GEORGETOWN FALL TOURNAMENT
    9-11 October 2020

    Topics: September-October PF (Medicare), LD (voting), 20-21 (Surveillance) Policy

    Divisions -- PF
    VARSITY
    JUNIOR VARSITY
    NOVICE
    MIDDLE SCHOOL

    Divisions -- Policy & LD
    VARSITY
    NOVICE

    ​*Critical Information for Everyone

    Students *must have tabroom.com accounts to be able to access the platform. We will not use a generic password.

    You will receive a pairing via text/email from tabroom.com, just as you would in any other tournament
    You will go to https://georgetown.classrooms.cloud/ and enter the tournament building. 
    All PF rounds will be in the ICC (ICC).  Policy and LD rounds will be in CAR BARN (CAR
    When you enter the room you should test to make sure your mic and sound are working.
    If you have any trouble with sound or MIC, select, “Join room in an alternate way” or “Join Via app
    If you have any issues, text 7817750433 with the building you are in, the room number, and the issue you are having
    When you enter the room, please make sure your mic is off.  When you speak, please remember to turn your MIC on.
    You DO NOT need a Zoom account for this. If you WANT to use the Zoom app, you can enter the zoom meeting code that’s in the room when you enter in the e-building

    The system works best with the Chrome browser and does not work with Safari. People have had different experiences with Firefox

    The rounds are open for anyone to use, but the rooms have a 24 person capacity, so observers should not enter the rooms until 5 minutes before the debate. Everyone else (judges, debaters) should enter before that.

    ​*Internet Connections
    We really encourage everyone to do the best they can to strengthen their internet connections over the next few days. Suggestions - 

    (1) Sit near your wireless router. This is the fastest way to improve the strength of your connection.
    (2) Purchase a new router and a wireless boost. A new router can help boost your connection and in-room wireless boost devices can help strengthen the signal.
    (3) Purchase an ethernet cable and connect the cable directly to your computer. 
    We realize these may cost a bit of money, but the costs are lower than traveling to tournaments and these measures will help students with their e-learning for the rest of the year. 

    *Video
    Although we are not going to *require that students turn on video, we are going to *strongly encourage it and *expect that judges keep video on.  After the practice tournament, many students expressed concern that they couldn't take advantage of visual cues that are normally provided by competitors and judges during the debate.  Debate clearly has strong verbal and visual components that are lost without cameras. Also, many expressed concern that there is no way at all to know if students are receiving outside prep assistance if they leave their cameras off.

    The TOC is going to *require that competitors have cameras on at all time, so if you are doing this at least in part to practice for the TOC, we strongly encourage you to keep the cameras on.
    If you are concerned about other people seeing parts of the room you are debating in, please simply do your best to position yourself against a wall.

    *Evidence Exchange
    The TOC is going to require all students to create email chains to exchange evidence in all events (this is normal in LD but rare to non-existent in PF).   Email chains are set-up before the debate and involve each debater putting their email address in an in-round email group (this often includes the judge, if the judge requests) to exchange evidence. If students are uncomfortable sharing personal email addresses, we encourage them to create a free temporary email address to share in the group.

    Although the TOC is going to require this, the Georgetown tournament will not require it. We do, however, require students to exchange evidence when requested. So if you don't feel comfortable with the email exchange,  you will need to exchange evidence in the chat.  Students should have the direct quote they use readily available. If students paraphrase evidence (discouraged), they must be able to quickly show their opponents the part of the article they paraphrased from.

    Critical Information for Debaters

         -- Before you enter the room it will ask you your name. Please us the following naming convention (School Name, Initials).  Example: (Lakeland BM) Stefan

    PF Sides
    -Sides will be set in PF.
     
    Other Useful Information
     
    How to debate with a partner remotely (UK Debate)
    Remote Coaching Guide (UK Debate)
    TOC Online Best Practices and Procedures (UK Debate)  We will follow these as applicable.
    YouTube Webinar -- Lincoln Garret & Priten Shah (System Developer)

    Critical Information for Judges

    When you enter the room, please enter as Judge-Your Name
     
    After you are in the room, please account for all debaters. Once the debaters are present, please click, “Start Round” on tabroom.com, just as you normally would.
      
    After you are finished, please fill out the results on tabroom.com just as you normally would

    Please avoid @ home distractions while judging

    Please disclose if you wish, but please enter the results as soon as you have a decision. All of the debates are single flight, so there is plenty of time to talk.

    PF debaters have 4 minutes of prep time. 
    Basic steps that will also help the debate advance
    Check the names of each person (including observers) Students: School-first name, Judge: first last and "judge". Observers: first, last and school affiliation (this could be tab, could be parent, could be school/coach). Anyone can change this during the tech time, so make sure everyone has the proper naming.
     
    Check Cameras -- ask everyone to have a camera on, including yourself.  
     
    Suggest Gallery view
     
    Test volume -- ask each debater to read something at their "debate pace" for say 15-20 seconds to test volume and clarity.
    7) Explain that everyone muted except the speaker(s) and that they can see this when they are ready to speak by looking at the microphone settings for each person in the gallery.
     
    Ask the debaters if they have a prep method (phone call, or separate chat)
     
    Ask for any clarifications or questions.

    Monitor what happens in the debate room.  Even if you don't want on the email chain, you should be to monitor arrival times of email and format of exchange.  Feel free to pause before a cross fire or a speech if an observer has entered the room that is not correctly identified by their name. ​

    ​Entry Price/ Online Payment

    Registration will not be complete until payment is received.
    ​
    Registration fees: 

    Lincoln-Douglas $125
    Public Forum $105/student

    If you don't provide a judge, you will pay an additional $110.
    Each person in a PF team would be responsible of providing their own judge, so one PF team would need to provide two judges, both pay the judge fee, or one of each option.
    ​
    NOTE: We will charge set up fees if we have to create tabroom.com accounts for judges. It is recommended you do so on your own.

    Deadlines

    Registration will close October 2nd. No student will be added after that date.
    ​​
    Payment deadline: If you do not pay in the next page we will drop you from the entry list. Email may not be sent to confirm drop if payment is not confirmed.

    The last day in to drop from the tournament with a full refund is October 2nd, 11:59 PM. After that date you are required to pay the full amount. All drop requests should be made to Nadia and Victor.

    Drop Fee's

    Drop fees will be the same amounts as the entry fee PLUS any fees the tournament charges us for late drops (Byram Hills charges an additional $25). Please do not drop out last minute to avoid being charged these fees.

    ​Pick up, drop off, & Transportation

    Given this is an online tournament, there is no pick up or drop off just make sure you are online and present during the times listed below.​

    Schedule

    Schedule is in Eastern Standard Time.

    ​Friday, October 9 -- ALL EVENTS -- ALL TIMES ARE ET
    6:30 PM ET -- Round 1 -- PF, Policy, LD.  LD & PF are single flighted
    8:30 PM ET -- Round 2 -- PF, LD   LD & PF are single flighted
    9:00 PM ET -- Round 2 -- Policy

    Saturday, October 10 -- PF & LD 
    10 AM ET -- Round 3
    12:00 PM ET -- Round 4
    2:00 PM ET -- Round 5
    4:00 PM ET -- Round 6
    6:00 PM -- Octofinals (LD will start with quarterfinals)
    7:30 PM-- Quarterfinals
    9:00 PM Semifinals

    Sunday, October 10 -- PF & LD 
    Finals in the morning or co-champs

    Location

    This speech and debate competition will be held on the NSDA Campus integrated into Tabroom.com​

    Contact Info

    Victor Rivas Umana
    Contact email:  vrivasumana@tgsastaff.com
    Nadia Budiman 
    Contact email: nbudiman@tgsastaff.com
    Or info@tgsastaff.com

    Registration
    Signing up a judge without having a Tabroom account will result in us charging you for the set up fee.

We would love to have you visit soon at one of our open houses.
Check our home page for the schedule!

School year Hours

M-F: 3:45 pm - 8:30 pm 
Sun: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm

Telephone

510-270-8480
510-470-0531
​510-890-6665

Email (preferred)

For more info email us at: info@tgsastaff.com

Locations

Fremont: 200 Brown Rd #201, Fremont, CA 94539

Radiant Kidz(Cupertino): 991 Saratoga Ave #140, San Jose, CA 95129 

Morning Light Education: 6690 Amador Plaza Rd, Suite 230, Dublin, CA

Aborn Institute: 2804 Riedel Road, San Jose, CA 95135 

Loving Tree Academy: 36601 Newark Blvd, #83, Newark, CA 94560