Florida Forensic League

Panhandle Regional Tournament

Saturday, February 03, 2018

 

Dear Coach,

 

Happy New Year!

 

As you return to school from a (hopefully) restful holiday break, it’s time to plan your entry for the 2018 Florida Forensic League Panhandle Region Qualifying Tournament!  This event will be held at 

Niceville HS on Saturday, February 03, 2018, with registration beginning at 7:30 am. PLEASE do NOT enter the building prior to 7:30 AM.

 

This tournament is the gateway into participation in FFL activities for the remainder of the year.  The top 3 entries in each event will qualify to compete at the State Championship tournament, which will be held on March 2 and 3 at Timber Creek HS in Orlando, FL, whether or not your students qualify to the State Championship, participation at the Regional Tournament will allow your school to enter the Novice State Tournament in April.

 

Here are the 4 most important things you need to know when planning your entry:

 

1.  If your school fails to enter the Regional Tournament, it forfeits the opportunity to attend Novice State and participate in Coach of the Year voting.

2.  The number of qualifiers in each event is based on the number of schools that participate in the previous year’s Regional Tournament. Thus, it is imperative that every member school in the region send at least one student to compete at the qualifying tournament.  If only a few schools in our region fail to participate, we could lose qualifying spots in 2018!

3.  Every student you enter into the Regional Qualifying Tournament must be available to compete at the State Championship Tournament if he/she qualifies.  There are substantial financial penalties for dropping from the State Tournament.Thus, you should make sure that every student from your school who wants to enter this tournament is available to compete on March 2 and 3

4.  First-year students are welcome to attend the Regional Tournament and are eligible to qualify for the State Championship.  They WILL NOT lose their eligibility to compete at Novice State.  In theory, a novice could win the State Championship and still compete at Novice State the following month!

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.  We look forward to seeing you on the 3rd of February at the Niceville HS.

 

QUESTIONS 

 

--Registration, Meals and Directions:  Tournament Host – Pauline Buis – buisp@okaloosaschools.com

 

Registration: fee per competitor $20. 

 

Meals: Jersey Mike's meal count due NLT 23 Jan specify judge coach, vegan sandwiches judge coach, Jersey Mike's or vegan sandwich. Required judges’ coach's lunches $7.00 each. (Competitors’ lunches included in registration fee.)

 

Address: Niceville High School, 800 John Sims Pkwy, East., Niceville, FL 32578 

 

--Entries, Fees, Drops, Rules:  Tournament Director – Pauline Buis buisp@okaloosaschools.com    

ENTRY FEES: Make Checks Payable to Niceville HS FFL Forensics

 

Each Contestant: $20.00 

This is a “per student” entry fee; thus events with 2 people per entry pay 2 fees; Group Interp. pays as many entry fees as there are students in the group; THERE IS NO ADDITIONAL FEE FOR DOUBLE ENTRY

 

Extra Jersey Mike's Lunches: $7.00 each (must be purchased for all coaches, judges, observers, etc.)

 

Fees are due at registration; no exceptions!  Please check with the Tournament Director regarding check payments and to whom the checks should be made payable. (Niceville HS FFL Panhandle Region)

 

--DROP FEES

 

Drops Fees are $10 per instance in addition to the forfeiture of entry fees. 

 

  --JUDGES & REQUIREMENTS

 

1.  All judges should be properly trained using the statewide judging manual.  Please make sure that each of your judges has their own copy; the tournament will not provide them.

 

2.  All judges should bring and use a reliable digital timer.

 

3.  The following judge requirements are in place for this tournament:

 

--Policy Debate:  One judge for every two teams or fraction thereof

--Lincoln Douglas Debate:  One judge for every two debaters or fraction thereof

--Public Forum Debate:  One judge for every two teams or fraction thereof

--Speech/IE, Including Congress:  One judge for every five entries or fraction thereof. 

          Each Duo/Group Interpretation team counts as one entry only.

 

The Tournament Director reserves the right to disqualify students from any school that is unable to meet its judging quota.

 

TOURNAMENT FORMAT & SCHEDULE

 

Final Registration: 7:30 am – 8:00 am.  Any school not registered at 8:00 am will be eliminated from competition.  PLEASE do NOT enter the building prior to 7:30.  Extemp Prep begins at 8 and Round 1 will begin at 8:30

 

The format for each event will depend on the number of entries received.  The Tournament Director will publish the number of preliminary and elimination rounds (if any) along with any power-matching schemes at final registration.

 

Plan for an awards ceremony beginning in the late afternoon or early evening.

 

The tournament will be “closed campus.”  Any contestant found leaving campus is subject to disqualification.

 

--Day of Tournament Emergencies:  Pauline Buis’s Cell - (850)529-0010

 

FYI: Event Reminders, Entry Rules & RULE Changes from FFL Winter Bulletin 

 

Event Reminders & Entry Rules

 

1.Only schools that are members of the league for 2017-2018 may participate at this tournament. Also, please remember that a school-approved adult must accompany students to the tournament and remain on site for the entire competition.  If the school-approved adult is NOT the Head Coach or Assistant Coach on record with the league, then a letter signed by the school principal and printed on school stationery MUST be submitted with the school’s entry.  The letter needs to specifically name the adult in charge.  The penalty for failing to submit this document is disqualification of all contestants from the school involved.

 

2.Laptops may be used in debate events; they may not connect to the internet. 

Internet is permitted in EXTEMP only if internet is accessible to all competitors.  At no time may students use a phone in extemp prep.  If internet will not be available to all competitors, then the tournament director should let member schools know in advance so that students may download their files.  Be advised: NHS will offer a secure u/n and password for access to internet for extemp prep competitors. Laptops may be used in debate events; they may not connect to the internet. In all events, the use of electronic devices (other than those used for the sole purpose of keeping time; contestant timekeeping devices must be incapable of data storage/retrieval) is prohibited.  This includes Policy Debate, Student Congress, the Extemp Prep Room, and all rounds in all other events.  Debate judges may flow on laptops.  Use of an electronic device may result in disqualification.

 

3.Per FFL, Region 1 qualifies 3 this year to Varsity State. Competitors who qualify MUST be available to compete on 2-3 March. At Varsity State, 38 students in each event will be qualified. 

 

4.Each member school is limited to 6 entries per event except group—only one entry per school. 

 

5.EVENTS OFFERED

U.S. Extemp Dramatic Interp.

Lincoln Douglas Debate  International Extemp Humorous Interp.

Program Oral Interp. Oral Interp. Original Oratory

Public Forum Debate Group Interp. Informational

Student Congress Duo Interp.

 

6. Double entry and double qualification is permitted, except in Policy Debate, Lincoln Douglas Debate, Public Forum Debate, Group Interpretation, (Oral Interp and Program Oral Interp), and Student Congress.  Also, cross-entry between U.S. Extemp and International Extemp is prohibited. 

 

7.***If you are entering Student Congress, you must submit at least one bill/resolution for the agenda.  You may send as many items of legislation as students who are entering.  Please send bills as a Word attachment and make sure they are in FFL format (see Student Congress manual) to Pauline Buis at buisp@okaloosaschools.com Legislation is Due – Tuesday, 1/23/18

 

8.DEBATE 

--LD Topic Jan-Feb 2018, RESOLVED: Plea bargaining ought to be abolished in the United States criminal justice system. 

--PF Topic Feb 2018, RESOLVED: The United States should abolish capital gain tax. 

 

9. IX & DX Topics:

 IX

Asia

Europe

Middle East

Africa

Latin America

International Economies

World Leaders

 

DX

Trump Administration

Congress

US Economy

2018 Elections

Infrastructure

Environment

Social Issues

 

10.SPEECH EVENTS: There is a 30-second grace period in these events.  A contestant who goes beyond the grace period may not be ranked first in that round.

 

All contestants must have a copy of their piece/oration available for review by tournament officials.  Failure to present a copy of the applicable document and evidence of publication will result in disqualification.

 

The name of each contestant’s piece/oration must be recorded on speechwire.com.  The piece on the website must be used at BOTH regionals and state.  The penalty for changing pieces at either Regional or State competition is immediate disqualification.

 

11.NEW FFL website address https://floridaforensicsleague.com/ Please familiarize yourself, judges and your team with the rules and FFL Civility Code. NO CONTESTANTS MAY ENTER A ROOM WITHOUT A JUDGE PRESENT. FFL has enacted many changes during the Fall Vote.  The membership needs to be aware of all of rule changes.  These rule changes are listed on the FFL Home Page under “Results” and are included in this document (see # 16).  FFL is actively working to update the Governing Documents; however, coaches should review/familiarize themselves with these changes. 

 

12.RULES COMPLIANCE

Reviewing the following documents in advance of the tournament will help to ensure that your students comply with all FFL rules and regulations.  Questions regarding these rules should be addressed to the Tournament Director.

 

All the following documents are available online at https://floridaforensicsleague.com/ 

 

You should review the general tournament rules with your students; it is strongly recommended that you ALSO print a copy of the event-specific rules and give them to your students so that they can make sure they are in compliance.

 

FFL Civility Code

This document prescribes rules of behavior that are generally observed by all contestants and adults at forensic contests.  If you have inexperienced contestants and/or judges, you should give them a copy of this document.

 

Student Congress Manual

You should give a copy of this document to each of your contestants in Student Congress.  

 

State of Florida Uniform Judging Manual

You should give a copy of this document to each of your judges.  There will be no copies available at the tournament.

 

 

13.ANTI-VANDALISM REQUIREMENTS

 

To protect the property of our host school, the following rules are in effect:

 

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 from the tournament.

2.  One room will be designated for Extempers to prep.  An adult proctor will supervise that room.

3.  Vandalism of property by any person at an FFL tournament shall result in immediate notification of school and/or local police authorities  .  

    The Board of Directors shall notify the principal 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.

 

14. Varsity State

 

Timber Creek HS will be playing host to the Varsity State Tournament.  Many thanks to Beth Eskin and her team for helping us to keep the Varsity State Tournament centrally located!

 

Dates – Friday & Saturday March 2nd – 3rd 2018

 

Address - 1001 Avalon Park S Blvd, Orlando, FL 32828

 

Registration will take place via www.speechwire.com

 

15. Novice State 

 

Get ready to DeBayte at Cypress Bay for the 2018 Novice State Tournament.  

 

Dates – Saturday & Sunday April 14th 15th 2018  

 

Address - 18600 Vista Park Blvd, Weston, FL 33332

 

• We will be conducting our Spring Meeting on the Sunday morning of the Novice State after we schedule the first round.  The Board of Directors is looking to increase participation by coaches, thus the reason for the change.  More information will be provided as we draw closer to the event.

 

 

16. FFL Member Voting Results Affecting Rule Changes

 

1.  Should the FFL remove Rule 31 (Speech & Interp Events Rules and Procedures) - Letter P.?  The rule currently states " Students must bring the same selection to the State Championship that was qualified at the Regional Tournament. The penalty for violating this rule is disqualification." 

 

Fails – The rule will remain in place

 

2.  Should FFL amend Rule 30 (Speech & Interp Events - Rules & Procedures) and add POI as an official event to be offered at Varsity State?  The league piloted this event during the 2017 season.  For this event to remain a part of the FFL the league must vote this year on the status. 

 

 

Passes – POI will be offered, but students will not be able to cross enter in POI and OI they must choose one or the other

 

3.  Should FFL amend Rule 30 (Speech & Interp Events - Rules & Procedures) and add Informative (INFO) as an official event to be offered at Novice State? The league piloted this event during the 2017 season. For this event to remain a part of the FFL the league must vote this year on the status. 

 

Passes – INF will be offered at the 2018 Novice State Tournament 

 

4.  Should Rule 29 Public Forum Debate Rules - Letter B - be amended?  The current wording states "The tabulation room will pair Public Forum Debate teams against each other while assigning sides in debate. A coin toss will determine which speech they would like to give (first or last)"  If amended the rule will be updated to reflect that in Round 5 of Public Forum Debate teams should be permitted to not only flip a coin to determine which teams speaks first or last, but also flip for sides. 

 

Passes – the 5th round of PFD will be flip for sides and speaking order 

(vr)