Northern Lights District Qualifier

for the 2022 National Tournament

Congress Qualifier Information

2021 Northern Lights NSDA Congress Qualifier

November 19-20, 2021 - Robbinsdale Cooper HS

Greetings Congress Coaches,

On behalf of the Northern Lights District Committee, it is my pleasure to invite you and your team to the 2021 NSDA District Qualifier in Congressional Debate, held in person at Robbinsdale Cooper High School on Friday, November 19 and Saturday, November 20. Please use the ‘register’ tab at http://northernlights.tabroom.com to complete your registration. 

Please note the following important details:

1. Registration: We are using Tabroom.com as our online host for the NL District Tournament Series. Registration is now open at http://northernlights.tabroom.com. Remember that all entries must be submitted no later than Friday, November 12 at 8pm. 

2. Chapter Dues/Membership Requirements: You will not be able to register on Tabroom.com unless your school has paid its annual chapter dues to the NSDA. Please take care of this promptly so that you have no difficulties in entering. In addition, all students must be on record as members of the NSDA seven days prior to the tournament. These two items are non-negotiable as they are dictated by the national office. Please let me know ASAP if you need help with this.

3. Legislation: Each school that attends the Northern Lights MN Congress Tournament may submit up to three pieces of legislation. One should be marked “primary” to reserve for the final round. The legislation should be emailed to allison.harmer@isd728.org by 3:00pm on Friday, October 29. Legislation will be sent to schools and posted to our tabroom site early the following week, allowing students nearly three weeks to research and prepare. The order of the docket will be determined by the entries in each chamber. All legislation marked “primary” will be reserved for the final round.

4. Judges: We are once again collaborating with both Central and Southern Minnesota Districts. Our school-provided judges will judge in those two districts. In turn, their judges will judge for NL. This arrangement not only allows us to have unaffiliated judges in each district, but also provides all schools financial savings. Please make sure to provide quality judges (not new or novice judges - experienced judges are preferred as they choose who goes to nationals). Coaches or regular, experienced judges are ideal for this. Note: Each school is required to bring ONE judge who can serve for the duration of the tournament. If you have trouble with this, please let me know!

5. Schedule: All districts requiring more than one preliminary chamber MUST hold a final session. Based on previous entry numbers, we anticipate two preliminary rounds and a final round in the House and three preliminary rounds (no final) in the Senate. Our schedule is as follows:

Friday, Nov. 19:

Registration/Check-in: 4:45-5:00pm

Preliminary Session I: 5:30-8:15pm

Saturday, Nov. 20:

Preliminary Session II: 8:30-11:15am

Finals Postings (House): 12:15pm

Preliminary Session III (House and Senate): 12:30-3:15pm

Awards: 4:00pm 

6. Fees: In addition to paying your NSDA annual membership fee, please bring a check made to Northern Lights to cover your entry fees (or a PO if your school is slow in processing checks). There is a $25 school fee and each entry is $12.00. Fees are frozen on Nov. 12 at 8pm. If your school mails checks, please address letters to me:

Moorhead High School

Attn. Andrew Tichy

2300 4th Ave. S.

Moorhead, MN 56560

7. Qualifiers: In the House, an equal number of students from each preliminary chamber will advance to the final round. Based on total entry numbers, we expect the top TWO students from the final round to advance to the 2022 National Tournament. In the Senate, the top two students will advance to Nationals. 

8. COVID Protocols 

The Robbinsdale Area Schools has a strict mask requirement for all students, staff, and visitors to the building regardless of their vaccination status or a recent negative Covid-19 Test. All students must wear a mask, even while giving speeches. We will do our best to create pods in the cafeteria for schools to be seated by school. 

As always, please let me know if you have any questions. I look forward to seeing you in person at Robbinsdale Cooper High School in November!