The Medomak Valley High School Debate Team is pleased to invite you to the “Winter is Coming” Debate and Congress Tournament on December 2nd, 2017.

Registration deadline: Wednesday November 29th 2017 at 11:55PM
Judge hire request deadline: Wednesday November 29th 2017 at 11:55PM
Fees frozen (nonrefundable): Friday December 1st 2017 at 8:00PM
Drop deadline: Saturday December 2nd at 8:00AM

Any questions, please contact Jacob Newcomb, Tournament Director, by email, phone, or text: [email protected], Phone: 207-542-6928

Registration

Registration must be completed through Tabroom.com by 11:55 p.m. Wednesday, November 29th 2017.

Entry Fees

• $7.00 per entry (New schools $3.50)
• Teams (PF) are two entries ($14)

Entry fees will be capped at $140 per event or $210 per school entering multiple events.

Drops

Drops and changes will be accepted until Friday, December 1st at 8:00 p.m. Invoices will be prepared at that time. Late add requests are not encouraged and will be accepted only at the discretion of the tournament host. Saturday drops at registration will be assessed an additional charge of $10 per entry.

Call or text the MFA hotline (207-370-4632) Saturday morning once you are en route to the tournament to confirm your team and judge attendance. Drops communicated prior to arrival will be waived the $10 penalty.

Events

• LD: 3 levels, if numbers allow
• PF: 2 levels, if numbers allow
• Congressional Debate: Senate and House, as needed

Novice level is for students competing in their first year of high school forensics (i.e. first year competitors).

JV level is primarily for second-year competitors, but also first year competitors who have enjoyed success.

Varsity level is for competitors with more than one year of experience who wish to try a higher level of competition.

Debate Topics

LD resolution

Resolved: Wealthy nations have an obligation to provide development assistance to other nations.

PF resolution

Resolved: NCAA student athletes ought to be recognized as employees under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Congress

The docket will be posted no later than one week prior to the tournament.

Judge Requirements

Help the meet run smoothly and fairly by supplying your required, trained judges, including unaffiliated, in accordance with MFA rules.

Note judge conflicts or shadow needs in your judge registration on Tabroom.com. Email the tournament host for any complex judge situations. Remember a parent cannot judge the category in which their child is competing.

Fractional entries round up (i.e. three LD entries = 2 judges). Third, fifth, and seventh judge must be neutral for Speech, LD, PF.

• LD: one judge for every 2 LD entries
• PF: one judge for every 2 teams
• Congressional Debate: one judge for every 5 entries

Judges are expected to be available for ALL rounds of competition. Fines will be assessed for judges departing early unless cleared through Tabulation.

Hiring Judges

There will be a limited number of extra judges available for hire. Fees for purchasing judges will be $60 per judge.

Have all your judges finalized by 5:00 p.m. Friday, December 1st. Submit requests to hire judges via Tabroom.com by Wednesday, November 29th.

If you have extra judges, have them enroll in the judge hire exchange or contact the Tournament Director so the judge can be added to the judge hire pool. The host will release any unhired judges by 8:00 p.m., Friday, December 1st.

If you have extra judges encourage the judge to register with Tabroom.com and enter themselves into the hire pool.

Food

Students: Breakfast items, lunch and snacks will be on sale for students in the cafeteria. Students should not leave the school.

Coach and judges: Complimentary breakfast, lunch and afternoon snacks will be provided for coaches and judges.

Awards

Sweeps: Top three places in Debate and Congressional Debate

Individual awards for first through third in each category, and honorable mention as determined by Tab.

Note that ties in record will be broken first by MFA guidelines.

Tabulation of awards follows standards adopted by MFA.

Schedule

8:00-8:30 Registration (arrive early, please)
8:45 Judges meeting in Judges’ Lounge; Student meeting in Cafeteria
9:00 Rounds begin following briefings
5:00 Awards (sooner if possible)

Locations:

Student Lounge: Cafeteria. Students are asked to remain in the cafeteria when not in rounds.

Judges Lounge: Room 1 primary, Room 4 spill over. You will be directed past the cafeteria and library from the registration table by the front door.

Tab Room: Library

Awards: Cafeteria.

Accommodations

We aim to make competition accessible and welcoming to all who wish to participate.

Coaches or students should reach out to the tournament host to request gender-neutral or ADA accommodations.

Directions

Medomak Valley High School
320 Manktown Road
Waldoboro, ME 04572

From Bangor: Google Map Directions approx. 1 hour 30 mins

From Portland: Google Map Directions approx. 1 hour 20 mins

From Augusta: Google Map Directions approx. 45 mins