Mark your calendars:
The 2013 First and Second Year National Championships
will be hosted by Woodward Academy
on March 22-24, 2013.

 

Dear Director of Debate:

We invite your top first and second year competitors to attend the 2012 First and Second Year National Championships hosted by Woodward Academy on March 23-25, 2012. We are determined to continue our dedication to providing the highest quality of judging and an enjoyable atmosphere for everyone. Given the nature of this tournament, we take great pride in aspiring for this event to be a competitive as well as teaching tournament. 

We offer the following events:

• First Year Policy Debate
• Second Year Policy Debate
• First Year Lincoln Douglas Debate
• Second Year Lincoln Douglas Debate

A first year debater is defined as a debater in their first year of high school debate competition.  They cannot have debated on any previous NFL topic.  If they debated at a high school tournament prior to the 2011-2012 season, they are no longer first year debaters.  A 9th grader with 3 years of debate is not eligible simply because they are in 9th grade.

A second year debater is defined as a debater in their second year of high school debate competition.  They cannot have debated prior to the 2010-2011 season.  If they debated at a high school tournament prior to the 2010-2011 season, they are not eligible to debate at our competition.  A 10th grader in his/her 3rd or 4th year of debate is not a second year debater.

We will be incredibly strict on the eligibility standards for the tournament.  A team entered in the wrong division will be removed from the tournament. Please see our Eligibility Page for specific questions and answers.

We require all students who enter the tournament to do so with the permission of the school they attend and accompanied by the school's debate coach.

Other important details include:

• We will offer six preliminary rounds in all divisions.
• Schools will be initially limited to four entries in each division.  We will establish a wait list for additional requested entries if needed.
• The LD topic will be the March/April National Forensic League resolution, to be announced on February 1^st.
• The First Year Policy division will not have argument restrictions.  We do not require novices to observe the Georgia Forensic Coaches Association argument restrictions for novice divisions.
• Policy debate will use an 8-3-5, switch side format.  There is not a 4-person division. 

Please make checks payable to "Woodward Academy Debate" and bring to registration or mail in advance to:

Woodward Academy
ATTN: Maggie Berthiaume / Debate
1662 Rugby Avenue
College Park, GA 30337

If you have any questions, please email Maggie Berthiaume at maggiekb@gmail.com.  The entire Woodward Academy community is looking forward to hosting you soon.

Sincerely,

Maggie Berthiaume, Bill Batterman, and Paula Nettles