The Charger Speech Winter Invitational

at Elkhart Memorial High School

Dear Coaches:

You are invited to the Charger Speech Winter Invitational on Saturday, February 25^th, 2011 at Elkhart Memorial High School. We have been honored to be used as a “test” for how Speechwire will run at Sectionals and State, so our tournament will be run as close to IHSFA Sectional Rules as possible with a few exceptions listed below.

REGISTRATION

• Registration will be through Speechwire (www.speechwire.com).Deadline for registration will be 7pm (EST) on Tuesday, February 21^st. Changes for drops only will be allowed up until 7:00pm (EST) Friday, February 24^th.
• Final Registration will start at 7:30 am on Saturday, February 25^th and continue until 8:15 am.
• Please call between 6:45 and 7:30 to report any drops. The number is 574-262-5621.
• Schematics (if all goes well) will be posted outside the Media Center at 8:20.
• Extemp Prep will begin at 8:00 with schematics posted in the prep room.
• All first rounds will start at 8:30.

ENTERING AND JUDGING

• You may have a total of 36 entries per team (“A” Team) with a limit of 4 entries in each event.
• Doubling guidelines will be as per IHSFA Sectional Doubling Rules.
• Each team will provide one judge for every five entries, or fraction thereof (6 entries = 2 judges).
• Please encourage judges to write meaningful critiques.
• We will also accept a non-Sweepstakes “B” team (unprotected) up to 10 additional entries, however with a limit of 6 entries overall in each event (“A” team entries + “B” team entries no more than 6). When considering judges, please count the “B” team as a separate team, needing its own judges. (Ex “A” team entries are 36, so bring 8 judges. “B” team entries are 6, so bring 2 judges. Total judges = 10)

SPECIFIC EVENT INFORMATION:

• Radio: All materials will be provided as per Sectional Radio Rules.
• Extemp: Topics will be selected from Newsweek, Time, U.S. News and World Report, the Christian Science Monitor, and/or National Federation from December 2011 to date. Contestants will draw for all three rounds, the semi-final if needed, and the final.
• Discussion: The Sectional Discussion Topic (and Sub-Topics) will be used.

TOURNAMENT STRUCTURE:

• Three preliminary rounds, semi-finals in events with 17 or more entries, and a final round in all events.

Tentative Schedule:

• Round 1 –   8:30 am
• Round 2 – 10:00 am
• Round 3 – 11:30 am
• Semis –  1:30 pm
• Finals –   2:45 pm
• Awards – 4:30 pm

• All Varsity competition. Novice competitors are welcome to compete as Varsity.
• Awards will be given to the top 8 competitors in each event. Depending on size of tournament, we will either offer trophies to the top 5, top 10, or top 5 in large and small brackets. When we know we will e-mail all attending. Sweeps point values, regardless, shall be from 8 down.
• We will make slight alterations from Sectional guidelines out of necessity and in fairness to the majority.

CONCESSIONS

• There will be no scheduled break in competition for lunch; however, food and snacks will be available throughout the tournament with lunch being served from 11:00 – 1:30. Judges lounge will be in the faculty dining room.

ARRIVAL AND FOUL WEATHER DELAYS

• Should inclement weather cause us to delay the start of the tournament or cancel it entirely, we will contact you by 5:30 a.m. EST via the contact number you provided in Speechwire. Attempts will also be made to contact the coach via e-mail as well. You can contact me any time before or on the day of the tournament at 574-596-7246.

Sincerely,