Kentucky District Qualifier

for the 2021 National Tournament

IE/Debate Tournament Invitation

The Kentucky District National Qualifying Tournament for IE and debate events will be held Tuesday, March 16 through Saturday, March 20 using the Tabroom/NSDA Campus platform.  Please read this invitation carefully, utilize the hyperlinks, and ask questions as you have them.  Although the process has been streamlined in recent years, there is a lot of information and registering to compete at the district tournament is a time consuming process!  You cannot wait until the last minute to register.  

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Tournament Format:  We are no longer using the up/down system, as it is being phased out and will no longer be an option for districts next year.  The district qualifier will follow a more traditional tournament format, using the pilot rules for both IE and debate.  Below is an overview; complete details and rules can be found in the pilot district manual.

Debate:  There will be four preliminary rounds, each adjudicated by one judge.  Entries with a winning record will advance to a single-elimination bracket.  Events with small enough numbers will hold a round-robin. 

IE:  There will be 3 preliminary rounds, each adjudicated by two judges.  At least the top 25% will advance out of prelims.  We will advance at least five entries (For example, let’s say oratory has 12 entries.  Twenty-five percent of 12 is three, but five entries would advance.  If oratory had 30 entries, then 25% would be 7.5.  Therefore, eight students would advance.) to outrounds.  Events with fewer than eight entries will not hold elimination rounds.  With the exception of IX and USX, all preliminary rounds will be asynchronous.  With the exception of Duo, all elimination rounds will be synchronous.  

Platform:  We will be using NSDA campus, which is accessed via Tabroom.com.  ALL students and judges must have linked accounts!  In addition, all students and judges must have camera and microphone access, whether on a desktop/laptop computer or mobile device.  Participants should test their connection beforehand and make sure they can use the platform.  Mobile devices need the jitsi app installed.  Schools that have not competed synchronously before should test technology at least three weeks ahead of this tournament and may find this info sheet helpful.   

*SUBJECT TO CHANGE!!!  Rounds may need to be adjusted based on entries in each event.  Make sure your students and judges are available for live rounds both Friday and Saturday, even if their event is listed only on one day.

***Debate elims will run as warranted

Student Entries: Students may enter two speech/debate events (HI, DI, Duo, Info, OO, POI, IX, USX, LD, PFD, CX).  Students who are doubling in team events (Duo, PFD, CX) must do so with the same partner.  Students may NOT double in debate events.  Students who are entered in more than one event at the IE/debate tournament and/or also entered in the congress tournament must complete the single entry letter of intent, which is signed by the coach and must be turned in by on-site registration.

School Limits:  Each school receives a total number of speech/debate entries based on its strength (members and degrees).  Within that total, only four entries per event are allowed.  You can view your strength on your school profile.  

Judges: You must provide 1 judge for every 4 entries in IE.  You must provide 1 judge for every 2 entries in debate. The head coach of each school must be listed as a judge.  We want to send our best kids to nationals, and we want the best judges we can get!  All judges are expected to judge Public Forum, regardless of whether or not a school has PF entries.  Additionally, all IE judges must be available for asynchronous and synchronous judging. You may be asked to reduce your entry if you cannot supply adequate judging.  

Fees:  Entries are $12.  Missing/hired judges are $60.  All schools are assessed a $10 fee for the Harlen Hamm award.  ALL prior money owed to the district AND nationals must be paid by on-site registration or your school will not be allowed to compete.  

Event-Specific Notes:

US and International Extemp - students are NOT allowed a notecard.  There will be NO cross-examination period in any round.  Students may use the internet for research.  ALL rounds of extemp are synchronous.  Details can be found on page 50 of the unified manual, with the new guidelines for internet-enabled devices on page 53.

Oratory and Informative - Scripts do not need to be submitted, but like interp events should be on hand if called into question.  The script must identify quoted materials, state the number of quoted words, include a work cited page in APA or MLA format.

LD, PF, and CX - Students may use the internet for research.  Details on proper electronic use can be found on page 28 of the unified manual.

Duo - Duo will be entirely asynchronous.  Teams must submit split-screen recordings that show students in separate rooms.

Interp - All literature used in interp events must be identified on Tabroom.  That means that if your POI has material from 20 different sources, you must cite all 20 sources.  Note that NSDA has made some major changes to source material requirements. While the requirements for digital sources have been relaxed, it is still your responsibility to verify that the material used in an interp event meets those requirements.  Legal material is discussed beginning on page 46 of the unified manual.  

Nominate your students and colleagues for awards!  Please nominate worthy individuals for awards:

Student of the Year - presented to a graduating senior who best represents the tenets of the Association’s Code of Honor: integrity, respect, humility, leadership, and service. Nominees must also demonstrate strong academic credentials and a commitment to the speech and debate community. The district winner is considered for the national award. The nomination form is found online and is due March 15.

Harlen Hamm Award - cash award presented to a graduating senior who is competing in speech and/or debate events at the district tournament. The nominating letter should describe the senior’s forensics activities (including awards and leadership positions), community and school activities/participation, and especially service and participation in NSDA at the district and national levels. Each school may nominate one student. Nomination letters are due via this form by March 15.

Coach of the Year - honors high school coaches who reflect outstanding leadership and commitment to speech and debate activities. Nominees must be established NSDA member coaches. Coaches cannot nominate themselves. The district winner is considered for the national award.  The nomination form is found online and is due March 15.

New Coach of the Year - presented to an exemplary high school coach who is in his or her first year of NSDA membership (coaching merit date on/after July 1, 2020).  Coaches cannot nominate themselves.  The district winner is considered for the national award.  The nomination form is found online and is due March 15. 

Assistant Coach of the Year - recognizes an exemplary high school assistant coach serving at an NSDA member school.  Coaches cannot nominate themselves.  District winner considered for the national award.  The nomination form is found online and is due March 15.

Administrator of the Year - recognizes a school or district administrator who supports speech and debate activities.  The district winner is considered for the national award.  The nomination form is found online and is due March 15.

National Tournament:  June 13-18, ONLINE

Deadlines:

Friday, March 12 at 8pm: entries, interp info due on Tabroom 

Monday, March 15 at 11pm: video links on Tabroom, nominations for awards, single entry letters of intent due 

Questions?  Call/text/email me!  859-496-2647  rachel.page@boone.kyschools.us