Observer and Entourage Rule (updated 12/11)

Observers Policy and Entourage Judging Rule:

Observer Policy -- After much discussion we found a better way to allow observers. Here are the details

No student observers.

At this point - no Congress observers

LD, PF, Policy, MS/Novice Policy and Worlds Coach observers are allowed to watch their own team's rounds only.  Each debate (excluding Congress) is allowed one coach observer from each team in the debate. To be allowed to do this, the coach observer must be on the active judge list for the Edie Tournament for that team.  They must be in the judge pool that their students are competing in for 1 prelim and the first elim round (if you don't want in an elim round then we will accept 2 prelim rounds). A coach cannot watch teams that are not their own.

This was much easier than a separate event pool and provides more active and experienced judges in the pool.

We truly believe watching your debaters is critical for education and coaching. This policy will run thru prelims and elims.  We hope to live stream a good deal of rounds for debaters to observe.  To be an observer you must have signed up in the "observer" event and have a tabroom account. 

Parents - If a school wants a parent to watch then they need to enter that parent in as a judge.  If the parent watches then that parent is taking up the one coach slot for that round. You cannot have a parent and a coach from the same team in the round. 

College Representatives and Directors -- These folks may watch rounds if they are looking at students as prospects for their University and ALL of the debaters in the round are fine with it.  These judges must be part of the active pool either as a judge for a school in the tournament or as a person who has volunteered to the pool.  

Clarifications on who can be asked to leave the round.

**Coaches of the teams involved - no one can ask them to leave - they can watch their students.

**College coach or representatives -- Any of the student debaters in the room can ask the college representative to not watch the round. We do think that in our former environment students wanted to be seen by college coaches and so we want to allow that for the students.  We hope the opposing team will allow it as the college representative is there to see the student prospect. But, any debater in the round can ask the college representative to leave.

Any observer must have their camera on during tech check time and verify who they are and follow proper naming protocols.  The observer cameras should be off during the debate and during the RFD.  Observers should not comment on the decision. 

Entourage -- This is tied to coach observers.  If you want to watch your team, then you will be in the pool to judge.  See above.

FAQ Items

1) Observer judges will all be in the elim pool unless you write me and say you want to do 2 prelims and not be in the elim pool and you can't then count toward your team's commitment.  Judges that count toward the commitment should be eligible for the elim round judging.

2) If you coach a second school you cannot observe that other team unless you a) email me the other school so we can ensure the conflict and b) add an extra prelim for every school you intend to watch. So, for example, two schools would be either 2 prelim/1 elim or 3 prelims. 

3) If you are an observer/coach you don't get to pick your rounds.  So, if you enter that you are not available to judge on Saturday, we assume you have personal issues taking you away from the tournament.  You cannot say you are not available to judge Saturday and then be there watching rounds on Saturday.

4) If you are part of a school commitment to meet their required rounds then as a judge you are in for all elimination rounds to which that school is obligated.