The Medomak Valley High School Debate Team is pleased to invite you to the “New Year, New Meet” Debate, Congress, and Speech Tournament on January 5th, 2019.
Registration deadline: Wednesday January 2nd at 11:55PM
Judge hire request deadline: Wednesday January 2nd 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 (Duo and 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, January 4th 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
- Speech: All Maine 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 resolution
Resolved: The United States ought not provide military aid to authoritarian regimes.
PF resolution
Resolved: The United States federal government should prioritize reducing the federal debt over promoting economic growth.
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
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, 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 Speech, 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