Florida Forensic League, Inc.

2026 Novice School State Tournament

Saturday, April 18 and Sunday, April 19, 2026

Hosted by West Boca Raton HS

Welcome Letter

 

Dear Coaches,

On behalf of the Board of Directors, we are pleased to invite your team to compete at the 2026 Florida Forensic League (FFL) Novice State Tournament! This tournament, hosted by West Boca Raton HS, will coincide with the 2026 FFL Middle School State Tournament (hosted by Loggers’ Run Middle School), on Saturday, April 18, and Sunday, April 19, 2026.

The 2026 FFL Novice State Tournament is open to students in Grades 9-12 at schools that completed FFL membership for the 2025-2026 school year.

The FFL Board of Directors is carefully planning a wonderful experience for you, your students, and your judges!

It is essential to read the entire tournament invitation. We are committed to running a fair, efficient, and on-time tournament, but this is only possible if all member schools adhere to the published deadlines and procedures.

In the coming weeks, we will continue to update SpeechWire and this document with the latest information. Any changes made to this LIVE document after publication will be highlighted in yellow.

Best of luck to you and your students as you prepare for the 2026 FFL Novice State Tournament! We look forward to seeing you in April!

 

Paul L. Gaba
President, Florida Forensic League, Inc.

Tournament Director

Contact Information

Paul L. Gaba
President, Florida Forensic League, Inc.

Wellington Community HS 

2101 Greenview Shores Blvd.

Wellington, FL 33414 

fflexecutiveboard@gmail.com                              

 

Justin Weaver

Vice President/Operations, Florida Forensic League, Inc.

West Boca Raton Community HS

12811 Glades Rd.

Boca Raton, FL 33498

 justin.weaver@palmbeachschools.org 

*** Email is the preferred method of contact for all questions and concerns ***

 *** Only coaches of record should contact the Executive Board Members ***

Eligibility

From the Standing Rules of the Florida Forensic League:

RULE 8: ELIGIBILITY FOR NOVICE STATE COMPETITORS 

To compete at the Novice State Tournament, students must meet all of the following requirements:

1. The student must not have competed at any previous Novice State Tournament. 

2. This is the first year of competition as a high school student (grades 9 through 12). If the student has competed in a total of two or fewer tournaments in previous high school years, that student would/shall still be considered a Novice competitor.

3. Middle School students will no longer compete at Novice State, but we are offering a Middle School State Tournament so they can sign up for that tournament – which is running in conjunction with the 2026 Novice State Tournament.

4. Please note that a student’s novice eligibility is not affected by his/her performance at the 2026 State Championship tournament. In theory, a novice could win a State Championship and still compete at Novice State!

*** Any school that registers for the FFL Novice State Tournament without completing FFL membership will be notified that its students are ineligible to compete. ***

 

Tournament Schedule

The 2026 FFL Novice State Tournament - Tournament Schedule will be available on SpeechWire.

Host Information

Please review the 2026 West Boca Raton HS Host Information. This information is also available on SpeechWire under “Files for Download.”

Events Offered and Entry Information

The following events will be offered at the 2026 FFL Novice State Tournament:

The FFL Executive Board will continue the policy of only holding events with 6+ entries. The final decision will occur following the close of registration on Friday, April 10, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. If, at the close of registration, an event had fewer than 6 entries, that event will be cancelled and coaches will be notified (with the option to move affected students into a different event).

2026 FFL Novice State Tournament - Event Viability Tracker

Round Numbers and Advancement Information

Congressional Debate will have 3 preliminary rounds.

All Public Address, Interpretation, and Limited Preparation Events will have 5 preliminary rounds.

Lincoln-Douglas Debate and Public Forum Debate will have 6 preliminary rounds.

 Event Caps and Double Entry

Students are permitted to double-enter at the 2026 FFL Novice State Tournament under the following conditions:

• Schools are limited to 6 entries per event.

• Students in the following events are not permitted to double-enter: Public Forum Debate, Lincoln-Douglas Debate, and Congressional Debate.

• Students may not double-enter in multiple Limited Prep (Extemporaneous Speaking and Impromptu) Events. They would still be allowed to double-enter in one Limited Prep event and any other Interpretation or Public Address event.

• No student may compete in more than two events at any League tournament.

• For Novice State, each school is limited to a maximum of five (5) double-entered students.

Event Rules and Procedures

The Bylaws and Standing Rules of Florida Forensic League, Inc. shall govern the operation of the 2026 FFL Novice State Tournament. All coaches and students are responsible for reviewing these Governing Documents. The appropriate NSDA and NCFL rules will apply (following the FFL Bylaws and Standing Rules). Questions about Event Rules and Procedures should be directed to Tournament Director Paul Gaba (fflexecutiveboard@gmail.com).

 

Some key rules to keep in mind:

Technology: Per FFL Standing Rule #1(D), competitors will be permitted to use the Internet at all FFL-sanctioned tournaments when internet access is publicly available. Publicly available is defined as WiFi Internet access available to all students competing, or all competitors will have access to desktop computers with internet availability.

Per the NSDA’s “Guidelines for Use of Internet-Enabled Devices in Debate Events,” during rounds, students may not use the internet to gain help from coaches, other students, or any person, such that it would prevent the speech from being the original work of the competitor. During rounds, Internet access, use of e-mail, instant messaging, or other means of receiving information from sources outside the debate round is prohibited. This applies to all debate events (Lincoln-Douglas Debate, Public Forum Debate, World Schools Debate), as well as to Congressional Debate and Extemporaneous Speaking.

 

Evidence: The League defers to NSDA Evidence Rules for debate events. In a nutshell:

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

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

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

• Judges' decisions may not be appealed unless the judge misapplied, misinterpreted, or ignored the rule.

• EVIDENCE CHALLENGES DO NOT GUARANTEE A DECISION REVERSAL

 

Speech Events: Please remember that a copy of each student’s script/oration/informative and proof of publication, when applicable, should be brought to the tournament in case of protest. Script information must be available on www.speechwire.com.

Topics

Lincoln-Douglas Debate - This tournament will use the NSDA’s March/April 2026 topic:

- Resolved: The United States military ought to abide by the principle of non-intervention.

 

Public Forum Debate - This tournament will use the NSDA’s April 2026 topic:

- Resolved: The United States should eliminate the President’s authority to deploy military forces abroad without Congressional approval. Prep time is three (3) minutes per debater.

 

World Schools Debate - Prepared topics to be announced.

 

Congressional Debate Legislation

Each school attending the Middle School State Championship may submit one (1) piece of legislation for the agenda. Legislation must follow the NSDA format and be emailed as a Microsoft Word attachment to Vice President/Operations, Justin Weaver (justin.weaver@palmbeachschools.org). Legislation that is not properly formatted, not submitted as a Microsoft Word attachment, or not received by the deadline will not be placed on the agenda. Bills are due by 5 P.M. Monday, March 30, 2026, and legislation will be released to schools by Wednesday, April 1, 2026. The Executive Board will determine which legislation will be assigned to preliminary and advanced rounds.

 

Mixed Extemporaneous Speaking

Round 1 - Europe

Round 2 - Global Human Rights

Round 3 - U.S. Healthcare

Round 4 - Public Health

Round 5 - The Arctic

Quarterfinals (if needed) - U.S. Security & Defense

Semifinals - Domestic Social Issues

Finals - Economics, Business, and Industry

 

Impromptu Speaking - Topics to be announced in round.

Coach Attendance Rule

The Head Coach and/or Assistant Coach of a member school (as designated by the school administrator on the membership authorization form) must attend with their students. If neither designated individual can attend the tournament, then a letter from the administrator (signed and printed on school stationery) must designate the adult in charge and be submitted to the Tournament Director, Paul Gaba (fflexecutiveboard@gmail.com), no later than April 10, 2026. See FFL Standing Rule #3 for more information. 

Entry Procedure

1. SpeechWire will be used to submit entries and judges for the 2026 FFL Novice State Tournament. By rule, only the Head Coach or Assistant Coach of a member school may register for that school. Entries submitted from accounts opened or maintained by anyone other than the Head Coach or Assistant Coach will be deleted.

2. Entries will be accepted on www.speechwire.com beginning Wednesday, March 11, 2026. Schools can add or delete contestants and judges at will until 5 p.m. Friday, April 10, 2026. Please refer to the “Important Dates and Deadlines” section for information about entry modifications after this deadline.

3. Online registration via SpeechWire for the 2026 FFL Novice State Tournament will close at 5 p.m. on Friday, April 10, 2026. At this time, we will not accept additional students; school fees and judge obligations will be frozen, and we will conduct an audit.

4. After 5 p.m. Wednesday, April 15, 2026, please send all contestant drops, contestant name changes, and judge changes to Paul Gaba (fflexecutiveboard@gmail.com). He will make the needed adjustments and confirm via email. Please refer to the “Penalty Fees” section for additional information about adjustments after this date.

 

Important Dates and Deadlines

Initial Fees

Entry Fee - Entry Fee - $50 per student entry; $100 flat fee per Duo Interpretation and Public Forum Debate team; and $150 flat fee for World Schools Debate.

**This includes Saturday lunch and Sunday lunch.**

Judge Meals - $10 per meal ($20 total for Saturday lunch and Sunday lunch)

**Schools are REQUIRED to purchase meals for all judges and coaches.**

Extra Meals - $10 per meal ($20 total for Saturday lunch and Sunday lunch)

**Please order extra meals for observers, non-judging adult attendees, etc.**

Please make all fees payable to the Florida Forensic League. FFL Treasurer, Grant Chmielewski, will collect fees on Saturday morning. Please DO NOT mail your fees!

Meal Options

Saturday (Students)

Sandwiches (Turkey, Italian, Ham & Cheese, Veggie)

Sunday (Students)

Pizza (Cheese & Pepperoni)

Judges will be served a buffet-style meal for both Saturday lunch and Sunday lunch.

Penalty Fees

While it’s never our intention to levy fines on schools, the following penalties exist to ensure compliance with stated deadlines and procedures:

Judge Requirement

This is a tournament where Juniors and Seniors with a minimum of 250 NSDA points are permitted to judge. Sophomores with a minimum of 250 NSDA points are permitted to judge in the Middle School Division. 

Coaches must provide proof of NSDA points by uploading a screenshot or PDF on the Proof of Student Judge NSDA Points Google Form by April 13, 2026.

ALSO, PLEASE DISCUSS THE IMPORTANCE OF JUDGING WITH YOUR STUDENTS! DON’T ASSUME THAT THEY KNOW EVENT RULES. ALSO, WE WILL NOT TOLERATE JUDGES (ADULTS OR STUDENTS) BEING RUDE OR DISCOURTEOUS TO STUDENT COMPETITORS. WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REMOVE JUDGES FROM THE POOL.

Notes on Judge Requirements:

• On SpeechWire, click “Update your judges” to view your current judge quotas based on what you have entered on SpeechWire (this will, of course, change as you adjust your entry).

• All judges are obligated for the ENTIRE TOURNAMENT.

• The FFL Board of Directors asks that all coaches be available to adjudicate the Final Rounds.

  • Per FFL Standing Rule #Rule 4(J), “If any coach in or out of the judge pool refuses or fails to pick up an elimination round ballot, their school shall be fined $50, and the school of the person who judges the round shall be credited $25.”

Entourage Rule

 

The Entourage Rule states that individuals who provide coaching or research support for participants in PFD, LD, or Congressional Debate must fulfill certain obligations as judges. Specifically:

1. For PFD and LD: Coaches or research support individuals must be entered in the judge pool for a minimum of two rounds. They should also be available to judge elimination debates.

2. For Congressional Debate: Coaches or research support individuals must be entered as judges and be available for elimination debates.

 

If there is a valid reason why someone requires an exception to these obligations, they should contact the Tournament Administrator, Paul Gaba (fflexecutiveboard@gmail.com), by March 1, 2026.

 

Consequences for violating the Entourage Rule are as follows:

1. LD and PFD: They will lose their strikes (if offered).

2. Schools with Congressional Debaters: They will be fined the fee for an uncovered judge ($200).

Conduct of Participants

 

Coaches, judges, other observing adults, contestants, and student observers shall comply with the rules outlined in the FFL Civility Code, which is available for download at https://floridaforensicleague.org/. Please review this document with all participants from your school.

 

FFL Property Protection Policies

In the fall of 2005, FFL member schools voted to establish anti-vandalism measures. All coaches should read Standing Rule #17 and share its contents with their students, which include:

1. No contestant or student observer shall enter or remain in a contest room without a judge present. The penalty for violation of this regulation shall be immediate disqualification.

2. Vandalism of property by any person at an FFL tournament shall result in immediate notification of the school and/or local police authorities. The Board of Directors shall notify the administrator of the school associated with the vandal(s) in writing and insist upon appropriate remuneration. In the case of vandalism by a contestant, the additional penalty of immediate disqualification from the tournament shall also apply.

 

Tournament Registration

1. Friday afternoon (April 17), coaches will receive a Google Form via email to “check in” for the 2025 FFL Novicel State Tournament. You will confirm your attendance and report any student/judge drops.

2. Final Tournament Registration will occur on Saturday morning at West Boca Raton HS. FFL Treasurer, Grant Chmielewski, will be available to collect fees at this time. Registration that occurs after this time will incur a fine because it places an undue burden on getting competition started as we navigate Novice State. Please note:

   1. The purpose of this registration is to make the final payment and confirm entries. It is not a place to change judge names. That information should be communicated via email to Paul Gaba (fflexecutiveboard@gmail.com). There are still penalties for drops and name changes made via email, but they are less than the day-of-tournament changes.

   2. Registration should be conducted by the Head Coach or Assistant Coach for the member school. If those individuals are not available, an adult proxy may complete registration. However, that person must be able to answer all questions about a school’s entry. Students will not be permitted to register for a school or be present in the registration area.

   3. Schools not registered by a time to be determined will be dropped from the tournament.

   4. Make all fees payable to FLORIDA FORENSIC LEAGUE.

   5. Registration, both the Google Form and Final Tournament Registration, MUST be completed by the Head Coach or Assistant Coach of record.

Spring Meeting

 

The FFL has returned to the format of hosting a Spring Meeting in-person at the Novice State Tournament. The meeting is tentatively scheduled for Saturday morning. We will provide more information on that in the future. Coaches may submit items for the Spring Meeting Agenda via the Google Form emailed by Paul Gaba.

Important Rooms to Know

(We will update as we have more information)

Tabulation Room - Back of Media Center

Judge Lounge - Media Center

Extemp Prep - 12-206

Guest Wi-Fi Information

Guest Wifi:

Name: guest wifi

Password: beourguest

(vr24)