Eligibility

School Eligibility

Participants must be students in good standing at anIDCA member school. The membership dues for each school are $60 annually if that school is bringing four or more teams. Schools bringing fewer than four teams to the tournament must pay dues of $20. Dues must be paid prior to the start of round one. Teams may pay at registration.

Novice Eligibility

Each IDCA member school is permitted a maximum of five teams with an option for a sixth team if space permits. Maverick (single person) entries are not eligible. If at any point in time during the tournament a debater competes without a partner, that team/student will no longer be eligible for elimination rounds.

Only students with fewer than 16 rounds of tournament competition prior to their first year of high school debate are eligible to compete in the Novice division. "Rounds of tournament competition" are defined as any debate contest decided by a judge's ballot at a competition involving four or more schools. Any middle school or junior high school rounds of tournament competition will count toward eligibility.

Junior Varsity Eligibility

Each IDCA member school is permitted a maximum of five teams with an option of a sixth team if space permits. Maverick (single person) entries are not eligible. If at any point in time during the tournament a debater competes without a partner, that team/student will no longer be eligible for elimination rounds.

Students are eligible to compete in the Junior Varsity division if they are in their first or second year of high school debate. Students who have had one previous year engaging in high school debate tournament rounds are eligible to compete. Students in their third year of high school debate tournament competition are ineligible. Any middle school or junior high school rounds of tournament competition are counted toward eligibility.

For a definition of "rounds of tournament competition," please the explanation provided above under "Novice Eligibility."