2026 Valparaiso Speech and Debate Invitational

 

Dear Coach:

You and your team are invited to the Valparaiso Varsity Speech and Debate Tournament on Saturday, January 17, 2026. We will be offering all 15 ISSDA Current Speech Events and all 5 ISSDA Current Debate Events. 

Registration will be made on SpeechWire (www.speechwire.com). 

Please have all entries in by 5:00 p.m. (CDT) on Monday, January 12, 2026. 

Final Registration will begin on the day of the tournament at 7:00 a.m. and end at 7:30 a.m. (CDT). 

Extemp Draw will begin at 8:00 a.m. 

Radio contestants should report to the Radio Prep room by 8:20 a.m.  

First rounds will begin at 8:30 a.m. (CDT) except for Impromptu. 

No drops may be picked up on the day of the tournament. 

We will be using E-Balloting, so please have all of your judges bring a laptop or tablet.

 

Please ask your students to respect our building and to refrain from taking and/or moving materials that don’t belong to them, as well as to refrain from making more work for us and our custodians. 

Thank you in advance for your efforts on our behalf. 

As you know, no student should enter a competition room without a judge being present.

 

ENTERING RESTRICTIONS & JUDGING:  Teams may enter a maximum of 40 entries with a limit of 4 students in each event that will count for sweepstakes points. 

Speech- Each team will provide one judge for every five entries or fraction thereof. That means 6 entries = 2 judges.

Debate- Each team will provide one judge for every two entries in LD, PFD, Policy, and World School (or fraction thereof)

Congressional Debate – Each school will provide one judge for every 5 five congress entries (or fraction thereof).

We respectfully request that your judges remain accessible either in the cafeteria or in the judges lounge because rounds can be delayed while trying to locate a judge. 

 

If we have space, you may enter a non-sweepstakes team for additional entries.  A student entered on the school’s sweepstakes team MAY NOT ALSO be entered on a non-sweepstakes team even if it is in a different event. Students MAY NOT TRIPLE!

 

DOUBLING: Contestants may double at their own risk with the following exceptions:

Broadcasting may double in all events except Impromptu, and the 2 Extemps.

Discussion contestants may not double.

Duo partners may double in OP Duo as the same partners.

Extemp contestants may not double in the other Extemp event. Extempers may double only in Impromptu, Informative Speaking, and Original Oratory.

Impromptu contestants may double in all events except Discussion and Broadcasting.

Remember: NO TRIPLE ENTRIES WILL BE PERMITTED!

Rounds: All events will go 4 rounds.

 

Broadcasting (Radio) information will be posted in a separate Information page on Monday, January 12, 2026.

Discussion will follow the ISSDA rules found on the https://www.inspeechanddebate.org website.  Topics/Artifacts will be posted in “Files for Download” on Monday, January 12th.

 

Extempers will draw and prep. prior to all 4 rounds.

MEALS: The scheduled break in competition for lunch is 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. for contestants. We will also have a judge’s lounge available for your judges. Please refrain from food deliveries of any kind. Individual disqualification will occur if a student is caught ordering outside food. Team disqualification will occur if a judge or coach is caught ordering outside food. Please refrain from allowing building doors to be opened throughout the day to improve the safety of our students.

 

AWARDS: The top six places in each event shall receive recognition and earn sweepstakes points.  

We will offer 6 team sweepstakes awards: Top 3 Large Entry Schools (20+ entries) and Top 3 Small Entry Schools (less than 20 entries)

 

ESTIMATED TIME OF AWARDS: 5:00 p.m. (CDT) With your help, we will run a rapid awards session.

 

ARRIVAL AND FOUL WEATHER DELAYS:  We intend to start the tournament on time. Late arrivals will be to the detriment of the competitor potentially placing last in the first round. Should inclement weather cause us to delay the start of the tournament or cancel it entirely, we will contact you via the contact number you provide in the registration by 6:00 a.m. CDT. Plan to drop off your team at Door 1, and then buses can be parked by Door 4.

Please direct all inquiries to: Mary Fridh: mfridh@valpo.k12.in.us or 219-363-6618. On the day of the tournament, I may only be reachable by email.

 

We look forward to seeing you on January 17th.

Mary, John, Timmy, Paige, & Heather

-Coaches 

 

(vr24)