2016-2017 Speech, Debate, and Theater Calendar

Arizona Interscholastic Association
State Speech and Debate Advisory Committee
2016-2017 Sanctioned Events Calendar

 

August 13 – AZ Thespians Convention
August 20 – Arizona Speech and Debate Coaches Association Coaches Convention – Brophy College Prep
August 27 – New Coaches Workshop – TBD
September 7 – AIASSDAC Meeting – AIA Office
September 17 – Southwest Speech and Debate Institute Practice Tournament – Horizon HS
September 24 – Prep School Congress – Scottsdale Prep Academy
October 7-8 – Lost Dutchman – Red Mountain HS
October 21-22 – Jim Fountain Classic – McClintock HS
November 11-12 – Toro Country Classic – Mountain View HS
November 18-19 – Dobson Invitational – Dobson HS
November 18-19 – Arizona Thespians State Festival – Phoenix Convention Center
December 2-3 – ASDCA Winter Trophy –                Division 1 –

Division 2 – Greenway

 

January 5-7 – ASU Southwest Championships – Arizona State University
January 13-14 – Prep School Tournament – Chandler Prep Academy
January 18 – AIASSDAC Meeting – AIA Office
January 21 – Grand Canyon University Speech Tournament – GCU
January 21 – Southern Arizona Acting Festival – University of Arizona
January 28 – Northern Arizona Acting Festival – TBD
January 28 – Central Arizona Acting Festival – TBA
February 10-11 – Bobcat Bonanza – Central HS
February 18 – State One-Act Play Festival – TBD
February 25 – National Speech and Debate Association Congress Qualifier Tournament – GCU
March 3-4 – SWSDI Tournament – Hamilton HS
March 17-18 – AIA State Tournament – Division 1 – ASU

Division 2 – Paradise Valley HS
March 24-25 – NSDA National Qualifier – Phoenix Country Day School
April 19 – AIASSDAC Meeting – AIA Office

SWSDI Practice Tournament

Attention Coaches:

The SWSDI Practice Tournament at Horizon High School is this weekend.  If you haven’t gotten your entry in yet, then head to http://www.joyoftournaments.com/az/brophy-swsdi/info.asp to get it in.  There will be a judge training for your new judges and multiple rounds of festival-style performance for your competitors.  We hope to see you there!

ASDCA Coaches Convention

Thank you to all of the coaches, trainers, students, and judges who attended yesterday’s convention.  The big news is that we are now official.  The Forensic League of Arizona has been retired, and we are now officially the Arizona Speech and Debate Coaches Association has taken its place.  I appreciate all of the support and understanding that the coaches showed as we maneuvered through this transition.  Our first AIA meeting of the year will take place on September 24.  More information and an updated officer list to come.

Our first tournament will be the SWSDI Practice Tournament at Brophy College Prep on September 20th.  The invitation is available on www.joyoftournaments.com/az. Check it out!

Judge Training Opportunities

Just in from Meg Howell:

I know this is incredibly late notice, but I just got approval to do a judge training session tomorrow, Saturday, September 14th, at 1:00 p.m. in room 725 at Mountain View. Anyone is welcome. Even if you are a coach without much judging background and want ideas in how to train your own judges, you are welcome to come. If you need information about building and room location text me at 480-294-7455 or drop me an email at mmhowell@mpsaz.org.

Don’t forget that John Wolnisty is running a judge training session at Tempe Prep on Wednesday, September 18th at 6:30 p.m.

Cassie Alber is also running a judge training session at Mesquite HS on Tuesday, September 24th at 5:30 p.m.

Have a great weekend!

2013-2014 Arizona NFL District Committee

Congratulations to the following coaches who have been elected as your 2013-2014 National Forensic League Arizona District Committee:

Meg Howell-Haymaker – Mountain View High School – Chair

Cassie Alber – Mesquite High School

Kevin Berlat – Central High School

Beth Clarke – Brophy College Prep

John Wolnisty – Tempe Preparatory Academy

As the new year begins, the committee will keep you updated with the latest NFL news.

Convention Wrapup and Judge Training

Last weekend was the FLA’s Coaches Convention, and a big thank you goes out to Susan Seep from Horizon High School for hosting the convention, organizing the workshops, and hosting the practice tournament.  It was a great start to the year, and we can only get better from here.

A free judge training is available at Tempe Preparatory Academy.  Thursday, Sept 20, 6:30PM – 8:30, in the main hall at TPA.  This is courtesy of John Wolnisty.  It is open to any and all.

The first AIA State Speech and Debate Advisory Committee meeting will be September 26th.  If you have any proposals, send them to Kevin Berlat for inclusion on the agenda.

AZ Nationals Results

After an amazing National Forensic League national tournament in Indianapolis, we have the following results to report:

William McDonald from Brophy College Prep won the National Championship in United States Extemporaneous.

Austin Kennedy from Desert Vista won the National Championship in Expository Speaking.

Alexa Curran from Mesquite was National Runner Up in Dramatic Interpretation.

Kohinoor Gill from Desert Vista placed 5th in International Extemporaneous.

Andy McCoy from Brophy was the 7th place Policy Debate Speaker, and the team of McCoy/Singh placed 9th in Policy Debate.

In Congressional Debate, Noah Wuerfel from Chandler Prep was National Runner up in the House. Michael Ippolito of Mesquite placed 3rd in the Senate, and Joe Russell of Brophy placed 6th in the House.  Martin Lawrence of Chandler Prep and Alison Brown and Katie Giel of Desert Vista reached the Congress semifinals.

In addition, AZ had a plethora of outround participants. Full results will be discussed at the FLA Coaches Convention in the fall.

Congratulations students and coaches!

2012-2013 NFL District Committee

Congratulations to the following coaches who have been elected to the 2012-2013 National Forensic League Arizona District Committee:

Meg Howell-Haymaker, Chair – Mountain View High School

Cassie Alber – Mesquite High School

Kevin Berlat – Central High School

Elizabeth Clarke – Brophy College Prep

John Wolnisty – Tempe Preparatory Academy

Their term of office starts on September 1.

Updates, Results, and Summer Workshops

First, Congratulations to the AZ students who competed at the Debate Tournament Of Champions last weekend in Kentucky.  Bill McDonald from Brophy finished 2nd in the Extemp Round-Robin, Noah Wuerfel from Chandler Prep finished 7th in Congressional Debate, Carlos Ochoa from Brophy reached the Semifinals of Congressional Debate, and Andy McCoy from Brophy was the 15th place speaker in Policy Debate.  Coming up will be the NIETOC and the Extemp TOC heading into NFL Nationals in June.

This summer, there will be many opportunities to improve and prepare for next year.  Applications for the Southwest Speech and Debate Institute are due by May 31.  You can find more information at www.southwestdebateinstitute.org.  In addition, the ASU Debate team will host a 3 day policy debate workshop in June.  Details can be found here.

Finally, we have some updates to the sanctioned calendar.  It is available on the calendar of this website.

2012-2013 Tournament Calendar – version 1

After the AIA State Speech and Debate Advisory Committee meeting yesterday, the first version of the 2012-2013 calendar is out.  The largest change from previous years is the separation of the NFL District Congress Qualifier from the rest of the tournament.  With the new constraints on Congressional Debate judging, as well as rules about the length of sessions, it was decided that holding the Congress separately would provide for a better Congressional Debate tournament, as well as allow for more flexibility in the rest of the Qualifying events.

The calendar can be found here:  12-13 Tournament Calendar v1.

If there are any questions, please let me know at berlat@phoenixunion.org.