Bethany Vocal Viking

Oct. 30-31, 2026

Mankato, Minnesota

 

 

The Vocal Viking is a two-day tournament with 2 rounds of 3 groups of individual events. Standard IEs and Parliamentary Debate will be offered. There will be two divisions in Parliamentary Debate if entries warrant. Students may double enter in each IE group. Students can enter Parliamentary Debate and one other event in Group C.   

 

Special Features:

• No minimum number of events is required for Individual Sweeps. All students are automatically entered in individual sweeps, regardless of the number of their events
• Variation in Impromptu topics (see Group B)
• Two divisions of Parliamentary Debate depending on number of entries.
• Breakfast provided Saturday morning. 
• Sweepstakes awards for large and small school divisions
• A relaxed schedule to allow students to compete well and enjoy the experience.
• The always-popular pumpkin carving contest!

 

Awards

All finalists will receive awards. The entries will be divided into two divisions at the most logical dividing point.  The top three schools in each division will receive sweepstakes awards.  Individual sweepstakes will include all competitors entered in any number of events.  The top three competitors will receive awards.  Parliamentary Debate will include the top 5 debaters in the tournament from each division.  A quality award will be given to the team with the highest point to entry ratio (minimum of 1 debate entry and 2 individual event entries). 

Sweepstakes points will be tallied as follows:

IE Prelims

       1^st   -   3 points

       2^nd   -   2 points

       3^rd   -   1 point

IE Finals

       1^st   -   12 points

       2^nd   -   10 points

       3^rd   -   8 points

       4^th   -   7 points

       5^th   -   5 points

       6^th   -   3 points

Parli

       1^st   -   12 points

       2^nd   -   10 points

   Semi   -   8 points

finalist      

Prelim   -   2 points

     win

Fees

$8 per IE entry.  $20 judge fee per uncovered IE slot.

$35 per Parliamentary Debate team.  $60 judge fee for each uncovered Parli team.

 

Entries are due Monday, Oct. 26 by 5 pm on Speechwire.com.  Fees assessed as the entry stands on Noon, Tuesday, Oct. 27. A $15 add/drop fee will be added for each IE change and a $30 fee for each debate add/drop after that time.  Major credit cards will be accepted.  Make checks payable to Bethany Lutheran College.

 

 

Judges

One judge covers 6 IE entries, or two Parli teams, or a combination of 4 IE entries and 1 Parli team.  $15 per uncovered IE slot, and $60 per uncovered Parli team.  All judges are expected to be available for final rounds.  All judges are considered clean for final rounds.  

Debate Divisions

Debaters with more than two years of college debate experience should enter the Open Division of debate.  Debaters with less than two years of college debate experience should enter the JV Division.  Divisions will be collapsed into Open if there are not enough entries to warrant two divisions. 

Entries

Please submit your entry via SpeechWire.com. 

If you have questions, please contact:

Jon Loging  Jon.Loging@blc.edu

Call or fax to 507-344-7420

 

Entry Deadline:  5 pm, Monday, Oct. 26, 2026

Fees Assessed:  Noon, Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026

Food

Bethany has limited food opportunities on campus.  Breakfast will be provided Saturday morning in the lobby of Honsey Hall.  Bethany has a new food service provider. They are not offering discounts for early purchase of meal tickets. At the door payment will be an option. The exact price will be provided after entry.

Events

• Individual Events--AFA-NIET, NFA, and/or Phi Rho Pi rules.  See Event Descriptions below.  Materials shall not have been used by a contestant in intercollegiate contests prior to Sept. 1 of the current year. A person may not use the same cutting/content or a portion of a cutting/content in more than one event.
• Students may double enter in each event group.  Two Duo Interpretations are considered double entered. In Group C, if students are in Parli, they can only do one individual event. Students must do their IE first in that case.
• Parliamentary Debate— NPDA guidelines with the following exceptions:  In-room topic announcement.  No coaching/team prep during the 15 minute preparation time.  Dictionary only during prep time.  No warm room.  No “flex” time. Students should expect to be judged by lay judges.  Students may enter one other event in Group C

 

Grouping check

A = DUO EXT PER POI                  B = PRO IMP INF         C = ADS CA DI POE - Parli

 

Schedule

	Friday, Oct. 30		Saturday, Oct. 31
11 am	Registration-Honsey Hall 200	7:30	Breakfast – Honsey Hall
11:30	Parli 1	8:00	C2/Parli 4
12:45	Parli 2	9:30	Draw
2 pm	Draw	10 am	A2
2:30	A1	11 am	Parli Quarter Finals
3:45	B1		LUNCH 11:30-12:30
5 pm	C1/Parli 3	12:45	B/C Finals
6:30	B2	2 pm	Parli Semi Finals
		3:15	Draw
		3:45	A/B Finals
		5 pm	Parli Finals
		6 pm	Awards

 

 

Bethany Students

Students from the Bethany Lutheran College Speech and Debate Team will also be competing in the Vocal Viking.  Bethany students will be eligible for final rounds in events and will compete for individual sweepstakes awards.  The Bethany Speech and Debate Team will not compete for team sweepstakes awards. Those students competing will not have access to the tab room or tournament results until after the tournament.

 

Groupingsa

GROUP A

Duo Interpretation: A cutting involving the portrayal of two or more characters presented by two individuals. Duo is not an acting event. The focus is off-stage. Time limit is 10 minutes.

 

Extemporaneous Speaking: Contestants will be given three current events topics, choose one, and have 30 minutes to prepare a speech. 7 minutes speaking time.  Internet connection is possible.  Students will be allowed to use the Internet for preparation.

 

Persuasive Speaking: An original speech by the student designed to inspire, reinforce, or change the beliefs, attitudes, values, or actions of the audience. Time limit is 10 minutes.

 

Program Oral Interpretation: A program of thematically linked selections chosen from at least two of the three genres of prose, poetry, and drama. Time limit is 10 minutes.

 

GROUP B

Prose Interpretation:  Selection(s) of prose material which may be from more than one source. Play cuttings are prohibited. Time limit is 10 minutes.

 

Impromptu Speaking: Speakers will have a total of 7 minutes for both preparation and speaking. The Vocal Viking uses cartoons in round 1, objects in round 2, and a quotation in the final round.

Competitors will get 15 seconds once the prompt is revealed. The 7 minutes begins after the 15 seconds.

 

Informative Speaking: An original, factual speech by the student on a realistic subject to fulfill the aim of informing the audience. Time limit is 10 minutes.

 

GROUP C

After-Dinner Speaking: An original humorous speech by the student exhibiting sound composition, thematic coherence, and good taste. Time limit is 10 minutes.

 

Communication Analysis: An original speech by the student designed to describe, and evaluate, and interpret a communication event. Time limit is10 minutes.

 

Dramatic Interpretation: A cutting which represents one or more characters from a play or plays of performative merit. Material may be drawn from stage, screen, or radio. Time limit is 10 minutes.

 

Poetry Interpretation: A selection or selections of poetry of performative merit which may be drawn from more than one source. Play cuttings are prohibited. Time limit is 10 minutes.

 

Parliamentary Debate:  Standard NPDA rules with the following exceptions:  No warm room.  No coaching or group prep during the 15 minutes of prep time.  In-room topic announcement.  Only a dictionary may be used during prep time. No “flex” time.

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