How to Follow a Speech and Debate Tournament Schedule

As a parent eager to support your child's academic and extracurricular endeavors, you've likely heard about the benefits of speech and debate. Not only does it sharpen critical thinking and public speaking skills, but it also stands out on college applications. However, when faced with a tournament schedule filled with abbreviations and overlapping events, many parents feel overwhelmed.

This guide aims to demystify these schedules, using the CSULB Jack Howe 2024 tournament as an example, so you can confidently navigate the events and support your child's journey to success.

Identify Your Child's Event

The first step is to find your child's specific category in the schedule. Tournaments feature various events, broadly divided into:

• Debate Events: Public Forum (PF), Lincoln-Douglas (LD), Policy Debate (CX), Parliamentary Debate, and more.
• Student Congress: Typically follows a unique schedule because of longer rounds.
• Speech Events (Individual Events): Any public address, limited preparation, or interpretation/acting events fall under "Speech" or "Individual Events."

For example, if your child is participating in Original Oratory or Dramatic Interpretation, you'll look for "Speech" in the schedule.

Let's break down a sample from the CSULB Jack Howe 2024 tournament:

Saturday

• Registration: 7:00 AM - 8:00 AM
• Debate 1: 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM
• Debate 2: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
• Speech 1: 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM
• Debate 3: 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM
• Speech 2: 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM
• Debate 4: 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
• Speech 3/Debate 5: 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Sunday

• Debate 6: 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM
• Speech 4: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
• Debate Elim 1: 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM
• Debate Elim 2/Speech Elim 1: 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM
• Debate Elim 3: 3:30 PM - 5:30 PM
• Speech Elim 2: 3:45 PM - 5:30 PM
• Debate Elim 4: 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM
• Speech Elim 3 (if necessary): 5:45 PM - 7:00 PM
• Debate Elim 5 & 6: ASAP if needed

Key Terms Explained

1. Registration

• What it is: A time slot where coaches check in with tournament officials.
• What to do: This is handled by the coach; you and your child can ignore this.

2. Preliminary Rounds (Rounds 1-6)

• What they are: Labeled as "Debate 1," "Speech 1," etc., these rounds are mandatory for all competitors.
• What to do: Ensure your child attends all preliminary rounds. Performance here determines advancement to elimination rounds.

3. Elimination Rounds ("Elims")

• What they are: Rounds where competitors must earn their spot based on preliminary performance.
• What to do: Attendance is not guaranteed. Check postings after preliminaries to see if your child advanced.

Practical Tips for Parents

Arrive Early

• Action: Plan to arrive 45 minutes before your child's first round.
• Benefit: Allows time to find rooms, settle nerves, and handle unexpected delays.

Encourage Observation

• Suggestion: If your child doesn't advance, encourage them to watch elimination rounds.
• Benefit: Learning from top performers can improve future performances.

Judging Obligations

• Fact: Judges may need to continue even if their associated student is out.
• Action: If you're judging, be prepared to fulfill your duties unless told otherwise.

Stay Connected with the Coach

• Reason: Coaches receive updates on schedule changes or room assignments.
• Action: Keep communication lines open.

Prepare for Long Days

• Tip: Pack snacks, water, and comfortable clothing.
• Reason: Tournaments can run from early morning to late evening.

Understanding speech and debate tournament schedules empowers you to better support your child's ambitions. By knowing where to be and when, you can help reduce their stress and allow them to focus on performing their best. Your involvement plays a significant role in their success—not just in tournaments but in building a foundation for future academic and personal achievements.

At ModernBrain, we're here to assist you every step of the way. Feel free to reach out with any questions or for further guidance on navigating speech and debate tournaments. Together, we can help your child unlock their full potential.