Knight’s Joust

In person with async

AWARDS: Top 5 and top Large school and small school sweepstakes.

Dates: November 13-14, 2024.

Location: Lone Peak High School, 10189 N 4800 W, Highland, UT 84003

Tournament Host/Director:

Michelle Walker: mwalker1@alpinedistrict.org

Monet Jarvie: monetjarvie@alpinedistrict.org

Cost: $25/day ($50 both days); $4/person per event

Judges: Speech 1:5, CX 1:2; Debates 1:4; Congress 1:5; Asynch: 1:6

• judges can judge both speech and debate events

• Asynchronous Fun Speech Events---Lip Synch, Storytelling, Declamation, News-anchor, Poetry, Oratory, Informative

• Students may double, triple or quadruple enter in Speech Events--at their own risk. Tournament will not be held up for double entries. Extemporaneous may not double-enter.

• Students may only participate in one Debate event

• Novice and Varsity Divisions Available in main events.

FEATURED EVENTS:

Special event: Knight's Melee: Think tag-team sparring - See Link

Novice and Varsity Speech Events

Novice: Mixed Extemp, Impromptu, SPAR, Combined Interps, Oratory, Informative

Varsity: US and Foreign Extemp (unless mixed is needed), Impromptu, SPAR, Combined Interps: HI DI Duo Poi, Oratory, Informative

Debate

Varsity and Novice: LD, Public Forum, Policy and Congress, Big Question

Asynchronous Events

Lip Sync, News-anchor, Storytelling, Declamation, Poetry, Oratory, Informative

1. Must submit by Wednesday Night. Must be recorded (without any editing) and uploaded as an unlisted youtube/google drive file (don’t use a school drive as it often blocks access--suggestion-create a team email/drive account an use that for either drive or youtube)

2. Put the link for the video in the description/title section for that competitor’s speech in tabroom.

3. Will be judged in advance and must be turned in by Deadline.

4. Lip Sync/Newscaster: Yes to props, scripts, and having lots of fun. NO to Greenscreens, special affects, or editing. Newscaster 1-2 people Lip Sync 1-6 people

5. Storytelling, may or may not have book/script in hand, may use a chair. Can be self written or published.
   
   

Schedule: *Please note BQ is on Saturday. Knight's Melee is on Friday

**Please communicate with Judges before round begins if you are double entered; you will need to go first or last.

Food:

*Will be selling Pizza on Friday and Saturday. Concessions will also be available.

Awards:

Awards for top 3 in each event. Sweepstakes for large school and small school.

Knight’s Joust Award: Awards will be given to the top NSDA points winners from all events combined.

Registration open August 29th - November 12th @ 3:00pm! Adds after this will be accepted as room allows.

Unique Events:

Knight’s Melee - Think Tag-team Spar. Each team of 4 to 6 competitors will flip a coin. Winner of the coin toss to choose the order of the topics. Loser of the coin toss will choose aff or neg for the first topic, and the other topics will alternate accordingly. There will be 5 topics total. Each team will get 7 minutes to prepare for the entire melee. May not double enter in other speeches.

News Anchor: In this event competitors present the news (real or fictional) as a news anchor or news anchor team. The news can be presented in a serious nature if you choose. However, satirical news presentations in the vein of Steven Colbert, John Stewart and Saturday Night Live are preferred. 5-10 minutes. As this is asynchronous this year, you may screen share images as part of your performance. Content must be school appropriate.

Poetry: Competitors can alternate between poetry and prose, but it is not required. They can do the same poetry piece or prose all three rounds. Pieces should be 5-7 minutes long.

Declamation: This is a 5-10 minute speech given in a public setting by a prominent individual.

TOPICS

Novice and Open LD - 2025/2026 November/December Open/Varsity topic.

Resolved: The United States ought to rewild substantial tracts of land.

Public Forum - 2025/2026 November/December Topic

Resolved: The United States federal government should require technology companies to provide lawful access to encrypted communications.

Congress - See Docket 2025 Docket

Big Questions: 2025/2026 Topic

Resolved: Moral systems rooted in theism are preferable to non-theistic moral systems.

Policy- 2025/2026 Topic

Resolved: The United States federal government should significantly increase its exploration and/or development of the Arctic.

Novice Case Limits for the 2025-2026 Policy Topic Exploration:

Early Warning Awareness: The U.S. should deploy sensors, drones, submarines, and/or satellites to improve early warning systems and monitor geopolitical threats in the Arctic.

Research Cooperation: The U.S. should restore scientific cooperation programs with Russia and/or China in the Arctic.

Development:

Renewable Energy Infrastructure: The U.S. should develop wind, solar, and geothermal energy projects in the Arctic to provide sustainable power for Arctic communities.

Oil and Gas Drilling: The U.S. should significantly increase offshore oil and natural gas drilling in the Arctic