MSDL

Welcome to The Massachusetts Speech & Debate League (MSDL)

The purpose of the Massachusetts Speech & Debate League is to stimulate interest in speech training and to promote participation in interscholastic debate, oratory, interpretive speaking and interpretative oral reading. It is comprised of several Massachusetts high schools, with affiliate schools in other New England states. The league sponsors tournaments in both debate and public speaking each year, and its member schools are the major components of the New England NSDA district and the Boston and Worcester dioceses of the NCFL.

The MSDL serves high school students (grades 9-12).

If you are looking for information about middle school speech (grades 6-8), please visit their website: mmssl.weebly.com

For more information, please email us at MSDLboard@gmail.com.

2025 - 2026 Season Announcements

Our season will open with the All-Novice tournament at Sharon High School on Saturday, October 18, 2025. This is a great way for new competitors in speech & debate events to get started. We will also be offering an in-person Speech Judge training at the event. More information will be posted soon, but in the meantime, save the date!

AN IMPORTANT NOTE TO ALL COMPETITORS AND JUDGES

One of the most common complaints we hear from competitors is that either a judge or another student is using their phone during a round, often while performances are in progress. Some report that students are whispering or gesturing to one another while a student is performing in the room.

It is important that all MSDL STUDENTS AND JUDGES wait until a round is over before texting! This certainly should never happen while a student is performing! Students should also be sure not to engage in any behavior that a speaker would find distracting, including gesturing, whispering or texting.

Thank you for your help in making sure all of our students feel their presentations are valued by all members of their audiences.