2025 FGCCFL Grand Finals

February 8, 2025

Wharton High School

20150 Bruce B. Downs

Tampa, FL 33647

Host Coach: Ryan Grau

Phone 813.631.4710 | Email Ryan.Grau1@hcps.net

PLEASE READ THIS INVITATION CAREFULLY!

This is the qualifying tournament for NCFL Grand Nationals in Chicago. It has different registration requirements and a significantly different schedule than FGCCFL’s regular All Events tournaments.

Pay close attention to deadlines and requirements.

Tournament Information

Events and Entry Limits: All NCFL events. No more than FOUR entries per event. No double entries. LD will use the January/February resolution. PFD will use the February resolution. Declamation is limited to students in grades 9-10.

Eligibility: To be eligible to attend Grand Finals, member schools must have competed in at least two 2024-2025 FGCCFL tournaments, and students must have competed in at least one 2024-2025 FGCCFL tournament.

Schedule Note: All events will compete all day Saturday only. See the enclosed timetable for more information.

Fees: $40.00 per competitor including host/meal fees PLUS an additional $10.00 meal fee for each judge. Fees can be paid via PayPal <@payfgccfl>, check for the full amount (payable to FGCCFL), or cash. All fees must be paid in full by the tournament's fourth round. Late payments are no longer accepted.

Food: Closed campus (FGCCFL rule). No one may leave campus for meals, and no one may have meals delivered during the tournament. Meals are automatically ordered for students and judges as part of registration; one complimentary lunch will be provided to each school for the head coach. Coaches must order all vegetarian meals on Tabroom. Lunch: Subs. PM Snack: Pizza

Judging requirements:

§ Policy: One (1) judge for each Policy team

§ Speech/Congress: One (1) judge per four (4) entries or fraction thereof

§ LD and PFD: One (1) judge per two (2) LD or PFD entries or fraction thereof

All judges must be available through the final round, even if the school’s entries are no longer competing. We will use three-judge panels for Debate runoffs and Super Congress.

COACHES: Do NOT count yourself in your judge quota as we must be able to use you where needed. All coaches should be prepared to serve as Parliamentarians, supervise Extemp Prep, and/or judge paneled break rounds. Judges should be cross-trained in all events within their division. Remember to list conflicts (by STUDENT FULL NAME) in the “Judge Notes” space on Tabroom. At least one Speech/Congress judge should have no entry conflicts in Congress.

Electronic Balloting: This tournament will use Tabroom electronic ballots IN ALL EVENTS. Judges must have a linked Tabroom account and provide a suitable connected device (laptop or tablet). Paper ballots will be available in the event of equipment failure or network outage.

Registration for the Tournament

Go to <http://fgccflgf.tabroom.com/>. Be sure to register for the correct tournament. Registration must be submitted online by the head coach only. Registration will not be accepted after the entry deadline or by any means other than Tabroom unless otherwise directed by the Executive Committee. Pay attention to your school registration for students in correct events, judges in correct divisions/pools, and total meal orders. Please have registration confirmed before registering the team on Tabroom.

The entry deadline for Grand Finals is 9 p.m. EST on Thursday, January 30. Tabroom will stop accepting registrations at that time. Be sure to allow sufficient time to complete your registration by the entry deadline.

Coaches must have set up team and judge rosters on Tabroom before attempting to register. All students and judges must set up their own Tabroom accounts.

Additional Registration Requirements -- See the Full Tournament Invitation at right

Changes After the Deadline

Drops may be made online until 9 p.m. on Monday, February 3. All other changes made after the entry deadline but before the start of the tournament must be emailed to Jym Froelich <James.Froelich@sarasotacountyschools.net> and Josh Schneider <josh@fgccfl.net>. Schools will forfeit fees for all drops made after the entry deadline.

PLEASE NOTE: The Executive Committee will levy additional tournament fees of $25.00 for any dropped entry not declared before noon on Friday, February 7, and for each registered, but missing judge.

Tournament Day Registration (7:15-7:45 a.m.)

Only the head coach or principal-designated substitute should proceed through the registration line. Coaches should have invoice and registration forms printed from Tabroom and correct fees in check/large bills or paid online via the website.

Head coaches should report to the Tab Room (in the Media Center). Students will report to the Cafeteria. Judges will report to their Lounge in the Media Center. Schools must register by the end of the registration windows above. Announcements will begin at 8 a.m., followed by postings/judge calls and rounds.