The District Committee looks forward to the participation of all NFL member schools in good standing; and to the fierce competition ensuing as New Mexico determines the qualifiers for the NFL National Tournament to be hosted in Indianapolis, IN  this June. Registration will commence at Albuquerque Academy in the Music Building at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 29th .  This is one of the most important tournaments on the New Mexico calendar, and it has the most specific and set rules of any tournament in the state.  PLEASE READ EVERYTHING IN THIS INVITATION, visit the NFL website and all of the suggested links, make a highlighted file of NFL District Tournament information, and contact Margo Batha at m.batha@laschools.net with every question of clarification you might need.

The NFL District Tournament is a three day event following the same format we have followed for years.  Speech and Interpretation events will be tabbed using the California Plan.  We MUST have THREE JUDGES in each preliminary round.  The number of these rounds is predetermined.  Debate events will use the up/down (two down and out) method.  Debate will continue until the qualifying debaters are determined.  The NFL Congress will take place on Friday, March 30, 2011, before District rounds recommence.

Registration Information:

1.  All eligible NFL schools will register on the Joy of Tournaments site.  When the site is
     opened, each NFL school will be listed with its NFL members already entered for
     us.  Register for NFL District just as you did for State.  The only difference is that a
     student may only double enter in the District Tournament. You may enter a student in
     two events in the Tournament and also enter that student in the District Congress.
     NFL considers the two as totally separate events.
     On-Line Registration will automatically close on Thursday, March 22nd.
     Should you need to make any changes after that, e-mail and call me (505-670-2852) immediately.

2. Due at registration on Thursday, March 29 at Academy (beginning at 1:00p.m.)
>Official NFL District registration form with all required signatures (students,
  coach and PRINCIPAL!)  NOTE: You may print a pre-populated registration from from the [Entries] page of this website.  
>Official NFL District Congress registration form, with all the signatures listed
  above.  NOTE: You may print a pre-populated registration from from the [Entries] page of this website.   You will be able to select the placement of the students based on several scenarios (based on # of entries).  
>Official Single Entry Letter of Intent Form for each student who enters more
  than one event in the District NFL Tournament and Student Congress.  THESE MUST BE SIGNED BY ALL
  PARTIES LISTED!!
            >A double-spaced, typed, signed copy of your students' original oratory (ies).
            >Photo copies of the original script of all interpretation pieces, with publishers'
  information, and of all cuttings highlighted.
>PAYMENT!  .
  Not only must each member school pay the District entry fees ($13.00 per entry
  per student) but the school's debts to NFL must also be paid ; you may bring a
  check or cash to registration that I will send on to them within 48 hours.

If you do need to pay BOTH New Mexico NFL District Tournament entry fees
  and NFL National Office, I must have a separate check for each!!!  Your debts to
  the National Office should be made out to:
                       National Forensic League. 
 
  Since you are all already members, you know all of the particulars on this.  The
  checks for entry fees are to be made out to:
                      Los Alamos Hilltalkers

             We are using the Hilltalkers' account to fund this tournament, so it is a necessity that
  all checks be made out to the Hilltalkers for entry fees! Your team will NOT be allowed
  to compete unless it has met all of its financial obligations!  Any team's
  disqualification would probably result in New Mexico sending fewer students to
  Nationals because we are such a small district. 

>A list of all your required judges (see below) with the times they will be on
  campus available to judge.  We need everyone to exceed their requirement if this
  tournament is to run well!

3.  Because NFL has interpretation rules to keep the same pieces from hitting each other, your must include the titles and publication information when you do your on-line information.  We will also demand to see that it is all there on paper at registration and we will double check to see that it is in the computer.  NFL rules prevent students in interp from competition if the information is not there.

Judges
1.  The judge requirements, as listed on JoT, are as follows:
            1 - 6 entries     =          2 full time judges
            7 - 12 entries   =          3 full time judges
            13 or more entries       =          4 full time judges
      As soon as you have information on any judge (Name, contact information,
     available hours, affiliation, etc.) either enter it on the Joy of Tournaments site,e-mail it to me
     or call me with it.  The more information we can get in to the computer, the
     faster we can get going. If you do not cover your judging obligations, your students will not be able to compete in this tournament.
2.  Sign people up for blocks of time (i.e. 2p - 4p) as we are not
      always true to the posted schedule.
            >While we can (more or less) promise the judges that they will judge at
               the times we give them, we are unable to promise they will be able to get
   a ballot for any given event, or to judge with any other paneled judges!
>I will call and confirm your judges as I receive their names and preferred judging times.  All judges should be entered on Joy of Tournaments.  All judges must fill out a judge form.  The form will be on Joy and on the NMSDA website.

             3.  STRIKE POLICY
All coaches are expected to stay abreast of the judging assignments throughout the tournament and to make the tab room aware of when there is a possible conflict of interest in any round.
Only teams whose judge quota has been met will be allowed any strikes; those who have, may strike up to three judges in advance off of the posted judge list, with a bullet during competition provided:
If a coach requests to remove a judge from a particular panel, it will be permissible ONLY IF:
                i) The reason is deemed acceptable by the committee
                ii) The coach requesting the strike is able to provide TWO other
     clean judge options to the judge assignment director.
               iii) you have completely filled your judging obligation.
With lots of judges we'll have a District Tournament that works and ends on time.  Our students deserve the best quality judges for this important competition.