February 28, 2021

 

Dear Forensics Community,

 

This year, The University of Alabama will host the second half of the District 6 Qualifier tournament weekend. I am happy to invite you to virtually attend the Black Warrior Invitational Tournament on February 28^th.

 

Like the D6 Qualifier, we will use Speechwire for entries, scheduling, and tabulation. To enter the tournament, please visit www.speechwire.com. Also, because of the virtual nature of the tournament, be sure your students have activated Speechwire accounts and are listed in your Team Roster. We will also use Yaatly to host the tournament. Please, let me know if you have any questions/concerns or if I may assist you in any way.

 

We look forward to seeing y’all, virtually, soon!

 

Ben Pyle

Director of the Alabama Forensic Council

The University of Alabama

205-348-8077

bspyle@ua.edu

 

 

UA Black Warrior Invitational

February 28^th, 2021

 

Virtual Platforms: For this tournament, we will use Yaatly. Please be sure that your students are added into your organization’s Yaatly account so they will be able to access your team room. For ballots and schematics, we will use Speechwire, so please be sure that all students are “activated” on your team roster if they are competing. We will release more details about the process of the tournament closer to the day of the event.

 

Entries: All entries must be entered on Speechwire.com. There will be two preliminary rounds with finals. Material must not have been used by the student before September 1, 2020 Competitors may enter up to three events in a grouping.

 

Tournament Fees: $10 per individual event slot entered. Additional fees: $10.00 per slot not covered by a judge provided by your school; $20.00 per slot drop; $60.00 per judge drop.

 

Payment: Make all checks for the Black Warrior Invitational to:

The University of Alabama

 

Please send your checks to:

 

Carol Duncan

Communication Studies Dept.

Reese Phifer Hall Room 203

Box #870172

Tuscaloosa, AL 35401

 

Judges: All judges must be active coaching faculty, or graduate students, or persons with forensic experience. We will utilize  hired judges from any schools who choose to participate. All judges will be responsible for judging one round past the elimination round of their students -- this means all judges are obligated to judge events in both flights which go straight to finals. Each school will be expected to provide one judge for every six slots entered. To ensure that we can utilize judges from all schools, we reserve the right to schedule students from the same school in the same section if necessary. The cost for hired judges will be $10.00 per uncovered slot.

 

Deadlines: All entries must be received by 5:00 pm, CST, Monday, February 22, 2021. Drops can be made until Tuesday, February 23, 2021 at 5pm CST. After this time, we will impose a late-drop fee of an additional $20.00 per slot dropped, and $60.00 per judge dropped. No additions past the deadline. Virtual Tournament Standards of NST:

In order to count for qualification legs, tournaments that are held virtually under the NST health and safety provision must:

 

1. Restrict competitors to the use of a single camera and single microphone during a performance.

 

2. Prohibit physical audiences from being present during a performance (virtual audiences through the videoconferencing platform are welcome.)

 

3. Prohibit competitors in Duo from competing together in the same physical space.

 

4. Promote editing practices that allow for simulation of a face-to-face environment (such as the use of visual aids and content warnings) while discouraging editing practices that would not be possible in a face-to-face environment (such as motion, video transitions, or audio manipulation)

 

 

 

 

 

2021 Black Warrior Tournament Schedule

SUNDAY, February 28, 2021

All times in Central Standard Time

 

7:00 AM Registration/Tech Check 8:00 AM Extemp Draw

8:30 – 9:45 Round I Flight A 9:45 AM Extemp Draw

10:15 – 11:30 Round II Flight A

11:30 – 12:30 Lunch

12:30 – 1:45 Round I Flight B

1:45 – 3:00 Round II Flight B 3:00 Extemp Draw for Finals 3:30 – 4:45 Finals Flight A

4:45 – 6:00 Finals Flight B ASAP Awards via Zoom

 

Flight A – Extemp, Prose, CA, DI, Duo and Pers Flight B – Imp, Info, ADS, Poe, and POI

AFA-NIET 2020-2021 Description of Events

 

Impromptu Speaking: An impromptu speech, serious in nature, with topic selections varied by round and by section. Topics will be derived from quotations. Speakers will have a total of 7 minutes for both preparation and speaking. Timing commences with the acceptance of the topics sheet. Limited notes are permitted.

 

Informative Speaking: An original, factual speech by the student on a realist subject to fulfill the general aim to inform the audience. Audio-visual aids may or may not be used to supplement and reinforce the message. Multiple sources should be used and cited in the development of the speech. Minimal notes are permitted. Maximum time is 10 minutes.

 

Prose Interpretation: A selection or selections of prose material of literary merit, which may be drawn from more than one source. A primary focus of this event should be on the development of the narrative/story. Play cuttings and poetry are prohibited. Use of manuscript is required.

Maximum time is 10 minutes including introduction.

 

Duo Interpretation: A cutting from one or more texts of literary merit, humorous or serious, involving the portrayal of two or more characters presented by two individuals. The material may be drawn from any genre of literature. This is not an acting event; thus, no costumes, props, lighting, etc., are to be used. Presentation is from the manuscript and the focus should be off- stage and not to each other. Maximum time limit is 10 minutes including introduction.

 

Extemporaneous Speaking: Contestants will be given three topics in the general area of current events, choose one, and have 30 minutes to prepare a speech that is the original work of the student. Maximum time limit for the speech is 7 minutes. Limited notes are permitted. Student will speak in listed order. Postings of topics will be staggered.

 

Persuasive Speaking: An original speech by the student designed to inspire, reinforce, or change the beliefs, attitudes, values or actions of the audience. Audio-visual aids may or may not be used to supplement and reinforce the message. Multiple sources should be used and cited in the development of the speech. Minimal notes are permitted. Maximum time limit is 10 minutes.

 

Program Oral Interpretation: A program of thematically-linked selections of literary merit, chosen from two or three recognized genres of competitive interpretation (prose/poetry/drama). A primary focus of this event should be on the development of the theme through the use of narrative/story, language, and/or characterization. A substantial portion of the total time must be devoted to each of the genres used in the program. Different genre means the material must appear in separate pieces of literature ( e.g., A poem included in a short story that appears only in that short story does not constitute a poetry genre.) Only one selection may be original. Use of manuscript is required. Maximum time limit is 10 minutes including introduction.

(vr)