2025 Blacksnake NIETOC Tournament

January 10-11 at Idaho State University

In loving memory of Peggy Oliver and Leora Hansen

Friends, thank you for attending the 68th Annual Blacksnake Tournament at Idaho State University! As always, we strive to run an efficient tournament. Technology has permitted us to pool judges and competitors to reduce walking across campus in the lovely Idaho winter weather. Please note the following:

The LD topic for Novice, JV and Varsity will be the NSDA January/February topic: Resolved: The United States ought to become party to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and/or the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.

The PF topic for Novice and Varsity will be the NSDA January topic: Resolved: The African Union should grant diplomatic recognition to the Republic of Somaliland as an independent state.

Open Policy will use the NSDA/NFHS topic: Resolved: The United States federal government should significantly strengthen its protection of domestic intellectual property rights in copyrights, patents, and/or trademarks.

Open World Schools Debate will be offered for teams of 3. More topic details on the World Schools Page

Congress submissions are due DECEMBER 16 and the legislative packet sent on December 18. The docket for this tournament will be set in Session 1 through submission of proposed docket order, not by individual bill. Congressional Legislation 2025

Speech will follow IHSAA rules concerning timing and content, but judges will be given direct instruction to disregard the rule in EXTEMP prohibiting notecards and will allow one side of one 3x5 notecard. Judges will be instructed to take into consideration if scripts detracted from the quality of a speech, but they will not be instructed to prevent a scripted student from taking first in a round.

Sponsors
This year, we opened sponsorship opportunities to allow alumni and community members to support specific events in an attempt to offset the cost to participants. Please see our sponsor page to learn a little more about the generous people who helped cover tournament costs.

EVENT SPONSORS

Friday

9:00 Registration

9:25 Opening Meetings

9:45-11:45 Speech Round 1

11:45-1:30 Speech Round 2

1:30-3:15 Speech Round 3

3:15-6:45 Congress Session 1

3:15-4:30 World Schools Debate Round 1 (Prepared Motion)

3:15-5:15 Debate Round 1

4:45-7:00 World Schools Debate Round 2 (Impromptu Motion)

5:15-7:15 Debate Round 2

7:15-9:00 Semi-Finals Speech

Saturday

8:00 Registration

8:30-10:45 Debate Round 3

8:30-9:45 World Schools Debate Round 3 (Prepared Motion)

8:45-12:15 Congress Session 2

10:00-12:15 World Schools Debate Round 4 (Impromptu Motion)

10:45-12:45 Debate Round 4

12:45-2:30 Speech Finals

2:30-5:45 Congress Supers (15 minutes for PO election + docket setting, 3 hours for debate)

2:30-4:00 Quarters PF/LD

2:30-3:45 World Schools Debate Quarters (Prepared Motion)

2:30-4:30 Semis Policy

3:45-5:45 World Schools Debate Semis (Impromptu Motion)

4:15-5:45 Semis LD/PF

6:00 Awards

7:00 Finals