The University of Alabama Hall of Fame Tournament

The University of Alabama Forensic Council will host the annual Hall of Fame High School Forensics Tournament on January 17th and 18th, 2025.  We are confident that the tournament will provide an excellent competitive and educational experience for your students.  In the past, the competition has been of the highest caliber.  With your school in attendance, we can continue to offer the best in competition. Our tournament will serve as a NIETOC bid tournament for the 2025 National Individual Events Tournament of Champions.

 

The tournament offers:

 

* Lincoln-Douglas Debate

* Public Forum Debate

* Flight A Individual Events: Duo Interpretation, Prose Interpretation, Dramatic Interpretation, After Dinner Speaking, and Impromptu Speaking

* Flight B Individual Events: Poetry Interpretation, Humorous Interpretation, Oratory, POI, Informative Speaking, and Extemporaneous Speaking

 

Below, you will find all the necessary information and forms to enable you to register at the tournament and obtain hotel accommodations.  We do hope that you will be able to join us in Tuscaloosa in January.

 

Sincerely,

 

Ben Pyle                                                          Brent Mitchell                                    

Director                                                            Assistant Director                  

Alabama Forensic Council                              Alabama Forensic Council                 

                                               

The University of Alabama

Hall of Fame Tournament

January 17-18, 2025

REGISTRATION

All entries must be received by 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, January 14th.  NO ENTRIES WILL BE TAKEN AFTER THIS TIME. Entries will be handled at SpeechWire.com.

 

DEBATE

Entries: Each school may enter a maximum of eight entries in L-D debate and/or Public Forum debate. This can be any combination of either L-D or Public Forum –just as long as the entire debate entry for a school does not go over 8 entries.  Debaters may not enter any individual events.  

 

Format: L-D debate will have five preliminary rounds with appropriate elimination rounds.  Each team will debate two rounds on the affirmative and two rounds on the negative.  The fifth round will be a flip for sides.  L-D debate will debate the approved NFL debate topic for January using the standard L-D format with a 5-minute prep rule.  

 

Format: Public Forum debate will have five preliminary rounds with appropriate elimination rounds.  Public Forum debate will follow standard NSDA procedures and will be using the January resolution topic.  

 

INDIVIDUAL EVENTS

Students entered in i.e. may double enter in each group (two events per grouping only).  A school may enter an unlimited number of entries per event.

Group A:

Prose Interp: Contestants will present a reading from published prose material.  Students may present one selection or a group of selections on a unified theme.  The maximum time limit is 10 minutes.  A manuscript must be used.

Duo Interp: Two contestants present a cutting from a published play, humorous or serious, involving two or more characters.  This material may be drawn from stage, screen, or radio.  This is not an acting event.  Thus, no costumes, props, lighting, etcetera are to be used.  The maximum time limit is 10 minutes.

Dramatic Interp: Selections must be cuttings from published plays only.  The selection must have one or more characters.  A manuscript must be used.  This is an interpretation event, not an acting event.  The maximum time limit is 10 minutes.

 

After Dinner Speaking: Contestants will present an original speech that is humorous in nature and related to one central theme.  This is a speech, not a comedy routine.  The same principles for good speechmaking should be applied.  Humor should be in good taste and presentation should be from memory. Visual Aides and/or Props allowed. The maximum time limit is 10 minutes.

 

Impromptu Speaking: Contestants will present an impromptu speech, serious in nature, with topic selections varied by round and by section.  Topics will be of a proverb nature.  Speakers will have a total of 7 minutes for both preparation and speaking.  Time commences with the acceptance of the quotation.  Limited note card use is permitted.

 

Group B:

Extemporaneous Speaking: In each round the contestant will draw three topics and select one to speak on.  The contestant will have 30 minutes to prepare a 4-7-minute speech.  The topics will be based on current events (national and international.  Limited note card use is acceptable.  

 

Poetry Interpretation: Contestants will present material from a published source of poetry.  Students may present one poem or a group of selections on a unified theme.  The maximum time limit is 10 minutes.  A manuscript must be used.

 

Original Oratory: Contestants should discuss a topic of interest to his or her audience.  The oratory should be intelligent, original, and interesting.  Although orations may deal with a specific problem and propose a solution, this is not the only acceptable form of oratory.  The speech need not offer a solution.  Presentation should be from memory.  The maximum time limit is 10 minutes.

 

Humorous Interpretation: Contestants will present a cutting from published humorous material.  The maximum time limit is 10 minutes.

 

Informative Speaking: Students deliver a self-written, ten-minute speech on a topic of their choosing. Limited in their ability to quote words directly, Informative Speaking competitors craft a speech using evidence, logic, and optional visual aids. All topics must be informative in nature; the goal is to educate, not to advocate. The speech is delivered from memory.

 

Program Oral Interpretation: Using a combination of Prose, Poetry and Drama, students construct a program up to ten minutes in length using at least two out of the three genres. With a spotlight on argumentation and performative range, Program Oral Interpretation focuses on a student’s ability to combine multiple genres of literature centered around a single theme. Competitors are expected to portray multiple characters. No props or costumes may be used except for the manuscript. Performances also include an introduction written by the student to contextualize the performance and state the titles and authors used in the program.

 

AWARDS

Awards will be given to the top six finalists in each individual event.  A special Outstanding I.E. Speaker Award will be given to the i.e. participant competing in four events.  Awards will be given for all elimination rounds of debate held.  Sweepstakes awards for i.e. only and debate only schools will be given.  Three Overall Sweepstakes Awards for schools entered in debate and i.e. will be given.

 

JUDGES

Each school must provide one judge for every four debate entries.  One judge must be provided for every six entries in IE.  A judge cannot cover debate and i.e. entries.  Judging fees for uncovered entries are:  $50.00 for each uncovered debate entry and $15.00 for each uncovered IE slot.  These are in addition to the basic entry fees listed below.   PLEASE bring your own judges.  We do not want your money!!!

 

ENTRY FEES

Each L-D Debater:  $50.00.   Each Public Forum Team: $50.00.   Each Individual Event Slot:  $10.00.

 

DROP FEES

There will not be a charge for change of names.  If a school drops the entire entry after January 15th, the school will be charged a fee of $50.00.  A nuisance fee will be added to the original entry cost for ALL drops after noon cst on Wednesday, January 15^th, 2025.  The nuisance fees are as follows:

 

Each I.E. Entry drop:  $25.00.  Each I.E. Judge drop:  $50.00.  Each Debate drop:  $50.00. Each Debate Judge drop:  $50.00.  No additions to the entry will be accepted after noon Wednesday, January 15, 2025.  Any drops on January 17^th will be $100.00.

 

NO SHOWS FOR JUDGES AND COMPETITORS 

There will be a $10.00 charge for each no show by a competitor, and a $20 charge for each no show by a judge during the tournament.  No competitor s from that school will be allowed to advance to elimination rounds until these charges have been paid.  If judges do not show up for judging assignments for semis/finals the $20.00 rule will apply and students from that school will be removed from semis/finals.

 

LOCATION

The University of Alabama is located in Tuscaloosa, fifty miles southwest of Birmingham.  The campus is located off I-59/I-20, and highway 82.  Signs on these highways will direct you to the campus.

 

LODGING:  Here are some options to consider.  Email Brent or I if you need more!

The following are motels within ten minutes of the campus:

Best Value Inn Courtyard by Marriott Hampton Inn

3501 McFarland Blvd. E. 4115 Courtney Drive 600 Harper Lee Drive

(205) 556-7950 (205) 750-8384 (205) 553-9800

Motel Six La Quinta Inn Comfort Inn

4700 McFarland Blvd. 4122 McFarland Blvd. E. 4501 McFarland Blvd. E.

(205) 759-4942 (205) 349-3270 (205) 345-1434

 

TENTATIVE TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

Friday, January 17, 2025

1:00-2:00 p.m. Registration, Reese Phifer Hall Rotunda

3:00 p.m. Opening Assembly - Reese Phifer 216

3:30-4:00 p.m. Alabama Scholarship Meeting - Reese Phifer 216

Debate Schedule I.E. Schedule

4:30-5:45 Rd 1 L-D/Public Forum 4:30-5:45 Rd 1 Group A Events

5:45-7:00 Rd 2 Group A Events

5:45-7:00 Rd 2 L-D/Public Forum

7:00-8:30 Rd 3 Group A Events

7:30-9:00 Rd 3 L-D/Public Forum

 

Saturday, January 18, 2025

7:30 -- Extemp Draw (180 Phifer)

8:00-9:30 am Rd 4 L-D/Public Forum

8:00-9:30 Rd 1 Group B Events

9:00 -- Extemp Draw (180 Phifer)

9:30-10:30 Rd 2 Group B Events

10:00-11:30 Rd 5 L-D/Public Forum

10:30 -- Extemp Draw (180 Phifer)

11:00-12:00 Rd 3 Group B Events

12:00-1:30 Lunch

12:30-2:00 Quarters L-D/Public Forum 1:30 – Out-Round Set 1 

2:00-3:30 Semis L-D/Public Forum

2:30 -- Extemp Draw Finals (222 Phifer)

3:00-4:30 Out-Round Set 2

3:30-5:00 Finals L-D/Public Forum 4:30 – Showcase of Alabama I.E. Team Members Reese Phifer Hall 216

6:00 pm Awards Assembly Reese Phifer Hall 216

 

 

 

All checks must be made out to The University of Alabama.

 

(vr24)