The UIL Capital Conference
The University of Texas at Austin

 

Tim Cook

ETA

Salado High School

www.extemptopicanalysis.com

Hosting a Speech & Debate Tournament

Why would I ever want to host a tournament?

              I.      Preliminary considerations

            II.      “Nuts & Bolts”

          III.      Words of Wisdom

I.  Preliminary considerations

1. Will you include academic events?
2. Is this a “for profit” tournament?
3. Will the meet focus on competition or practice?
4. Will you offer novice or JV?
5. Will you have a formal awards ceremony or hand out awards after the completion of events?
6. Will you check documentation in prose and poetry?
7. Will you require both categories?
8. Will you offer any additional events? Original oratory, impromptu, duet
9. Will the tournament have any unique ideas?
   1. Tournament That Teaches
   2. Angel tournament
   3. No out rounds
   4. Blanco tournament (# of rounds, debaters not break go into extemp)

"Excellence is in the details. Give attention to the details and excellence will come."

Perry Paxton

II.  “Nuts & Bolts”

1. Consultant

Believe it or not there are people that will run your tournament for a minimal fee or for free.

2. Date

Clear with school.  Check for conflicts, band/SAT/etc.  Post on UIL site.

3. Invitation

Save other schools.  Include: date, events, fees, deadlines, schedule, judging requirements, drop penalties, school info, etc.

Sample located at http://www.extemptopicanalysis.com/Tournament_that_Teaches.htm

4. Entry fees

Make rates comparable to area.  Penalty for drops.  Judging requirements.

5. Schedule

You need to think about your schedule.  Utilize other tournament schedules that you liked.  Build in some dead time.  Tournaments rarely run on time.

6. Rules

Have a CC&R.  Modifications need to be clearly stated in the “Poop Booklet.”

7. “Poop Booklet”

Pamphlet to hand out on the day of the meet with all the meets information.  Advertise.

8. Judges

Hire competent judges.  Train judges: Chamber of Commerce, attorneys, staff, parents.

Former students, part of their scholarship.

UIL data base http://www.uil.utexas.edu/db/speechjudge_search.lasso

Ask other coaches/tournament directors.

9. Entry Confirmations

Very important, prevent headaches at registration.  Include: number of entries, drop procedures, judging requirements, fees and cell phone to call day of the meet with drops.

10. Extemp

Draw room. Don’t have students write topics, you can purchase at a reasonable price. Have an adult run the draw.

11. Room count/check

Make sure you have enough rooms to hold the meet.  Create a list of rooms available for use.  Don’t use chemistry labs or computer rooms.  On the day of the meet check each room.  After the meet, check each room to see if it survived and put candy/note on teacher’s desk.

12. Tab room
    1. Cards vs. computer program

Smaller tournaments use cards, eventually use computers more professional.

Software listed below.

2. Open vs. closed

More eyes may eliminate mistakes, but some people simply are a distraction.

3. Sections and pairings

Make sure you have somebody with experience and familiar with procedures.

Have a plan, but they will change with drops.

13. System to return ballots

Folders/bags/boxes.  Decorate them. 

14. Ballot table/Registration

Near tab room.  Adult.  Qualified person that can check ballots.

At registration, find out drops and/or subs.

15. Hospitality/Snack Bar/Lunch

Speech and Debate parents and/or club.

Other organizations: cheerleaders, booster club, etc.

Indicate in the poopbook what will be offered.

16. Cafeteria/Holding Room/Postings

Have janitor stay there.

Large signs for announcements.  Tournament news.  Microphone.

17. Parents

Meet with parents before the meet.  Usually parents handle hospitality.  Take easy way out and have one parent organize.  If you are going to use them as judges, train them.  If they do not want to participate offer a buy out.

18. Students

Most schools do not let their own students enter the tournament.  Have a plan.  Give them jobs they can handle.  Don’t wait until the day of the meet.  They are good monitors, runners, stuffers, awards.  Talk to them about host vs. boss.  Talk to them about how to interact with adults.

19. Teachers

Let them know prior to the meet that their room will be used.  Tell them more than once.  Have the principal tell them.  On Friday, buy donuts and put in teacher’s lounge reminding them a final time. 

You can use as judges or tournament staff if you train them.

20. Awards

Buy nice awards!  Each student sale advertisement for poopbook, foundation for them.

21. After the tournament

Who will clean up? Hire a janitor they have keys to everything!

Thank you cards/email to schools, principal, and teachers.  Ask for feedback.  Send results with next year’s tentative date.

22. Miscellaneous

1.      Keys

2.      Copy machine

         IV.      “Words of Wisdom”

1. Get help!  Delegate.  You cannot do it alone!

Find four other coaches (CX, LD, IX/PX, PR/PO).  At least one other coach, waive a portion of their entry.  This allows you to put out fires, read ballots, walk around, etc.

2. Know the rules.  Be consistent.

If you deviate from the constitution put it in writing in your poopbook.

3. Pay attention to the smallest details.

If you do this and your tournament has problems, you can say I gave it my best and still feel good about the project.  There will be problems.  There will be many problems.

Theme, flowers in hospitality, toilet paper in the bathrooms, presents