Coach and Speakers:

 

So, this is a VU Redux.  We moved up the VU Tournament up to early November to avoid the adverse January weather this year! (see! stubborn attorneys are capable of learning lessons!)

 

Welcome to the Second (supposed to be 3rd) Annual Vincennes University Trailblazer Speech & Debate Tournament!  The tournament will be held on November 1, 2025 at Vincennes University in beautiful SW Indiana! We are very much looking forward to providing all coaches, students, and judges with an incredible and unique competition experience at Indiana's very first university!

 

LOCATION AND TIME ZONE.

The VU Trailblazer Speech & Debate Tournament will be held on VU's Vincennes Campus.  We will use up to 9 different buildings on VU's Vincennes Campus. The tournament will run on Eastern Daylight Time.

 

PARKING. 

All busses and other vehicles may park in the large parking lot adjacent to the Red Skelton Performing Arts Center (20 W Red Skelton Blvd., Vincennes, Indiana 47591).  

 

REGISTRATION/ENTRY DEADLINE. 

Registration will be done on www.speechwire.com. We cannot accept emails, faxes or paper entries. This is only our 2nd (supposed to be 3rd) year at running this tournament, and there will still be a learning curve.  We would be eternally grateful if teams would make their entries as early as possible so that we can gauge building and room usage.  The Entry Add deadline is October 27, 2025 at 5:00.  Judge/Entry drops are due October 29, 2025 at 5:00.  But, earlier adds will be very much appreciated (especially because Tony has a week-long arbitration Nov 3-7 in Houston, Texas and is hoping that you all will be so kind to get your entries in early so that we can have less stress leading up to the tournament).

 

ENTRY LIMITS.

The Tournament has no caps as of now.  Each team may enter up to 4 entries per category, and a school may only bring 1 team unless the school receives the Tournament Director's advance written approval.  Entries will be accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis. 

 

FEES AND FOOD.

There are no entry fees for this Tournament.  We are still working out student lunches as VU is not immune to the funding cuts that have impacted institutions of learning around the U.S. this year.  Judges will be well fed in the Red Skelton Performing Arts Center.  

 

TOURNAMENT STRUCTURE 

This tournament will include all 15 ISSDA Speech Categories (Bro, Disco, Dec, Info, OO, Duo, DI, HI, OP, POI, Prose, POE, Imp, IX, and USX), Debate (CX, LD, PF, and World Schools) and Congress (see below) in Novice and Varsity divisions (novices will compete with varsity during rounds but then will be separated at awards).  We will have 3 Prelims then break to Finals for most categories. 

 

Timing - Coaches must register their teams and pick up their competitors' and judges' competition lanyards at the Red Skelton Performing Art Center starting at 8:15am. Registration closes at 8:45am.  Students will be sent to the Student Activities Complex upon registration.  Judges' Meeting will be at the Red Skelton Performing Art Center Tournament and will start at 9:00 a.m.  First round Extemp Prep will start @ 9:00 a.m., and Round 1 will commence at 9:30. 

 

Event Cap Limitation: 4 entries per category per team.  But, we will entertain adding a "B Team" for larger traveling schools (numbers permitting).

 

Double entries.  Contestants may not enter in more than 2 categories.  No double-entries in Discussion, debates, or Congress (Congress - see below). This Tournament will span multiple buildings, and we will run Rounds in 90 minute intervals to give contestants time to walk between buildings.  That said, any contestant who enters in more than one event bears sole risk of making it to the 2nd category in a round before competition for that round ends.  We can not hold rooms simply because a contestant failed to make it to a 2nd category on time as part of a double entry.  Rounds 1-2: double entries in Extemp should go to Extemp prep first, and Impromptu double-entries should go to Impromptu last. Rounds 3-4: double entries in Extemp should go to Extemp prep LAST and ask to go first in the other category.  Double-entries in Radio (Rd 4) should report to Radio last.  The reason for the switch from Rounds 1-2 and 3-4 is because we gave the contestants 30 minutes for lunch.  So, to make sure extempers get the full 30 minutes lunch, we are going to have them begin prep at the same time Round 3 for everyone else. 

 

Discussion - Artifacts will be posted on Speechwire for download on October 27, 2025.  No electronic devices may be used during a round.

 

Extemp - Prep room is TBD.  We will follow ISSDA rules including, but not limited to, internet usage for prep.  Charging laptops will not be permitted in the prep room. Contestants found to have prior speeches in possession will be disqualified for that round. Draw all rounds. Internet Usage is permitted in your prep-time.  Absolutely no note cards.  Extemp will draw every round.  Timers permitted pursuant to the new ISSDA rules.

 

Impromptu - Contestants may hold their prompt while speaking.  Contestants may not hold nothing else (including notes) while speaking.  Timers permitted pursuant to the new ISSDA rules.

 

World Schools - We will run 3 preliminary rounds (Rd 1 - Impromptu; Rd 2 - Prepped; Rd 3 - Impromptu) and 1 final round for the Top 2 Teams (Rd. 4 - Prepped).

 

CX, LD and PF - Section 7 is trying to reintroduce CX, LD, and PF to its repertoire. But, we have no experience running debate. We are looking for someone who can help us run these three debates!

 

Congress - THANK YOU Mike Langford for stepping and up helping us with set-up and running Congress.  Section 7 is super interested in adding Congress to our local meets going forward.  So, this affords us an opportunity to learn from a voice of experience!

 

Broadcasting will have the following schedule:

Round 1: News Program (5 minutes)

Round 2: News Program (5 Minutes)

Round 3: Breaking News (2 Minute Prep, 2 Minute Performance)

Final: Editorial (30 Minute Prep, 2 Minute Performance)

 

JUDGE REQUIREMENTS - For Speech, 1 Judge for every 5 entries or fractions thereof.  For WSD, 1 Judge for each Team.  Please indicate if a judge is "Clean".  Please block-off any parents from judging categories in which they have children competing at the Tournament.  We will do our very best to reserve our more experienced judges/coaches for Finals.

 

THIS IS AN E-BALLOT TOURNAMENT. Judges must return their signed and properly scored ballots and completed critique sheets at the end of each round electronically.  Please note and communicate to your judges: All judges must submit critiques and/or reason for decision in order for ballots to be accepted. All judges MUST bring a device, i.e., laptop or tablet for judging.  

 

STUDENT'S HANGOUT AREA. VU Student Activities Complex. This is also where lunch will be provided between Rounds 2-3.  We are still trying to determine if some of the students activities in the Hangout Area will be available for those who do not break from Prelims to Finals.

 

MORE STUDENT FUN! We are working with VU to develop some additional activities to make this a memorable experience for everyone.  So, be prepared for unique activities that will lead to individual recognition/rewards at Awards.

 

JUDGES LOUNGE:  Red Skelton Performing Arts Center. 

 

AWARDS:  Ribbons to individual students 1st through 6th in each event (varsity and novice). Team "trophies" will also be awarded.

 

TOURNAMENT DIRECTORS 

Tournament Directors: Marissa Mitchell (Castle High School), Lauren McDaniel (Evansville North) and Tony Fehrenbacher (Evansville Memorial)

Questions: If you have any questions please contact Marissa (mmitchell@warrick.k12.in.us), Lauren (lauren.mcdaniel@evsck12.com) and Tony (tfehrenbacher@manionstigger.com).  Tony's cell is 812.604.8127.

 

THIS IS GOING TO BE A BLAST!  We can't wait to see everyone! 

Marissa, Lauren, and their trusty side-kick, Tony