In-House Tournament

Dear Vancouver Debate Academy (VDA) Students,

We are excited to announce the upcoming "Winter Warm-Up” End-of-Year Tournament scheduled for December 9, 2023! This tournament will serve as a platform to showcase your skills, challenge your peers and celebrate your progress throughout the term. All students across the Academy are encouraged to participate! NSDA points will be awarded through tabroom.

Tournament Logistics:

Date: December 9, 2023

Qualifier: This tournament will also serve as a qualifier for the upcoming PRESTIGIOUS Deliberative Dialogue Series with Economic Thinking on December 20, 2023.

Division Details:

Junior Division: Grade 8 and below

Format: Canadian National Debate Format (CNDF)

Number of Rounds: 3 (1 Prepared; 2 Impromptu)

Divisions: Students will compete against other teams in the same division.

• Novice - Foundation & Intermediate Students

• JV - Pre-Advanced

• Open - Advanced & Rising Stars

Senior Division: Grade 9+

Format: British Parliamentary (BP)

Number of Rounds: 3

Division: Students will compete in a single division.

Awards: Awards will be based on win-loss record through three rounds with ties broken on speaker scores.

Judges: The Winter Warm-Up will be judged by experienced VDA coaches and judges.

Fees: $100 fee per debater covers entrance fees and judges

Deliberative Dialogue Series:

The Deliberative Dialogue Series is an exciting opportunity for our students to compete for a cash prize and collaborate with renowned economist Dr. Gregory Rehmke on economic issues facing North America. Thanks to VDA's partnership with Economic Thinking, we are proud to offer this unique experience to ten exceptional students.

What's in it for you as a participant in the Deliberative Dialogue Series:

1. Cash Prize: The series' first event will feature two teams competing for a cash prize.

2. Economic Fellowship: You will have the opportunity to become an Economic Fellow, receiving free training and collaborating with Dr. Gregory Rehmke.

3. Profile Enhancement: This experience will broaden your public image and profile as VDA evolves into a full-service educational institute dedicated to pushing our students to new heights.

Important Note:

Participation in the "End-of-Year In-House Tournament" is a prerequisite to qualify for the prestigious Deliberative Dialogue Series. This tournament will be your gateway to this incredible opportunity, and we encourage all eligible students to participate.

We look forward to seeing you at the "End-of-Year In-House Tournament" on December 9th, 2023, and witnessing your remarkable debating skills. This is a chance to not only showcase your abilities but also take a step towards becoming an Economic Fellow and making a significant impact on economic discussions.

Please mark your calendars, and stay tuned for more details and registration information. Prepare to engage in thoughtful and stimulating debates, showcase your talents, and take a step closer to becoming a leader in economic thinking!

Schedule and Tournament Format

Junior Format:

• Canadian National Debate Format, with six minute speeches.

• Rounds 1 and 2 will be prepared, with competitors debating both sides.

• The topic for the prepared rounds will be: THW ban “tent cities”.

• Round 3 will be impromptu.

• This tournament will be a round robin with no breaks only final seedings based on wins and ranks.

• In the event tiebreakers are needed we will prioritise averaged ranks and then drop high and lows.

Senior Format:

• British Parliamentary style, with four teams per room and 5-minute speeches in preliminary rounds and 7-minute speeches in elimination rounds.

• This tournament will be a round robin with no breaks only final seedings based on wins and ranks.

• In the event tiebreakers are needed we will prioritise averaged ranks and then drop high and lows.

Speech Times:

Tournament Platform: Pairings will be on tabroom.com but rounds will be hosted via Zoom. Links will be sent out to participants the day before the start of the tournament.