Tournament Rules and Recording Guidelines

Eligibility

To compete in this tournament, students must be enrolled in the sixth, seventh, or eighth grade.

If a student competes for a non-school-based club, and their accredited school is attending our tournament, that student must compete for their accredited school. Students who violate this rule will be disqualified.

Coaches may only sponsor one non-school-based club.

Material

A student may not reuse material presented at any competition during a previous academic year. For the purposes of this tournament, the academic year begins in August and ends with the NSDA National Tournament in June. Consequently, students may not use material that they presented at the 2020 NSDA Middle School Speech Challenge.

Students may not use the same material in multiple events. Transcripts of oratories and interpretation material should be available for verification if necessary. 

Interpretation pieces must meet NSDA standards for publication.

Recording Asynchronous Events

In accordance with Texas Forensic Association rules, "a competitor may not use the same recorded performance for more than two tournament weekends. (These do not have to be consecutive weekends.)"

The camera must remain stationary during the performance, but competitors may place themselves within the frame as they see fit. Students may move in and out of the frame.

Competitors may not use green screens, virtual backgrounds, or professional backgrounds that are not a solid color. On-screen text is prohibited.

Recordings must be of a single take. No editing or splicing of performances is allowed.

Duo interpretation recordings must be split screen. Students may not be in the same room when recording.

If you provide a YouTube link for your recorded video, it should be unlisted, but not private.

If you provide a Google Drive or OneDrive link, make sure the file sharing setting allows anyone to view your video.

Check all video links to make sure they work.