Florida Forensic League

 

Virtual - Regional Qualifier For Varsity State Saturday, February 05, 2022

 

 

 

Dear Coach,

 

 

 

Happy New Year!

 

 

 

As you return to school from a (hopefully) restful holiday break, it’s time to plan your entry for the 2022 Florida

 

Forensic League Regional Qualifying Tournament!  This event will be held   

 

Virtually via SpeechWire and NSDA Campus  on Saturday, February 05, 2022.​   

 

The deadline to register for this tournament is Tuesday. Feb 1 at midnight. 

 

This tournament is the gateway into participation in FFL activities for the remainder of the year.  Please look at the table for your Region and The Number Of Qualifiers Per Event.  The top entries in each event will qualify to compete at the State Championship tournament, which will be held on March 5 and 6 virtually using SpeechWire and NSDA Campus.  Whether or not your students qualify to the State Championship, participation at the Regional Tournament will allow your school to enter the Novice State Tournament in April – scheduled for April 9​th​ and 10th.

 

 

 

Region 1 - Panhandle           QUALIFIES - 1 THIS YEAR 

Region 2 - Timacuan            QUALIFIES - 7 THIS YEAR 

Region 3 - Gulf Coast           QUALIFIES - 3 THIS YEAR 

Region 4 - Macaw                 QUALIFIES - 6 THIS YEAR 

Region 5 - Art Deco              QUALIFIES - 7 THIS YEAR 

Region 6 - Hurricane            QUALIFIES - 9 THIS YEAR 

Region 7 – Gulla Geechee   QUALIFIES - 3 THIS YEAR  

 

 

Here are the four most important things you need to know when planning your entry:

 

If your school fails to enter the Regional Tournament, it forfeits the opportunity to attend Novice

State and participate in Coach of the Year voting.

 

The number of qualifiers in each event is based on the number of schools that participate in the previous year’s Regional Tournament.  Thus, it is imperative that every member school in the region send at least one student to compete at the qualifying tournament.  If only a few​           

schools in a region fail to participate, it could translate to losing  qualifying spots in 2023!

 

Every student you enter into the Regional Qualifying Tournament must be available to​ compete at the State Championship Tournament if he/she qualifies.  There are substantial financial penalties for dropping from the State Tournament.  Thus, you should make sure  that every student from your school who wants to enter this tournament is available to  compete on March 5th​ ​  and 6th​.

 

First-year students are welcome to attend the Regional Tournament and are eligible to qualify for the State Championship.  They WILL NOT lose their eligibility to compete at Novice State.  In theory, a novice could win the State Championship and still compete at Novice State the following month! If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact your Regional Director. 

 

 

 

QUESTIONS  

 

 

--Entries, Fees, Drops, Rules:  Tournament Director – Cathy Brown: cathy.brown@ocps.net

 

--Day of Tournament Emergencies:  Cathy Brown Cell: 352-217-3150

 

 

 

​                                                          

 

 

ENTRY PROCESS

 

 

Entry will take place on www.speechwire.co​m.​  You must have a SpeechWire account to register for any of the FFL Tournaments. 

 

 

 

***If you are entering Student Congress, you must submit at least one bill/resolution for the agenda.  You may send as many items of legislation as students who are entering.  Please send bills as a Word attachment and make sure they are in FFL format (see Student Congress manual) to Cathy Brown at cathy.brown@ocps.net Legislation is Due – Friday, January 28th, by 4 pm.    

 

 

 

VIRTUAL TOURNAMENT REQUIREMENTS

SpeechWire student accounts are required for participation at the Regional Qualifiers and all State Tournaments.

 

Here are some helpful videos for addressing this task.  Creating student accounts:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcGivaEKSuk ​

 

Judges will have to complete ballots online. 

 

Completing electronic ballots: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJXxeVS-Kg​ M

 

 

 

Preview & Test NSDA Campus here: https://campus.speechanddebate.or​g

 

 

 

MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENT & SCHOOL-SANCTIONED ADULT

 

 

Only schools that are members of the league for 2021-2022 may participate at this tournament.  Also, please remember that a school-approved adult must accompany students to the tournament (​yes, even a virtual tournament) and remain “on site” for the entire competition.  If the school-approved adult is ​         NOT​   the ​ Head Coach​       or Assistant Coach ​       ​on record with the league, then a letter signed by the school principal and printed on school stationery MUST​    be submitted with the school’s entry.  The letter needs to specifically name the adult in charge.​      The penalty for failing to submit this document is disqualification of all contestants from the school involved.

 

 

 

EVENTS OFFERED

 

 

Policy Debate

 

U.S. Extemp

 

Dramatic Interp.

 

Student Congress

 

Lincoln Douglas Debate

 

International Extemp

 

Humorous Interp.

 

Impromptu Speaking

 

After Dinner Speaking (ADS)

 

 

 

Public Forum Debate

 

Original Oratory

 

Duo Interp.

 

 

 

World Schools

 

Informative Speaking

 

Program Oral Interp.

 

 

 

PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT IF WE DO NOT HAVE 12 DUOS FOR THE STATE TOURNAMENT THEN WE WILL NOT RUN THE EVENT. 

 

 

 

ENTRY LIMITS

 

 

Each member school may submit up to six 6) entries per event, except in World Schools. (1 entry per school). 

 

 

 

Schools that purchased a membership supplement may enter up to four (4) additional entries per event, except in World Schools. (1 additional entry).  All entries on the supplement must be students in grades 6 – 8 (for​ middle school supplement) or 9 (for ninth grade supplement).  Entering students in grades 10-12 on the supplemental form will result in automatic disqualification of those students.  Enter mixed teams/units (eg: a 9​th​ grader and 11​th​ grader on a Policy Debate team) on the high school form.

 

 

 

DOUBLE ENTRY

 

 

Double entry and double qualification is permitted, except in Policy Debate, Lincoln Douglas Debate, Public

 

Forum Debate, World Schools, and Student Congress.  Also, cross-entry between U.S. Extemp and International

 

Extemp is prohibited.

 

 

 

 

 

EVENT REMINDERS

The By​ Laws ​and Standing​ Rules ​of Florida Forensic League, Inc. shall govern the operation of this event. All coaches and students are responsible for reviewing the rules in the Governing​ Documents​. Questions about rules should be addressed to the President, who serves as the Tournament Director for the State Championship.

 

 

 

All Events:       

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Availability of Evidence: The FFL will be following the NSDA Rules in regards to evidence in debate events.​                                                                                                                                                                        

 

 

 

Rules in A Nutshell – Regarding Evidence

 

 

Debaters are responsible for the validity of all evidence that they introduce in the debate.

Evidence must be provided orally or written and must include primary author(s) and year of publication.  Any other information such as qualifications etc… may be given, but not required.

Judges are responsible for resolving disputes between debaters – both oral and written sources.

Judge decisions may not be appealed unless – judge misapplied, misinterpreted, or ignored the

rule.

 

EVIDENCE CHALLENGES DO NOT GUARANTEE A DECISION REVERSAL

 

 

Extemporaneous Speaking  

In Extemporaneous Speaking, students will be permitted to use WiFi. They must report on time to the virtual Extemp Prep Room and follow all instructions given to them by the Extemp Prep Room personnel. 

 

 

 

 World Schools Debate Prepared Motions: 

1. This House believes that the “Great Resignation” will have a lasting positive impact on the workforce.

2. This House would ban direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical advertising.

3. On balance, this House believes that the European Union has achieved its economic aims.

 

 

 

Policy Debate: ​Prep time is 8 minutes per team. The tournament will use the 2022-2023 National Topic.

 

 

 

 

 

Lincoln Douglas:Prep time is 4 minutes per debater. The tournament will use the NSDA January/February topic.​                                                                                                      

 

 

 

 

Public Forum: Prep time is 3 minutes per team. The tournament will use the NSDA February topic.​        

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

--​Student Congress​ will follow the FFL Congress Manual.  Entries will determine the number of chambers; if there are two or more chambers, there will be a Super Congress.  All schools must submit legislation (see ENTRY PROCESS​ above).  Legislation will be available on the SpeechWire site for Regional Qualifiers. 

 

 

 

--Extemporaneous Speaking Events​ ​ – Topic Areas Have Been Posted On The New FFL Website

 

 

 

--All Speech/Interpretation Events:​

 

 

There is a 30-second grace period in these events.  A contestant who goes beyond the grace period may not be ranked first in that round.

All contestants must have a copy of their piece/oration available for review by tournament officials. Failure to present a copy of the applicable document and evidence of publication will result in disqualification.

 

 

RULES COMPLIANCE

 

 

Reviewing the following documents in advance of the tournament will help to ensure that your students comply with all FFL rules and regulations.  Questions regarding these rules should be addressed to the Tournament Director.

 

 

 

All of the following documents are available online at https://floridaforensicsleague.com​ /

 

 

 

1.  FFL Governing Documents​  

 

 

 

You should review the general tournament rules with your students.

 

 

 

2.  FFL Civility Code​

 

 

This document prescribes rules of behavior that are generally observed by all contestants and adults at forensic contests.  If you have inexperienced contestants and/or judges, you should give them a copy of this document.

 

 

 

3.  Student Congress Manual​

 

 

 

You should make available a copy of this document to each of your contestants in Student Congress. 

 

 

 

 

 

4.  Judging​  

 

 

Share this link with your judges – they can obtain online judge training - http://www.manateedistrict.org​      /  JUDGES & REQUIREMENTS

 

 

 

All judges should be properly trained using the statewide judging manual.  Online training available - http://www.manateedistrict.org/

 

 

All judges should use a reliable digital timer.

 

 

The following judge requirements are in place for this tournament:

 

 

--Policy Debate:  One judge for every two teams or fraction thereof

 

--Lincoln Douglas Debate:  One judge for every two debaters or fraction thereof

 

--Public Forum Debate:  One judge for every two teams or fraction thereof

 

--Speech/IE, Including Congress:  One judge for every five entries or fraction thereof.  Each                             Duo/Group Interpretation team counts as one entry only.

 

 

 

The Tournament Director reserves the right to disqualify students from any school that is unable to meet its judging quota.

 

 

 

ENTRY FEES

 

 

Each Contestant:          $12.00 ($12.00 for FFL)

 

This is a “per student” entry fee; thus events with 2 people per entry pay

 

2 fees; World Schools -  pays as many entry fees as there are students in

 

the group; THERE IS NO ADDITIONAL FEE FOR DOUBLE ENTRY

 

 

 

NEW FEE PROCEDURE FOR VIRTUAL TOURNAMENT

 

Fees are to be mailed to the FFL Treasurer – We Will Also Accept Venmo – Email Carol Cecil –

 

ccecil@dadeschools.net if you plan to pay via Venmo and she will send you the link.  Mailing Address For​      FFL Treasurer.  Fees are due no later than FRIDAY – FEBRUARY 11, 2021​  

 

 

Florida Forensic League, Inc.

 

ATTN: Nathan Johnston

 

901 Highland Ave

 

Orlando, FL 32803

 

 

 

 

 

DROP FEES

 

 

 

Drops Fees are $10 per instance in addition to the forfeiture of entry fees. 

 

 

 

TOURNAMENT FORMAT & SCHEDULE

 

 

Final Registration​: 7:45 am – 8 am.  The Regional Director Will send Zoom links for a virtual coach/judge​ lounge, AND Extemp Prep Room.  Any school not registered at 8:00 am will be eliminated from  competition.​ Round One will begin shortly after 8:00 am.

 

 

 

The format for each event will depend on the number of entries received.  The Tournament Director will publish the number of preliminary and elimination rounds (if any) along with any power-matching schemes at final registration.

(vr)