Valparaiso Speech Invitational Tournament 2

 

Dear Coach:

You and your team are invited to the Valparaiso Varsity Speech Tournament on Saturday, February 22, 2020. We will be offering all 14 IHSFA Current Speech Events and NSDA's Big Question Debate. (We must have 3 schools participate in our Big Question Event). Registration will be made on SpeechWire (www.speechwire.com). Please have all entries in by 5:00 p.m. (CDT) on Tuesday, February 18, 2020. Final Registration will begin on the day of the tournament at 7:00 a.m. and end at 7:30 a.m. (CDT). Extemp Draw will begin at 7:45 a.m. Radio contestants should report to Radio Prep room by 7:50 a.m.  First rounds will begin at 8:00 a.m. (CDT) except for Big Question, Extemp & Impromptu. No drops may be picked up on the day of the tournament. We will be using E-Balloting, so please have all of your judges bring a laptop or tablet.

 

PARDON OUR DUST: As you may know, Valparaiso High School has almost finished re-construction. Please ask your students to respect our building and to refrain from taking materials that don’t belong to them, as well as to refrain from making more work for us and our custodians. Thank you in advance for your efforts on our behalf. As you know, no student should enter a competition room without a judge being present.

 

ENTERING RESTRICTIONS & JUDGING:  Teams may enter a maximum of 40 entries with a limit of 4 students in each division per each event that will count for sweepstakes points. Each team will provide one judge for every five entries or fraction thereof. That means 6 entries = 2 judges. You may enter a non-sweepstakes team for additional entries.  A student entered on the school’s sweepstakes team MAY NOT ALSO be entered on a non-sweepstakes team.

 

DOUBLING: Contestants may double at their own risk with the following exceptions:

Broadcasting may double in all events except Impromptu, and the 2 Extemps.

Discussion contestants may not double.

Duo partners may double in OP Duo as the same partners.

Extemp contestants may not double in the other Extemp event. Extempers may double only in Impromptu, Informative Speaking, and Original Oratory.

Impromptu contestants may double in all events except Discussion and Broadcasting.

No triple entries will be permitted.

 

Rounds: All events will go 3 rounds and a final. Impromptu Rounds 1 & 3 will start 30 minutes later to accommodate Extempers who are doubling.

 

Broadcasting (Radio):

                Broadcasting will offer the following:

Round 1: Pre-written 5-minute newscast including, commercial, music lead-in & lead-out of the contestant's choice.

Round 2: On-the-Spot: 2-min. prep. with 2 min. performance

Round 3: Editorial: 30-min. prep. with 2 min. performance

Final Round: Radio Program: 30 min. prep. with 7 min. performance

 

Discussion will follow the IHSFA rules found on the ihsfa.org website.  Topics/Artifacts will be posted following the close of registration Tuesday evening, February 18.

 

Extempers will draw before all 4 rounds.

 

MEALS: There will be no scheduled break in competition for lunch; however, food (including breakfast items) will be available throughout the tournament with lunch being served from 11:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

 

AWARDS: The top eight places in each event shall receive ribbons and earn sweepstakes points.  We will offer 5 sweepstakes trophies.

 

ESTIMATED TIME OF AWARDS: 3:30 p.m. (CDT) With your help, we will run a rapid awards session.

 

ARRIVAL AND FOUL WEATHER DELAYS: Should inclement weather cause us to delay the start of the tournament or cancel it entirely, we will contact you via the contact number you provide in the registration by 5:30 a.m. CDT. 

Please direct all inquiries to: Mary Fridh @ mafridh@gmail.com or 219-363-6618. On the day of the tournament, I will only be reachable by email.

 

We hope to see you here! The Valparaiso Speech, Debate, Mock Trial Coaching Staff and the VHS Forensic Boosters, Inc.

Abigael, Andy, Brian, John & Mary

(vr)