Divisions

Public Forum Divisions

In prelims, all public forum debate divisions will be collapsed into single division (open).

In elims, numbers permitting, PF divisions will be split into TOC, junior varsity, and novice elimination round brackets for debate.

Students will compete in no more than one elim bracket. Unless indicated to tab in advance, there are automatic bracket promotions (a novice eligible to clear in junior varsity would compete in JV, not novice).

Public Forum Junior Varsity Eligibility

1. Opt-in. Coaches can register Debate students via tabroom by entering the student into the TOC division, and selecting the "JV eligible" option.

2. General Rule. For purposes of this tournament, junior varsity debaters must be either (1) in their second year of any format of debate (two school years), or, (2) if they have yet to reach an elimination round in their current format, their third year of any format of debate (three school years).

3. Minimum Tournaments. Attending at least a single tournament during a single school year counts as using that entire year's eligibility. Students cannot proportion multiple tournaments across years into a single year.

4. Maximum Year. Third year competitors are ineligible for novice.

5. Middle School. A student's middle school year(s) would count toward eligibility. Middle School is 6th - 8th grade.

6. Partners. For partnered events, both students must satisfy the eligibility requirements.

Public Forum Novice Eligibility

1. Opt-in. Coaches can register Debate students via their division.

2. General Rule. For purposes of this tournament, novice speech/debaters must be either (1) in their first year of any format of debate (one school year),or, (2) if they have yet to reach an elimination round in their current format, their second year of any format of debate (two school years).

3. Minimum Tournaments. Attending at least a single tournament during a single school year counts as using that entire year's eligibility. Students cannot proportion multiple tournaments across years into a single year.

4. Maximum Year. Third year competitors are ineligible for novice.

5. Middle School. A student's middle school year(s) would count toward eligibility. Middle School is 6th - 8th grade.

6. Partners. For partnered events, both students must satisfy the eligibility requirements.

Policy Divisions

In policy debate, the divisions will not be collapsed unless necessary. If collapsed, if either team decides to debate packet, the round becomes packet restricted. Only if both teams agree is there no packet restriction.

If collapsed, students will compete in no more than one elim bracket. Because of NDCA novice packet restrictions, there is no bracket promotion.

Policy Junior Varsity Eligibility.

1. General Rule. This is the "open" division, so there is no clear rule but rather an expectation that this is meant for students in their second year of national circuit policy debate, or its equivalent.

Policy Novice Eligibility.

1. General Rule. This is also an "open" division, so there is no clear rule but rather an expectation that this is meant for students generally in their first year of policy debate.

Speech Divisions

In speech, except for Impromptu Speaking, there is one division: Open. This is to maximize TOC bid potential across the various events.

In impromptu speaking, there is a novice division.

Speech Novice Eligibility

1.General Rule. For purposes of this tournament, novice speech must be either (1) in their first year of any format of speech (one school year), or, (2) if they have yet to reach an elimination round in their current format, their second year of any format of speech (two school years).

2. Minimum Tournaments. Attending at least a single tournament during a single school year counts as using that entire year's eligibility. Students cannot proportion multiple tournaments across years into a single year.

3. Maximum Year. Third year competitors are ineligible for novice.

4. Middle School. A student's middle school year(s) would count toward eligibility. Middle School is 6th - 8th grade.