

7:00 pm Awards

TOC Debate Events Schedule

Schedule based on clearing 4-2s...may schedule may be altered based on number of entries and required elimination rounds.

Saturday, January 7

8:30 am  Pairings Released

9:00 am  Round 1

10:30 am  Pairings Released

11:00 am  Round 2

1:30 pm  Pairings Released

2:00 pm  Round 3

3:30 pm  Pairings Released

4:00 pm  Round 4

6:00 pm Pairings Released

6:30 pm  Round 5

Sunday, January 8

7:30 am  Pairings Released

8:00 am  Round 6

10:30 am  Pairings Released

11:00 am  Elimination Round 1

12:30 pm  Pairings Released

1:00 pm  Elimination Round 2

2:00 pm  Pairings Released

2:30 pm  Elimination Round 3

4:30 pm  Pairings Released

5:00 pm  Elimination Round 4

At the start of the elimination rounds, registration will open for a consolation event mini-tournament of Extemporaneous Debate. Registration will be at 11:00am. The event will be open to any non-advancing debater or speaker remaining with their debate squad. A schedule will be announced on Sunday morning based on entry numbers.