Region Rules

REGION 18 RULES

1.      Date of region tournament is set by the Region 18 principals and athletic directors and is approved by UHSAA.

2.      This year the tournament is set for Saturday, February 27, 2016, at Intermountain Christian School, 6515 S. Lion Lane, in Salt Lake City, Utah.  Registration begins at 8:15 AM and the tournament will conclude at approximately 5:00 PM.  A tournament schedule is attached.

3.      Students may have to be judged by a judge from own school because of the small number of schools and judges available.  Judges are advised to be as impartial as possible.  Students may have to compete against students from their own school for the same reason.  The tournament director will make an effort to minimize these occurrences.

 4.      Each school may have at least 6 entries for each event (public forum at least 4 entries—2 qualify for state).  Additional entries may be allowed to ensure sufficient entries in certain events to provide a competitive number in each event.  Schools may request additional entries in specified events; alternate entries will be divided from among those requesting additional entries.  This is especially true in PF, LD, Oratory, Extemp, and sometimes Congress.  Any additional entries will be eligible for qualifying for state and if entered and competing will not be automatically disqualified. Any extra entries in an event will not count for sweepstakes points, but will be eligible to compete for State qualification. 

5.      The schedule for the day places the four individual events (Congress, Original Oratory, Impromptu, and Extemporaneous Speaking) in the morning and the three debate events (Lincoln-Douglas, Public Forum, and Spontaneous Debate [SPAR]) in the afternoon.  Schedules are established according to original entries from each school.  Additional entries may not be made on the day of the tournament except to increase any event to a competitive number of entries.

 6.      Congress will have 2 one and one-half hour sessions, which take place according to the Individual Event time schedule.  Congress also follows the National Forensic League rules and procedures.  Priority is not reset at all during the congress day.  Students may not yield their time to another student.  Orders of the day are established by the tournament director and may not be changed by the students without permission from the tournament director.  Coaches will select the Region docket from the statewide docket. 

7.      Both the Lincoln-Douglas competition and the Public Forum event will use the March topic.  Spontaneous Argumentation will flip a coin for sides.  Topic will then be given as provided by the tournament director.  Coaches may recommend topics for SPAR.  Advancing to state will be according to win-loss records (4-0, 3-1, & 2-2 will advance).

8.      All rounds will be preset with no adjustments during the tournament, unless required to correct mistakes or other reasonable exceptions.

9.      Extemp topics will be taken from the January and February topic lists.  Extempers get four topics to choose from each round; 2 national and 2 international.  They will draw for each round. Students are given 30 minutes to prepare and are required to speak in the order of the draw. 

10.  Schools must provide one judge for each 2 LD and PF entrants, and each 4 of other entries. Try to find judges who do not know the kids well.  Each team will most likely end up judging their students.

 11.  Preliminary entries must be sent to tournament director two weeks prior to the tournament.  Names of entries must be entered on Tabroom.com by Tuesday, February 16, 2016. 

12.  Coaches are encouraged to submit topics for Spontaneous Argumentation and Impromptu events.  The topics should fit the following categories: Impromptu (Abstracts, current events, and quotations).  SPAR (teen issues, political issues, social issues, and economic issues.)

13.  Attending coaches may make such decisions as may be necessary to ensure the efficient and fair management and timely completion of the tournament.