The Poland Regional High School Speech and Debate Team is pleased to invite you to The Tournament of Roses Appreciation All Events Tournament on Jan. 21, 2017.

Please make sure that you read through this invitation. There are some different aspects to this tournament in order to make this a tournament of appreciation and celebration.

Registration deadline: 6:00 p.m. Jan. 18, 2017 through Tabroom.com.

Judge hire request deadline: 6:00 p.m. Jan. 18, 2017

Drop deadline: 6:00 p.m. Jan. 20, 2017

Any questions, please contact D’Arcy Robinson, Tournament Director, by email, phone, or text: [email protected], (c) 207-583-7964, (h) 207-583-6981.

Registration

Registration must be completed through Tabroom.com by 6:00 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2016.

Entry

Fees

This is a pay to play tournament; there are no entry caps.

• $7.00 per entry
• Teams (Duo and PF) are two entries ($14)

However, with the idea that we want to make this a celebratory tournament and show how much we appreciate what the coaches and judges do to make the activity special, we are asking that each school brings a pot luck lunch item to share at the judges/coaches lunches. One dish will earn you a dollar off each entry at the tournament. If you really want to show appreciation—bring two dishes and earn two dollars off each entry. If your team decides to contribute to the pot luck—please let the tournament director know by Wednesday so that there are not too many duplicates. For schools that have to travel a longer distance, chips and dips, veggie trays and desserts would be fantastic.  Breakfast items are also a possibility. Poland will be supplying Lasagna (meat and veggie), water, coffee and perhaps some pies. Let’s make this a feast a real show of appreciation for the fantastic job the judges and coaches do!

Drops

Drops and changes will be accepted until Friday, Dec. 9 at 6:00 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.

Events

• LD: 3 levels, if numbers allow
• PF: 2 levels, if numbers allow
• Congressional Debate: Senate and House, as needed
• Speech: All State Tournament categories

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

Jan/Feb. Resolution

Resolved: Public colleges and universities in the United States ought not restrict any constitutionally protected speech.

PF : Feb. Resolution

Resolved: In order to better respond to international conflicts, the United States should significantly increase its military spending.

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
• Speech or Congressional Debate: one judge for every 5 entries

Teams are expected to have judge coverage for ALL rounds of competition. Fines will be assessed for judges departing early unless cleared through Tabulation.

Hiring Judges

Have all your judges finalized by 6:00 p.m. Friday, Dec. 9, 2016. Submit requests to hire judges via Tabroom.com by 6:00 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2016.

If you have extra judges, contact the Tournament Director so the judge can be added to the judge hire pool.

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 or they may be in danger of forfeiting a round.

Coach and judges: Complimentary breakfast, lunch and afternoon snacks will be provided for coaches and judges supplied by schools who wish to show appreciation and by Poland.

Awards

Sweeps: Top three places each for Speech, Debate, and Congress

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

8:15-8:30 Registration (arrive early, please)

8:40 Judges meeting in Judges’ Lounge; Student meeting in Cafeteria

Council of Nine has requested a few minutes of time at this meeting to share with coaches and students their concern about language impropriety and what prompted their comments at the Thornton Academy assembly.

9:00 Rounds begin following briefings—rounds will be posted as quickly as possible

Council of Nine will meet during tabulation of final results.

5:00 Awards (sooner if possible)

Directions

Use Google Maps or Map Quest to get to 1457 Maine St. Poland Maine.

Buses should park in the teacher parking lot by the soccer field.