Dear Colleagues,

The Southwest Minnesota State University Forensics Team is pleased to invite you to the 2015 Mustang Stampede hosted on Sunday October 18^th, 2015 on the Minnesota State University, Mankato campus. This will be the second half of the Southern Minnesota Swing, with MSU, Mankato hosting the Larry Schnoor Invitational on Saturday.

Along with excellent competition, the SMSU Forensics Team will be offering a complimentary lunch of sub-sandwiches, chips, and drinks for all tournament attendees. Please notify the tournament director if anyone on your team has special dietary needs.

Competitive Event Offerings:

The 2015 Mustang Stampede will offer two preliminary rounds in one open division of all 11 AFA-NIET events.  Semi-finals will be held if more than 50 students are entered in an event. Events will be offered in 2 conflict patterns.

Pattern A Communication Analysis Duo Extemporaneous Speaking Persuasion Program Oral Interpretation Prose

Pattern B After Dinner Speaking Dramatic Interpretation Editorial Impromptu Impromptu Informative Poetry

 

Schedule:

Sunday October 18^th

8:00 Registration

8:30 Draw

8:45 1A (Ext, Pers, Duo, POI, CA, Pro)

10:00 1B (ADS, Imp, Info, Poe, DI, EdImp)

11:15 Lunch

12:00 Draw

12:15 2A

1:30 2B

3:00 Draw (finals)

3:15 Finals A

4:30 Finals B

6:15 Awards

 

Students may enter a maximum of THREE events per pattern. Students who triple enter in a pattern are responsible for getting to all events during the scheduled time period.

 

 

 

Competitive Standards and Rules:

We will follow AFA-NIET rules and request attending teams to familiarize themselves with Article II of the AFA Code of Forensic Program and Forensic Tournament Standards and the AFA-NIET Ethical Use of Literature Policy.

http://www.americanforensics.org/documents/afacode.html  http://www.mnsu.edu/cmst/niet/charter/afa-niet_bylaws_Oct2005.htm

 

Editorial Impromptu: Students will be given a short editorial (ideally 3 to 5 paragraphs) to which they will develop a response. Students will be allowed nine minutes to divide between preparation and speech time. Speakers must speak for at least five minutes. Limited notes, prepared in the round, are permitted

 

Host Practices:

SMSU Student Competitors

As hosts, the SMSU forensic program may enter SMSU students at our tournament who are in their first semester of college competition. This weekend will often be their first taste of collegiate competition and we find such practices to be educationally beneficial to novices.

 

Hired Judges

The hired judge pool will consist primarily of forensics alums and the MSU, Mankato Communication Studies Graduate Teaching Assistants. The graduate assistants receive a judge training session where they are informed of event descriptions and rules, as well as methods for writing effective ballots.

 

Tournament Observers

Many of the instructors at MSU, Mankato choose to offer students extra credit for observing competition rounds at our tournament. The faculty and graduate students have been informed that they should discuss proper audience etiquette with their students prior to the event.

 

Awards:

Trophies will be awarded to finalists in each individual event.  Additionally, 1st, 2nd and 3rd place trophies will be awarded in Individual Sweeps, Open Team Sweeps, and Limited Entry Team Sweeps. Individual Sweeps includes all students entered in competition. Sweepstakes awards will be given using the following point system:  In prelims 3pts for every 1st and 2pts for every 2nd and 1pt for every 3rd.  In finals 1st place = 10 points, 2nd place = 8 points, 3rd place = 6 points, 4th place = 4 points, 5th place = 3 points, and 6th place = 2 points.  Any non-advancing semi-finalists in IEs will receive 2 points.

 

 

The Stampede Award will be also be given out to the team that demonstrates overwhelming forensic spirit. Students or coaches can nominate their team for the award by tweeting pictures showing off forensic pride with the hashtag #2015Stampede. Nomination tweets should include the team being nominated and should be posted by 5pm the day of the tournament.

(vr)