FAQ
EVENTS:
Can I enter in more than one event?
Yes you can!
Asynchronous Events: Yes! As many as you are able to do.
Morning Events: Yes, but up to a max of two events. If you are competing in Extemp, you are not allowed to compete in any other morning event.
Afternoon Events: Nope!
How many events can I do total, then?
For 6th Graders: 9
For 7th and 8th graders: 8
Will my judge already know if I'm cross-entered?
Nope! It is the responsibility of cross-entered students to inform the judges in both rooms that they are double entered and should request to go either later or earlier in the round. If you don't do this, you might miss your chance to compete!!
Can I do a piece I did last year?
Nope! Students may not perform any selections they performed at tournaments in previous years This includes group events, meaning NO students from a given group event may perform the same material the following year (For example, if Eric, Connor, and Erin perform "YMCA" this year, Eric may not perform "YMCA" next year with new group members). Selections performed by other students from previous years may be performed by a new student, though students are encouraged to find and create new, fresh material to perform.
I'm new and I've never done a tournament before. Can I compete?
Only team members who have officially joined the team may compete at tournament. You are free to join the team at any point during the school year. Click the following link to fill out an application. You'll need to come to the Speech and Debate practices to be officially on the team.
I'm a 6th grader. Can I do any event I choose?
Yes! You may compete in any event you choose, but understand that you will be going up against older students with more experience. It is a fantastic learning experience, and in my opinion, makes you a better performer. If competing against older kids isn't your thing, Storytelling is an event offered only to 6th graders in an effort to provide an event where the competition isn't so tough for our youngest team members.
Do I get to see my ballots?
Yes! Ballots will be available sometime after the tournament on Tabroom. Most of the coaches are tired after the tournament, so please allow us to decompress before coming and asking when they're available.
How am I evaluated by the judge?
The judges are asked to "rank the room" in order of who they thought gave the best performance. The rank reflects how you placed in the room, rather than how you did on a scale of 1-10. For example, you could give an excellent performance in a tough room and be ranked 3rd, even though your performance was a "10".
My judge looked angry or bored during my piece. Should I be worried?
Short answer: no. In fact, except for giving occasional eye contact when appropriate, don't pay much attention to the judge at all. They want to evaluate your performance, not how often you check in for their approval. Also, some people have "angry" or "bored" faces when they are thinking, assessing, analyzing or judging a performance (Mr. Morrison is one of those people!). Their face has no bearing on how they feel about your performance, or what your ranking in the round might be. On the flip side, some people have expressive faces, but be careful not to link a happy/amused face with a high score, as this is not always the case, either. Ultimately, be prepared, give a great performance and don't worry about the judge.
What is "grace"?
Grace period is an additional 30 seconds offered past the standard maximum limit for an event. For example, if the time limit on an event is 8 minutes, you have up until 8 minutes 30 seconds before you run overtime. Why does this exist? Students will often use as much performance time as possible in an effort to give a standout performance, but sometimes things happen in a round that can affect timing. Imagine you have an HI that is consistently running 7 minutes and 50 seconds, but the audience in your room ends up laughing quite a bit, which adds to your performance time, bringing the total time to 8 minutes and 12 seconds. In this example, having a "grace period" keeps you within qualification, even though technically you've exceeded the maximum time limit for the event.
What are time signals?
Time signals are gestures given by a judge to inform the competitor how much time remains before disqualification. You might be asked by a judge if you desire time signals, or perhaps you will find them to be an effective time management tool while performing. "Three down" is the most popular way to receive time signals. "Three down" simply means the judge will hold up three fingers when three minutes remain, two when two minutes remain, one when one minute remains, a bent hand or index finger when 30 seconds remain, and closed fist when the competitor has reached maximum time and has gone into the "grace period." Competitors might want to use time signals if their piece consistently runs close to the maximum amount of time allowed in the event. Extemp speakers should rely on time signals since they only have a limited amount of time to practice their speech, and speaking for as long as possible is encouraged. Students who are consistently well within the allowable time for the event may opt out of time signals, if they wish. Be prepared to explain the concept of time signals to a new judge and be specific about exactly what you want them to signal.
DRESS/FOOD:
What do I wear to a speech tournament?
You need to wear dress clothes. Think dressing up to go to a job interview or Sunday-best. Please remember that everything must be school appropriate.
Girls- Nice dress or slacks/skirt and nice top, dress shoes.
Boys- A suit or nice button up shirt and slacks, tie (optional), dress shoes.
Absolutely no jeans, shorts, t-shirts, flip flops, or tennis shoes.
What do I do about lunch at tournaments?
There will be a concession stand at the tournament that will sell snacks and sodas. You can bring money for snacks OR bring your own lunch.
THE DAY:
What will the day look like?
There are 3 rounds for each event: Prelims, Semis, and Finals. All events will perform in different classrooms around the hosting school. You will be placed in a “section” where you will compete against 5 or 6 other students in a small classroom. If you place in the top 2 in your section, you will move on to the Semis round in that event. You will compete against 5 or 6 of the top two taken from other sections. There are usually 3-4 sections of each event in semis. If you place in the top 2 in your section, you then move on to Finals. There is only one section of final rounds for each event. 6 students will compete for top spots. All those who made it to finals will receive a medal, but 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in each event will receive trophies.
Where will you (Mr. Morrison) be during tournament and how do I get ahold of you?
Generally speaking, my responsibility is to ensure that event tabulation is running smoothly so that the tournament is running on time. I will be in the judges lounge throughout most of the day, but I will be checking on our Hub Room occasionally. If you ever need to get ahold of me for any reason, message me through Google Classroom, and/or e-mail. If all else fails, find an adult and ask for me or for the tab room, and I'll be happy to help!
Do I have to stay all day?
Its optional. If you only compete in the morning events, you do not have to stay for the afternoon events and vice versa.
What do I do if my partner doesn't show up?
If you are in a group event and believe you could perform without the missing group member, you may do so. Substitutes are not allowed without prior consent from Mr. Morrison for any event. For a partnered event such as Debate or Duet Acting, it is difficult to compete without the partner with whom you have been working and practicing, so subs are generally not allowed in these events. When in doubt, seek prior approval or advice from Mr. Morrison.
I thought we did a bad job in our round, or someone else did. Should I talk about this loudly?
No! Please adopt the policy of "45", which means you do not talk negatively about yourself, your team, or ANYONE (even if you're attempting to be constructive!) until you're headed "45 miles an hour" down the road traveling away from the tournament. You never know who might be listening, and keeping thoughts to yourself in a public setting is a good life skill to start cultivating now.
PARENTS:
Are parents allowed to attend tournaments?
Since speech tournaments are considered "closed-campus" events, parents must have a completed Volunteer Application on file with the district in order to enter the tournament. No parents will be allowed in rounds unless they are judging. Any parents who wish to judge or volunteer for the tournament will need to follow district volunteer procedures. You will be required to sign in before entering the tournament and will receive a name tag identifying yourself as a volunteer. All non-volunteer parents wishing to attend the award ceremony will be allowed to access the cafeteria at 5:45PM, but will not be granted access to the rest of the building. For more information about this, visit the Partners & Volunteers page on the PISD website.
OTHER THINGS:
What should I bring to tournament?
Here's a handy checklist!
1. Speech Binder
2. Phone
3. Laptop/Tablet (especially if in PFD/Extemp)
4. $$ for lunch/lunch from home
5. $$ for snacks/snacks from home
6. Extra copies of pieces/speeches/cases
What should I do with my stuff?
You will need to keep it in the Hub Room that is designated for us. I would highly recommend not bringing anything super valuable (such as gaming consoles or instruments) to the tournament.