Dear Member Schools of Tarheel East District:
Registration  for the 2012 NFL Qualifier on March 16 and 17, 2012 hosted by Cary Academy in Cary, NC is now open. Please read all attached information carefully, for this tournament must be run according to NFL guidelines and is not subject to local variances.
Information about NFL guidelines is available from www.nflonline.org  in the tournament manual. Please download a copy of the manual for your use and read it carefully.

To all coaches: Please update your students' point listings on the NFL website as soon and as completely as possible. This affects the number of students you may qualify for the tournament. Please be sure that all NFL fees are paid prior to tournament time.
To all new coaches: Please note that all students must have achieved a minimum of 25 NFL points in order to be eligible to compete.

 

Please note that we are using a different method of pairing rounds this year, called the "California Plan." This method allows us to guarantee each speech and debate event three preliminary rounds and it makes the tournament easier to schedule. We have provided a description of the changes on a tab on this site, but please also read the section on the California Plan in your NFL district manual, pages 25-28.

 

I would also like to remind coaches that there will only be Oratory, Humorous Interpretation, Dramatic Interpretation, Duo Interpretation, Foreign Extemp., and Domestic Extemp.  There will not be any other interpretation events at the qualifier.

    Please read through this letter and the accompanying checklist and other items when you get it, since many of the deadlines are firm, and may prevent your students from being allowed to compete. Also, the week before districts, READ your district manual, and bring it along, to refer to throughout the tournament. You should download the latest copy on March 19, seven days prior to the tournament.

 Your judges need to be completely trained and aware of the rules regarding the events they will judge. Also, please let them know that they will not be allowed to leave the tournament site until all rounds are completed. This is because the elimination rounds require judge panels of three to five judges; we simply cannot finish the tournament without the adequate number of judges. Also, please tell your judges that they may be used in other events besides those for which you designate them, in order to keep the tournament running smoothly.

 

Your Tarheel East District Committee Members are working diligently to make this tournament successful. We look forward to working with you as we qualify the best of our students to attend the national tournament in Indianapolis in June. Please remind your students and judges that eliminations can be emotional and stressful, while at the same time, lucky finalists deserve to be rewarded. Let’s, as the adults, set the right tone so that all students enjoy the process.

 

To that end, I also entreat you to be very aware of NFL rules and to submit protests only when you are sure that NFL rules have been violated. We will respond with serious attention, in a timely manner. Also, please understand that protests are accusations. We want everyone to feel respected and honored as we conduct this important tournament, so please handle the protest with tact, discretion, and dignity, and do not involve students in unnecessary disputes.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

Tarheel East District Committee Members:

Marcia Long-Beniquez, Libby Carter, R.J. Pellicciotta, Robert Sheard, Willie Warren