SpeechWire Tournament Services - Forensics Tournament Software

The University of Alabama has graciously agreed to host the AFA-NIET District 6 Qualifying Tournament in Tuscaloosa, AL, February 18-19, 2017. You and your teams are also invited to participate in the Black Warrior Invitational. Both invitations and registration information follow. We hope that you will take advantage of two tournaments on the same site.

District 6 is comprised of the following states: AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC, and TN and Louisiana State University. Several schools have already paid their District 6 subscription fees for the AFA-NIET. Subscription fees are $50 (after the December 1st deadline) and can be paid directly on the AFA website or will be added to your school's entry fee at the district qualifying tournament registration. If you know of other programs in your state that would be interested in joining the AFA-NIET, please encourage them to attend our district tournament or to contact me for more information. We want our district to be well represented at the 2017 AFA NIET hosted by Bradley University, April 1-3, 2017. Be sure to check out the AFA-NIET website at www.afa-niet.org which has the invitation and other information.

In addition to the usual tournament awards, District 6 will accept nominations for the 2017 All-American Individual Events Team presented at the AFA-NIET. This is a wonderful recognition for students who excel at academics, service, and forensics. The nomination form and requirements are included with this invitation (additional information will be sent by Kellie Roberts, AFA-NIET Southern Rep.). The completed nomination packet which must include a copy of the student’s official transcripts, plus 3 hard copies, must be turned in no later than end of registration on the morning of February 18th.

It would also be a great help if you could please bring your team’s current qual sheets for all at large AFA qualifications to Districts. This task will help us begin the process of verifying qualifications for the national tournament.

We will be using Speechwire for entries, scheduling and tabulation. Please go to their website to enter: www.speechwire.org . If you have any questions about this year's district tournament or the national tournament, please don't hesitate to contact us.

The Alabama Forensic Council is looking forward to hosting the D-6 Qualifier on February 18^th. We would also like to take this opportunity to invite you to the Black Warrior Invitational, also to be held on our campus, the following day on Sunday, February 19^th.

To help simplify matters, we will be offering the same events, the same flight patterns, and the same limits on entries that were in place at Districts. Additionally, any events which qualify at Districts will be able to be dropped free of charge. Substitutions are also welcome.

We will be using Speechwire.com to register and administer the tournament. Please go to their website for more information.

Everything you need to plan a delightful Districts weekend is in the following invitation. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call us at 205-348-8077. We look forward to seeing everyone at the end of January and hope you enjoy your stay in Tuscaloosa – named after Chief Tuscaloosa who was known as the Black Warrior!

1-A. There will be two preliminary rounds with finals. A school may not enter more than five students in each event, and only the top three entries in an event from any school will count toward sweepstakes awards. Material must not have been used by the student before September 1, 2016. Competitors may enter up to three events in a grouping. A STUDENT MAY NOT ENTER AN EVENT THAT HAS BEEN QUALIFIED FOR THE 2017 AFA-NIET THROUGH THE AT-LARGE QUALIFICATION METHOD--please see at-large qualification method below. Three tournament placements used for qualification may not exceed a cumulative total of eight (8), based on the following formula:

1-B. There will be two preliminary rounds with finals. A school may enter no more than 5 students in an event. Material must not have been used by the student before September 1, 2016. Competitors may enter THREE events per grouping.

3. Judges: All judges must be active coaching faculty, or graduate students, or persons with forensic experience. All judges will be responsible for judging one round past the elimination round of their students -- this means all judges are obligated to judge events in both flights which go straight to finals. Each school will be expected to provide one judge for every six slots entered. The cost for hired judges will be $10.00 per uncovered slot. (This will be the same for both tournaments.)

4. Deadlines: All entries must be received by 5:00 pm, CST, Tuesday, February 14, 2017 for both tournaments. Drops only can be phoned in until Wednesday, February 15 at noon. After this time, we will impose a late-drop fee of an additional $10.00 per slot dropped, and $60.00 per judge dropped. No additions past the deadline. (This will be the same for both tournaments.)

5. Awards: Awards will be given to all finalists. The top three schools will receive a school sweepstakes award. (This will be the same for both tournaments.)

All-American Individual Events Team: Schools in District 6 may present a maximum of two nominations per year and the nomination materials (including the form enclosed with this invitation) must be submitted at the district tournament registration on February 18th. One recipient (from the nominees) will be chosen by a district selection committee to represent our district and will be announced at the District 6 Tournament Awards Ceremony. Other district nominees may be forwarded to the NIET committee as at-large nominees.

There are several hotel options in Tuscaloosa. If you are having trouble with accommodations, please contact Bobby Imbody at imbody@ua.edu.

Registration in lobby of Lloyd Hall (Map with directions will be included on speechwire.

This is a new location for us. We are trying some buildings out in our lead up to the 2019 NIET!

Tuscaloosa is located 55 miles southwest of Birmingham, AL. The majority of participants will travel I-59/20 – they become the same interstate from Birmingham on into Mississippi. A few might travel highway 82 east. On I-59/20 you will take the McFarland Blvd. exit and turn left onto McFarland Blvd. – if you are coming in from Mississippi you will take a right on to McFarland Blvd. You will take the University Blvd. exit which will take you directly to campus.

Subscription Fee for the American Forensic Association's National Individual Events Tournament.

Address: _____________________________________________________________________________

Impromptu Speaking: An impromptu speech, serious in nature, with topic selections varied by round and by section. Topics will be derived from quotations. Speakers will have a total of 7 minutes for both preparation and speaking. Timing commences with the acceptance of the topics sheet. Limited notes are permitted.

Informative Speaking: An original, factual speech by the student on a realist subject to fulfill the general aim to inform the audience. Audio-visual aids may or may not be used to supplement and reinforce the message. Multiple sources should be used and cited in the development of the speech. Minimal notes are permitted. Maximum time is 10 minutes.

Prose Interpretation: A selection or selections of prose material of literary merit, which may be drawn from more than one source. A primary focus of this event should be on the development of the narrative/story. Play cuttings and poetry are prohibited. Use of manuscript is required. Maximum time is 10 minutes including introduction.

Duo Interpretation: A cutting from one or more texts of literary merit, humorous or serious, involving the portrayal of two or more characters presented by two individuals. The material may be drawn from any genre of literature. This is not an acting event; thus, no costumes, props, lighting, etc, are to be used. Presentation is from the manuscript and the focus should be off-stage and not to each other. Maximum time limit is 10 minutes including introduction.

Extemporaneous Speaking: Contestants will be given three topics in the general area of current events, choose one, and have 30 minutes to prepare a speech that is the original work of the student. Maximum time limit for the speech is 7 minutes. Limited notes are permitted. Student will speak in listed order. Postings of topics will be staggered.

Persuasive Speaking: An original speech by the student designed to inspire, reinforce, or change the beliefs, attitudes, values or actions of the audience. Audio-visual aids may or may not be used to supplement and reinforce the message. Multiple sources should be used and cited in the development of the speech. Minimal notes are permitted. Maximum time limit is 10 minutes.

Program Oral Interpretation: A program of thematically-linked selections of literary merit, chosen from two or three recognized genres of competitive interpretation (prose/poetry/drama). A primary focus of this event should be on the development of the theme through the use of narrative/story, language, and/or characterization. A substantial portion of the total time must be devoted to each of the genres used in the program. Different genre means the material must appear in separate pieces of literature ( e.g., A poem included in a short story that appears only in that short story does not constitute a poetry genre.) Only one selection may be original. Use of manuscript is required. Maximum time limit is 10 minutes including introduction.

After Dinner Speaking: An original, humorous speech by the student, designed to exhibit sound speech composition, thematic, coherence, direct communicative public speaking skills, and good taste. The speech should not resemble a night club act, an impersonation, or comic dialogue. Audio-visual aids may or may not be used to supplement and reinforced the message. Minimal notes are permitted. Maximum time limit is 10 minutes.

Communication Analysis: An original speech by the student designed to offer an explanation and/or evaluation of a communication event such as a speech, speaker, movement, poem, poster, film, campaign, etc., through the use of rhetorical principles. Audio-visual aids may or may not be used to supplement and reinforce the message. Manuscripts are permitted. Maximum time limit is 10 minutes.

Drama Interpretation: A cutting that represents one or more characters from a play or plays of literary merit. A primary focus of this event is on the development of characterization. This material may be drawn from stage, screen, or radio. Use of manuscript is required. Maximum time limit is 10 minutes including introduction.

Poetry Interpretation: A selection or selections of poetry of literary merit, which may be drawn from more than one source. A primary focus of this event should be on the development of language. Play cuttings and prose works are prohibited. Use of manuscript is required. Maximum time limit is 10 minutes including introduction.

Rationale: This award is designed with the intent to recognize students beyond the area of competition. While achievement in the forensic activity is taken into account, equal weight should be given to scholarship and service. This award should serve as a crowning touch to those seniors who have demonstrated outstanding qualities in all three areas.

General Qualifications for Nomination: Nominees should demonstrate personal qualities that show their understanding of the role of intercollegiate forensic competition in a liberal education. They should show evidence of success and good conduct in the forensic activity, excellence in their classroom studies as evidenced not only by grade-point average, but also by the range and challenge of study, and show a commitment to the betterment of their community through their forensic and non-forensic activities.

Specific Criteria for Nomination:

· The nominee(s) must be designated as a senior at their four-year institution and attending their last AFA-NIET as a competitor.

· The nominee(s) must have at least an overall “B” GPA in college coursework. Each nomination must include a copy of the student’s official college transcript of grades.

· The nominee(s) must provide documentation of forensic success including a resume of awards earned during forensic competition. . Letters of support for each nominee shall convey the value the individual has added to the forensic activity in general (e.g., mentoring, good sportsmanship).

· The nominee(s) must provide documentation of service work. This may include forensic-related service. Service outside of the forensic community is a significant criterion. Non-forensic service venues may include the community, civic organizations, the school, etc.

· Each nomination must include a letter of support addressing the student’s work in providing community service to their university and the community at large

Nomination Process: Nominations must come from a program director/coach and be submitted to the District Chair. District Chairs will inform member schools of deadlines for submission. Each District Committee will select one recipient from their respective district, and forward up to five additional nominations from their district to the Chair of the Selection Committee. A school may submit at most two nominations to their district. There will be at least one recipient from each of the AFA-NIET districts. At-large recipients may come from any district. District chairs must submit all nominations to the Chair of the All-American Team Committee no later than March 10, 2015.

Full Name of Nominee:
___________________________________________

University/College:
__________________________________________

Director/Coach of Nominee:
___________________________________________

Mailing address of Director/Coach:

_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________

Office Phone Number: ___________________________

Fax Number: ___________________________________

E-Mail: ________________________________________

Date of Graduation: ______________________________

Letters of Support (no more than three letters, including letter from a director/coach)

Questions about the nomination process should be directed to your District Chair.

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