FAQ

What is the York Speech Team?

York Speech is a club for speakers of all skill levels and interests, from comedy to acting to public address, to improve their communication skills through participation in weekly tournaments.

How do I join York Speech?

Each fall, auditions are held for all grade and skill levels for placement into events. Date and time will be on YTV beginning in September.

Note: If you are currently a York student, contact Kevin Martin (kmartin@elmhurst205.org) to arrange a summer audition time to get a head start on your season.

Do I need experience to make the team?

No experience necessary! We welcome and encourage everyone to audition for the team.

I am also in a sport/theater/other activity, can I still join the team?

Yes, we want to give everyone the opportunity to try speech out. Most fall sports are finished by the time that our season begins, but each case is unique, so just have a conversation with your coach about any potential scheduling conflicts and work out times to practice.

Who will I compete against?

We compete against schools from all over the state at various tournaments in the Chicagoland area every Saturday.

I am a first year member, who will I be up against?

First year speakers, or novices, compete for the first half of the season in novice only tournaments with other teams comprised of first year members. Everyone is learning, and these tournaments are an opportunity to develop your skill with other novices.

What if I want to change my event?

If you would like to change your event, schedule a meeting with your coach about why you would like to switch and what event you believe would be a better fit for you.

How do I know what the events mean?

Each event has a description provided by IHSA on their website, but do not hesitate to ask an upperclassmen or a coach in the event to learn a little more about it.

What is the time commitment?

The standard time commitment is the team meeting every Monday after school, one practice a week with your coach, and then the tournaments on Saturdays.

Are all tournaments mandatory?

Unless a conflict has been given, we expect each member to be present at tournaments each week. Competing is the best way to improve.

What if I have a conflict on the day of the tournament?

We want as many competitors as possible to participate each week, but we also understand that we are all busy people. If a conflict arises, speak with your coach as soon as possible so you can be taken off the roster.

How long is the season?

Team meetings begin in September, with the first tournament on the last Saturday of October. The state tournament is typically the third week in February.

What does a typical tournament look like?

A typical tournament has the first round between 8:00-8:30, with rounds occurring every 90 minutes until lunch. Final round rosters are normally posted around 2:00, with awards beginning around 4:00. We usually get back to York anywhere between 5:00-6:30.

Why should I go to the tournament if I am not on the roster?

We encourage everyone to attend the tournaments whether they are competing or not, because sometimes one of our members has to drop for being sick and we can sub in another competitor. Also, sometimes the coaches can add competitors when we arrive to the tournament due to another team's drops. If you are not entered, watching other speakers is a great way to get ideas on what you can do to improve.

I am an upperclassmen, can I still join the team?

Of course! We have had some amazing speakers join as upperclassmen and accomplish great things in just one year.

Is there a summer camp for speech?

Yes, we host a summer camp workshop in late June for novice summer auditions and for returning members to find material, look at scripts, write their pieces, etc. Information will be sent out via email in the spring.

What are some opportunities for improvement over the summer?

There are camps all around the state that host speech camps for high school students. Some of the most popular camps are at Illinois State University, Bradley University, College of DuPage, and Northwestern University.