STRATFORD

Welcome to the fourth annual Stratford Schools Novice Tournament! We are excited to be hosting the event in November this year and look forward to hosting a second event in Spring 2021! As with most tournaments in our present environment, this will be an online event. Unlike other events, however, we will be using Zoom as a platform for our competitions. This does mean that there will be multiple meeting links. Links to specific events and to squad rooms will be sent out the week of the tournament.

This will be a speech & debate tournament. We will have a full day of debate on Saturday, followed by a day of Speech on Sunday. The speech rounds will be synchronous (live), in order to give competitors the experience of performing live.

EVENTS
Novice in this instance refers to Middle School competitors only.

We will be running PF, LD, and Congressional this year for debate, and our IEs will be Dramatic Interp, Duo Interp, Expos, Humorous Interp, Impromptu, Oratorical Interp, and Original Oratory.

Double-Entry is allowed. PF and LD competitors may sign up for 2 speech events, or for Congressional (but not both Speech and Congress). Speech competitors may sign up for 2 different events if they so choose. There will be no double entry between IEs and Congressional, unfortunately, because they will be happening concurrently.

For Novice Speech, the regular 10-minute maximum times will be in place for those who prepare to use the full time. Oratorical Interp has no minimum time, but a hard-maximum of 10 minutes with no grace period. Impromptu and Expository will have their regular 7-minute time limits.

LOGISTICS
This tournament will be all digital. Rounds will be announced via e-mail and SMS, ballots will be tabulated digitally. Students and judges should also register their e-mail and phone number (if applicable) with their tabroom account so that information gets pushed out in a timely fashion.

SPECTATING
For logistical reasons, spectators will not be allowed in rounds. Also, please remember that California (the state of the hosting organization) is a double-consent state when it comes to video or audio recording: all parties must be aware of, and consent to, being recorded. As such, it is against the rules to record any round.

TECH POLICY
We still expect debaters to adhere to a code of ethics that includes not looking up evidence mid-round. This is exceedingly difficult to enforce in a virtual tournament environment, but we ask that competitors be honest and forthright in competition and only use the materials they have already prepared.
To reiterate: recording of any kind in a debate round is forbidden. You cannot record yourself, you cannot record your opponents, and you cannot observe a round and record it, with video or audio. Video recording of any kind, of any kind, even if it is by a parent, is not allowed. There are also many thorny legal issues surrounding recording in private spaces, so please, just don't.

REPORTING
Reporting violations is up to the coaches; if you receive notice from a competitor that there was a violation of some kind, please note the breakout room ID, round number, event, and names of your competitors, and contact the tabroom, and we will do what we can.

LATE-START AND FORFEITS
If your opponents do not show up within 15 minutes of the round's start time, please text 1-669-244-2195 with your breakout room ID number and team information. It is incumbent upon the team, or the coach, to report no-shows in order to get a forfeit.
If a judge does not show up, either report it to the same phone number with the room number and round or connect to the tabroom help call, and they will report the missing judge to us so we can quickly find a replacement.

DEBATE
For Debate, Stratford will host both Lincoln-Douglas and Public Forum. While this is a Novice tournament, we will not use the Novice topics for either event.
We are now allowing for double entry between Debate and Speech events. If a student wants to enter LD or PF, they may also enter speech events.
Coaches may double-enter judges to cover their obligations with one caveat: a judge can only cover one debate event in addition to speech, otherwise, they will be running non-stop to judge the whole weekend. We recommend registering your speech judges first, then double-entering them for one debate category.

Lincoln-Douglas will use the Sept/Oct Topic: "Resolved: In a democracy, voting ought to be compulsory." Students will be permitted to use laptops in round (as a necessity), but they are not to research during the rounds. Students must have some way to present their cards to their opponents if asked in cross by using the file share feature in Zoom chat.

Public Forum will also use the Sept/Oct topic: "Resolved: The United States federal government should enact the Medicare-For-All Act of 2019." Again, students will be permitted to use laptops in round (as a necessity), but they are not to research during the rounds. Students must have some way to present their cards to their opponents if asked in cross by using the file share feature in Zoom chat.

Congressional will use the October 2020 Congress Legislation docket.

SPEECH
If students would like to double-enter in Speech events, we will have a protocol for students to enter a maximum of 2 Speech events. Students double-entered will need to speak first, and then they must transfer to their other room to finish out the round.
We will have six events in Speech at this tournament: Original Oratory, Oratorical Interp, Dramatic Interp, Humorous Interp, Impromptu, Expository, and Duo Interp. Speeches for Original Oratory, Dramatic Interp, Humorous Interp, Expository, and Duo Interp must be 10 minutes in length. Oratorical Interp speeches are maximum 10 minutes, but can be shorter than that. For Impromptu, speeches will be 5 minutes with a 2-minute prep time.

I will keep a copy of this form for reference. *

YES

We are signing up with the understanding that my child will work to be ready by the tournament date. If we choose to drop out because my child is not ready that will be considered when making assessments for future classes. *

YES

I understand that if I fail to drop the tournament before the deadline that I will still be responsible for the fees of both my son or daughter, along with that of his or her partner and the fines. *

YES

I understand that if payment is not received we won't be registered and our spot will be given up to someone else. *

YES

I confirm that I have completed all necessary paperwork for this tournament. *

YES

I understand that The Golden State Academy has no control over tournament entries other than the initial sign up. I understand that my child's priority will be based on either the last time I signed up OR the date paid, whichever is latest. *

YES

I understand that my child must check in and check out periodically at the tournament with the coach and that if I do not my child will be barred from participating in following tournaments. This is to ensure coaches can see where students are at competitively and to give any initial feedback for improvement. *

YES

I understand that I can check my entry status through tabroom.com. *

YES

I am a consenting adult. I understand that by submitting this form I agree to all that has been covered. *

YES

STRATFORD NOVICE INVITATIONAL ONLINE

7-8 November 2020

Information

Entry Price

Schedule

Drop Fee

Contact Info

Registration Form

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

School year Hours

Telephone

Email (preferred)

Locations

STRATFORD NOVICE INVITATIONAL ONLINE ​