The Yale Debate Association is pleased to invite the Connecticut debate community to attend the 41st annual Rollin G. Osterweis debate tournament on Sunday, April 16, 2023. We are very excited to be hosting the tournament in-person for the first time since 2019; all events will take place on Yale’s campus in New Haven, CT.

The Osterweis is a free tournament for Connecticut high school students to experience the collegiate style of parliamentary debate. In addition to excellent competition, students will enjoy judging and feedback from current members of the YDA, as well as the opportunity to spend time on Yale’s campus. The tournament is named after Rollin G. Osterweis, the first coach of the YDA and a legendary figure in the debate community; you can read more about him at the page on the right.

Debates will focus on issues familiar to the average student, including American and international politics, ethics, and justice. The Osterweis will follow the American Parliamentary Debate Association format; information about the format can be found at the page on the right. YDA debaters will judge each round and provide feedback to each debater, and awards will be given to the top speakers and teams in each division.

Registration for the tournament takes place here, on Tabroom.com. For the full registration schedule, instructions, and requirements, see the page on the right. In particular, please note the information about the COVID-19 vaccination requirement.

A downloadable invitation with more details about the tournament is available at the top right. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at ydatournaments+osterweis@gmail.com; you can generally expect a response within 48 hours. We look forward to welcoming you to Yale’s campus in April!