Dear Colleague, 

You are cordially invited to enter the Crowe-Warken Debates at the United States Naval Academy. The tournament will take place in historic Annapolis, Maryland on January 16-18, 2016. Join us for a weekend of exceptional team policy debate competition between some of the nation’s premier forensic programs. 

Competitors will debate the following topic: “Resolved: The United States should significantly reduce its military presence in one or more of the following: the Arab states of the Persian Gulf, the Greater Horn of Africa, Northeast Asia.”
 
The tournament will include Varsity, Junior Varsity and Novice level competition and feature eight preliminary rounds of debate followed by elimination rounds relative to the field, not to exceed double octafinals.  All debates will use the 9-3-6 minute time format. Teams will receive 10 minutes of preparation time during each debate.  Judges will have 2:30 (from the start of the round) to complete decisions in prelims and 2:45 in elims.  In elims we will allow at least 15 minutes for post round discussion.  

Fees will be $55 per person, which covers our food expenses. The entry deadline is January 13 at 5 pm. Teams dropping after that time will be assessed entry fees.  Fees may be paid in cash or by a check made out to the “Midshipmen Welfare Fund”. Please be sure to indicate on tabroom any specific dietary needs/vegetarians in your contingent. Hired judging will be $120 per uncovered team. A very limited amount of hired judging is available so please notify us in advance if it will be required. 

We encourage entries from schools with new programs or schools with budget limitations.  Please let us know how we can assist you in attending the tournament.  In the past, we have been able to arrange accommodations and cover judging.  If you can make it to Annapolis, we are committed to ensuring you can debate!

All participants debate at the invitation of the United States Naval Academy according to its university policies and tournament rules, as well as any rules of their sponsoring institutions. The tournament abides by the rules and norms of the American Forensics Association and the American Debate Association.

Trophies will be awarded to all teams advancing to the octofinal round.  Trophies will also be awarded to the top ten individual speakers in each division of debate.  The Frank Harrison Award for Excellence in Coaching will be awarded to the coaches of the winners of each division.  The John Jay Pierpont Trophy, an eighteenth-century silver cup, will be presented to the winning Varsity team. The Pierpont Trophy may be displayed at the winning school for one calendar year. 

Tournament accommodations are available at the Best Western in Annapolis, located at 2520 Riva Road, Annapolis, MD.   Their telephone number is 410.224.2800.  Please request the USNA Debate Tournament Block. A special double room rate is available--$74.00 per night. The Best Western has guaranteed room rate and availability for tournament participants until January 3rd. After January 3, the Best Western will only offer rooms subject to availability and only at the going rate. 

Tournament registration will be held at the Best Western on Friday January 15.  Additionally, as the Best Western provides a continental breakfast beginning at 6 am, only coffee will be provided at the tournament in the morning.  Lunch will be provided at the tournament on all three days.  We also plan on having a variety of healthy snacks available.  

To ensure a pleasant experience at the Crowe-Warken Debates, please inform your participants of the following: 
1.   The Tournament will be governed by ADA rules.  Mutual preference judging will be applied in all three divisions.  Hybrid teams may clear.  The tab room will be directed by an outside committee, so in accordance with ADA rules, USNA teams may clear and receive speaker awards.
2.   The tournament will be conducted in academic facilities that will be used for classes shortly after the conclusion of the event.  Please respect the room and the materials within it.  
3.    There is absolutely no smoking (or vaping) in any Naval Academy building. Smoking areas are located outside some USNA buildings. Please dispose of smoking materials responsibly. 
4.   The Fifteen-Minute Forfeit rule will be in effect. If a team is not ready to debate 15 minutes after the announced start time of a debate, they forfeit the round. All judges are asked to finish coaching their team 5 minutes before round start time and get to the rounds they are judging. Judges who are fifteen or more minutes late to their rounds will cause the top team of the school (as determined by the tab room) they are representing to forfeit a debate. 
5.   As you register, please be aware that we need security information for each vehicle entering the Naval Academy including: Make, Model, License plate, Driver name, and Driver’s license number.   We need this information at least two weeks in advance.  If you are driving a rental vehicle, all we will need is the driver’s name and license number.  Please send your info to verney@usna.edu
6.   If you have any questions, please contact Danielle Verney O’Gorman at 410.293.6853. Entry is through DebateResults.
We look forward to enjoying the fine Annapolis-in-January weather with you this year!

Sincerely, 
Danielle Verney O’Gorman              LCDR Michael Sturm                  MIDN Tyler Roach
Director of Debate                             Officer Representative          Tournament Logistics 

Naval Academy Debate Tournament 
Tentative Tournament Schedule 
January 16-18, 2015

Friday, January 15
2000-2300 PM: Early Registration, Best Western Hotel, Annapolis (teams who do not arrive for early registration should confirm their entry by email to tomogorman@gmail.com AND contact same to arrange for vehicle access on Saturday morning)

Saturday, January 16
0730 Pairings for Round 1 and 2 released
0745 USNA Buildings Open to debaters
0830-1100 Round I 
1100-1330 Round II 
1330 Lunch 
1400 Round 3 and 4 pairing released
1430-1700 Round III 
1700-1930 Round IV 

Sunday, January 17
0730 Pairings for Round 5 and 6 released
0745 USNA Buildings Open to debaters
0830-1100 Round V 
1100-1330 Round VI 
1330 Lunch - Mahan Lobby 
1400 Round 7 pairing released
1430-1700 Round VII 
1715 Round 8 pairing released
1745-2015 Round VIII

Pairings, Brackett, and Judges needed for 1^st elimination round will be released Sunday Night

Monday, January 18
0730 USNA Buildings Open – Panels for first elimination round released
0745 Coin Flip Deadline per ADA Rules
0815-1100 First elimination round
1115 Awards Ceremony—Mahan Lobby
1145-1415 Elimination rounds continue
1400 Lunch