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Juniors

Junior Tournaments

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Junior Tournaments

The guidance below covers participation in Junior tournaments for which participants are registered in advance.

  1. Junior Tournaments Overview

    Junior Tournaments include one or two rounds during the debate elimination rounds of an in-person qualifying tournament. These tournament opportunities are published on the NCFCA website and open to any junior participants who register by the deadline. The goal is for participants to practice speaking skills and gain encouragement from constructive feedback.

  2. Key Differences from Qualifying Tournaments

    • Eligibility: Affiliates and Non-Qualifying Affiliates alike are welcome to participate in Junior Tournaments. The suggested age range is 7-11 years old. For questions about eligibility, contact your Regional Director.
    • Events: Junior Tournaments do not include Debate or Extemporaneous. Students may present in any other NCFCA speech category and may use illustrated boards for a speech in any platform category. Juniors have their own set of Apologetics Topics.
    • Judge Recruitment: Junior tournaments rely on parents, coaches, and competition age students who are not still competing or judging in the associated qualifying tournament to fill judge slots.
    • Rules: There are no specific rules for Junior events. However, it may be helpful to use the Speech Guide for educational reference.
      • Speech Length: Juniors are encouraged to keep their speeches
        shorter than five minutes.
      • Script Submission: Junior tournaments will not include any script
        submission.
    • Tabulation: Junior tournaments focus on offering feedback to the students in the form of completed ballots returned to students at the end of the Junior Tournament. There is no formal tabulation of Junior Events.

  3. Junior Tournament Participant Expectations

    • Event Participation Junior competitors may register for up to three speech events.
    • Parent Responsibilities During the Junior Tournament
      • The Junior staff are directly responsible for oversight of children who have parents judging or serving on staff in the corresponding qualifying tournament.
      • A parent or another designated adult must take responsibility for their children by the end of the Junior Tournament.
      • Parents of Junior Competitors must be onsite for the entire Junior Tournament.
    • Dress Code: The Junior Tournament Coordinator may specify the dress code for Junior events, keeping in mind that attire should always be professional, clean, and well-groomed. Typically, “dress clothes” will be sufficient.
    • Conduct: Parents are responsible for their children and agree to work with Tournament Administration to resolve any behavioral issues that may arise.

  4. Sample Ballots for Juniors

    See sample ballots for Juniors.

  5. Junior Tournament Registration and Fees

    Affiliates and Non-Qualifying Affiliates alike are welcome to participate in Junior Tournaments.

    When a new family is registering for Juniors only, they should affiliate with NCFCA and choose the Non-Qualifying Affiliation option. This does not include the cost of participation for the tournament. Juniors-only families will need to have an NCFCA account with all participants included on the account.

    • How to Register for a Junior Tournament: Children participating in an official Junior Tournament must be separately registered through NCFCA’s online registration system. Parents should click on Tournament Registration in the tournaments section of their dashboard, toggle their Region number, find their Junior Tournament and click Enter. Then click Registration and register their Junior.
    • Registration Deadlines: Registration will close when registration for the corresponding qualifying competition closes. Invoices will be emailed to registered competitors on the following day and must be paid by the stated deadline.
    • Junior Tournament Fees: NCFCA Junior tournaments have a $10 entry fee per student and a $7 fee per speech event.
    • The registration refund policy is available in the 2025 League Handbook which is available in the Resource Library.

  6. Junior Tournament Apologetics Topics

    What is the word of God?

    • Does God reveal Himself through the Bible?
    • Is the Bible inspired?

    Who is God?

    • Is God triune?
    • Does God know everything?
    • Is God all-powerful?
    • Is God loving?
    • Does the Holy Spirit convict us of sin?

    Who is man?

    • Are all people made in the image of God?
    • Do all people have purpose?
    • Does the Fall still affect us today?
    • Is hell real?

    Who is Jesus?

    • Is Jesus the promised Messiah?
    • Is Jesus both God and man?
    • Did Jesus come to save us?

    How are we saved?

    • Is the gospel still good news today?
    • Is regeneration necessary for salvation?
    • Is repentance necessary for salvation?
    • Is faith in Christ necessary for salvation?
    • Is justification a gift?

    How should we live?

    • Is prayer important for a Christian?
    • Is church involvement important for a Christian?
    • Is worship important for a Christian?