SpeechWire Tournament Services - Forensics Tournament Software

Sponsored by the Apple Valley High School Forensics Team, Parent Boosters, American Legion Post 1776

The administration, Speech Coaching Staff, and the Apple Valley American Legion Post 1776 are pleased to invite you to the Minneapple Speech Invitational. In an effort to better meet the needs of students, we offer a Varsity and Novice Division in each event. To better accommodate our entries, we will be in two locations: Apple Valley High School and Falcon Ridge Middle School.

This format is designed to offer students excellent competition suited to their experience level as well as to double the opportunity for final round experience, recognition, and awards. In the Varsity Division competitors will advance to regular and honors finals. We will once again feature the red marble apple to top finishers.

Our tournament is designated as an Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions Qualifier and we are a bid tournament for the National Individual Events Tournament of Champions.

In the past, our tournament has included students from throughout Minnesota, Iowa, Indiana, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Washington. We look forward to additional out-state visitors attending the Minneapple. This tournament is a great opportunity to compete with and observe students from a variety of states compete for the apple! We are committed to making this a valuable and rewarding learning experience for all students!

To make this the best possible event, we prioritize hospitality, efficiency, and offer awards galore!

We hope you will join us. We are dedicated to making this a tournament you'll enjoy. We hope to see you February 1st!

REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Thursday, January 30, 2014. After this date, if the website accepts your registration, that means space is still available and you are confirmed.

LOCATIONS: All NOVICE events will be held at Falcon Ridge Middle School with the exception of novice extemporaneous speaking, which will be held at Apple Valley High School. All VARSITY events will be held at Apple Valley High School with the exception of varsity discussion, which will be held at Falcon Ridge Middle School. This allows the tournament to accommodate only double entries in events held at the same site. Since extemporaneous speakers often share files, both divisions are in one building. Discussion will be at Falcon because it is not eligible for double entering.

CATEGORIES AND TIME LIMITS: We will honor both MSHSL and NFL rules. All thirteen MSHSL speech events will be offered. However, to accommodate out state teams, all non-draw events will be allowed a time limit of TEN MINUTES. For a copy of MSHSL rules, go to the MSHSL website at www.mshsl.org. As an FYI to out-state schools, at MN invitationals competitors do not need to provide copies of material for verification--this is only done at the section and state tournament level.

All NFL events will follow NFL rules. Please visit the NFL website at www.nationalforensicleague.org for rules. Because we are an NIETOC bid tournament, we will allow students doing Prose to enter in Drama. This will also mean that Varsity Extemporaneous Speaking, finals will include cross-examination. If you have questions about events, please contact us.

ENTRIES: We have no limits on entries. Students may double enter, except in discussion. VARSITY means experienced competitors. NOVICE means first year competitors. Because we are in two locations, students can not double enter in one Varsity event and one Novice event. Due to space limitations, we will not accept adds on the day of the tournament so please ensure your entry is accurate.

JUDGES: You must provide one judge per six entries in the BUILDING your competitors are entered. For example, if you have 6 entries at Falcon Ridge and 4 entries at AVHS, you will need one judge dedicated to each building. WHEN REGISTERING, CAREFULLY REGISTER YOUR JUDGES FOR THE BUILDING'S ENTRIES. THE WEBSITE IS SET-UP TO FACILITATE THIS. IN ADVANCE OF THE TOURNAMENT, PLEASE BE SURE TO TELL YOUR JUDGES TO REPORT TO THE BUILDING YOU SELECTED ACCORDING TO YOUR ENTRY. We have a limited number of judges available for hire for a fee of $90.00. Please email colingoodson@gmail.com if you are in need of a hired judge, and we will try to accommodate your request.

FEES: All entries are $6.00 and Duo counts as one entry. There is a flat school registration fee of $20.00 used to facilitate being in two buildings and the shuttle buses provided. Please make checks payable to Apple Valley Speech Booster Club. Fees are final as of 5 pm Thursday, January 30th. After that time, drops will not lower your total registration fee.

If you have any questions regarding payment, please contact our team treasurer Jennifer Zurick at JZurick@collinsmn.com.

A fee of $90.00 per uncovered judge on the day of the tournament will be assessed and must be paid the day of the tournament.

CHANGES: If you need to make changes to your registration, please make them directly at Speech Wire until the website is closed down during the week. After that changes should be emailed to Scott Voss at scott.voss@district196.org.

TOURNAMENT FORMAT: There will be three preliminary rounds and a final round of approximately seven competitors.

FINALS: Students in the Varsity division will have the opportunity to advance to regular and honors finals. The Novice division will not have honors finals. The honors final generally consists of the next seven entries that did not advance to the final round.

AWARDS: Our signature marble apples and ribbons will be awarded to finalists in all events. Team sweepstakes will be based on combined final round rankings in novice and varsity divisions. Five large-entry and one small-entry team sweepstakes will be awarded.

CONCESSIONS: Our concession stands will be available throughout the tournament at both tournament locations. Breakfast items, lunch, and other snacks will be available. Coaches and judges should plan to visit the coaches' lounge for great hospitality.

REGISTRATION: Registration will occur at the respective schools. Registration for Varsity (along with Novice Extemp. Speaking) will be at Apple Valley High School from 7:00-8:00 am on Saturday morning, while registration for Novice (along with Varsity discussion) will be from 7:00-8:00 am on Saturday morning at Falcon Ridge Middle School. Please check the schedule page for more information on each location.

DRAW EVENTS AND DISCUSSION: All draw events will have thirty-minute preparation times. Extemporaneous Reading will draw from the MSHSL Prose list 1-10, Poems 1-20. Storytelling will draw from the MSHSL list of stories 1-10. Students in varsity and novice will draw for all three preliminary rounds and finals. The Discussion tasks will be taken from Section I of the MSHSL outline of this year's topic (U.S. Infrastructure Challenges). Tasks will not be posted in advance of the tournament. The discussion outline is available at www.mshsl.org.

SHUTTLE BUSES: We will only provide shuttle buses from Falcon Ridge Middle School to AVHS for awards at the end of the day. SINCE WE WILL BE HAVING TWO DIFFERENT REGISTRATION SITES, YOU SHOULD HAVE YOUR TRANPORTATION DROP STUDENTS OFF AT THEIR RESPECTIVE BUILDINGS.

Please note which events are at Apple Valley High School and which events are at Falcon Ridge Middle School. All awards will be held at Apple Valley High School.

Tournament Hotel: Hampton Inn, 3000 Eagandale Pl, Eagan, MN, US, 55121 (651) 688-3343

Hampton Inn is offering schools a deal for $89 a night for a two bed room with a continental breakfast in the morning. To capitalize on this deal, teams must make reservations before January 17th. The rate is good for both Friday and Saturday nights. Be sure to tell them that you are with the Minneapple Speech Tournament to receive the deal.

EVENTS: All Varsity Events (except Varsity Discussion) and Novice Extemp Speaking.

EVENTS: All Novice events (except Extemporaneous Speaking) and Varsity Discussion.

3:30 Last shuttles leave for AVHS (Note: If finals are running late, the buses will wait, but please board shuttles immediately after the final round is over).

~Traveling south on 35W or 35E, exit at County Road 42. Go East to Hayes Road, then North to AVHS

~Traveling south on Cedar Ave (Hwy. 77), turn right at 140th Street (first stoplight) and go west to Hayes Road and turn left.

~Traveling north on 35W or 35E, exit at County Road 42 and go east to Hayes Road then north to AVHS.

--Coming from the NORTH: Traveling South on 35W, exit at 494 east to Cedar Ave (77) south. Cedar Ave. South to Co Rd. 38. Exit on Co Rd 38, head east. Go to Johnny Cake Ridge Road and turn right. It is on the corner of Co. Rd. 38 and Johnny Cake.

--Coming from the South: Traveling North on 35E, exit on Cedar Avenue south. Cedar Ave. South to Co Rd. 38. Exit on Co Rd 38, head east. Go to Johnny Cake Ridge Road and turn right.

--Coming from Apple Valley High School: Take a right on Hayes Road to 140th Street. Make right on 140th and take it to Cedar Ave. Take left on Cedar and go north to Co. Rd. 38. Exit on Co Rd 38, head east. Go to Johnny Cake Ridge Road and turn right.

The Golden Apple Award recognizes the outstanding achievement and dedication of an individual in the speech community. This may include a head coach, assistant coach, judge, tab room worker, friend of the speech community, etc.

Introduced in 2009, the Speech Golden Apple Award is designed to parallel the Debate Golden Award, which is given out at the MinneApple Debate Tournament in November.

The Golden Apple will be awarded on February 2nd at the MinneApple Speech Tournament Awards Ceremony.

Scott Voss
Email address: scott.voss@district196.org
Phone number: 952 290 0790

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