Spectators & Students

We are SO EXCITED to have you visit our school and community this contest season! Here is some information regarding contest day. You may also follow the tabs above to find what you need. See the Location tab for a parking map.

Spectators

• There is a $5.00 suggested donation for contest entrance.

• You will find parking available in the lots to the west and north of the high school.

• Spectators should enter through the main (south) entrance or the northwest entrance of the high school building.

Please contact your team's coach for school code and performance time information. You can also search through our schedule by clicking the tab labeled "schedule" above.

Expected behaviors at contest:

1. Please do not wear school apparel into contest rooms.

2. Please do not speak to judges--no matter the situation. Talk to the coach first; the coach has access to the appropriate channels.

3. DO NOT RECORD OR PHOTOGRAPH ANY PERFORMANCE without specific permission from Executive Director Stacy Hansen. (stacy@ihssa.org)  If you do so, you will get your student disqualified.

4. Celebrate quietly with your student after a performance. Others are still performing.

Students

Expected behaviors at contest:

1. Support all your team members by attending performances instead of hanging out in the gym.

2. Speak kindly of all performances from all schools.

3. Clean up after yourselves. Keep the host school clean. It's not easy to host.

4. Remain quiet in the halls. You expect the same of others when you are performing.

5. Lend a helping hand whenever you can.

Please DO NOT email us directly. Go through your team's coach(es) first. If they can't direct you to the information you need, then you may contact us.

1. Are performance times exact? No. Plan on arriving to your student's center at least 1/2 hour early. Most often, centers run ahead of time.

2. Is videotaping and photography allowed? No videotaping or photography is permissible. In fact, it may disqualify the performing school.

3. Can local school logo (ie. a sweatshirt with school logo) be worn by spectators? No. Refrain from all apparel that informs the judge of what school the participants are from.

4. Are students permitted to leave after they are finished performing? ALL teams and students are encouraged to support other schools' performances. The big "team" is the whole "IHSSA Family."

5. What are the qualifications of the judges? All IHSSA judges have gone through training and certification. Please accept your student's ratings with pride and dignity. Adhere to proper sportsmanship at all times.

6. How are ratings given? At Districts, one judge critiques the performance with a I, II, III, or Disqualification IV rating. The judge also gives an oral critique. Only those receiving a I rating advance to State. At State, three judges critique the performance. No oral critique is given. Only those performances that receive at least two All-State nominations AND also are in the upper percentages of point ratings advance to All-State.

7. If I don't know where/when my student performs, what should I do? DO make sure you DO know ahead of time from your local speech department your student's times and locations. Please do not rely on the contest site head office, as the contest managers are extremely busy. Students WILL know the schedule the week of the contest.

8. Can anyone come to contest? Yes, all are invited. There is a $3 donation that is asked of all audience members at the main door for Districts and State.

9. May I watch any group perform? Yes, and you are encouraged to watch students from other schools as well as other categories.