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Volunteer as a Judge

Make a life-changing impact

Your willingness to listen, evaluate, and encourage is all we need!  Our competitors reach new levels when they get feedback from new people and new perspectives.

No experience is necessary, and you can get started with very little training. We provide the resources you need and more to explore if you choose.

Step 1 - Find a Tournament

Look for a tournament in your area or online and register for a time you'd like to join us.

Step 2 - Learn about Your Events

Spend a few minutes learning the basics about the process and the events you plan to judge.

Step 3 - Listen and Enjoy

Show up to listen, enjoy, and offer your feedback to students who are eager for fresh voices.

Why Judge? A Two-Minute Overview

Watch this two-minute video to see what your time means to our students and parents.

Learn about the Events You Can Judge

GET STARTED

You can select the kind of event you'd like to judge based on your schedule and preferences. We offer two styles of debate and ten speech events at most of our tournaments. If you have a legal background, we'd love to have you join us for one of our online Moot Court tournaments. No matter which event you pick, you'll find the instructions and resources you need to feel confident about the process.

  • Quick Links

      Our competitors can choose from ten different speech events.  The options range from expository to dramatic and from fully prepared in advance to topics drawn in the competition room. Each kind of speech challenges students to learn new ways to connect with an audience.

      Preview Speech Events You Could Judge

      Speech judges can judge any of the events pictured below. for more information, visit our speech judge orientation page using the button above. 

      • Digital Presentation

        Informs or persuades the audience, accompanied by digital visual aids.

      • Informative

        Explains a significant topic.

      • Persuasive

        Influences the audience to consider a particular point of view or course of action.

      • Biblical Thematic

        Presents three or more literature selections, including one from Scripture, and visual aids to develop a biblical theme

      • Apologetics

        Presents a well-reasoned defense and thoughtful application of basic tenets of the Christian faith.

      • Extemporaneous

        Analyzes news and other sources to prepare an evidence-based speech on a current-events topic.

      • Impromptu

        Presents a unique and meaningful speech on a topic drawn from abstract words, phrases, quotations, or table topics.

      • Duo

        Explores a published literature selection and is presented by a team of two competitors.

      • Open

        Explores a published literature selection and is presented by one competitor.

      • Original

        Presents an original literary work or a derivative work.

  • Quick Links

      Our two debate styles help students learn to support and defend ideas within the bounds of a specified value or policy topic for the season. They learn to listen well, think on their feet, and argue graciously.

      Preview the Debate Styles You Could Judge 

      • Lincoln-Douglas Value Debate

        One debater affirms the resolution while another opposes or negates it. This style of debate, named after the famous debates between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas, explores a philosophical clash of competing but morally defensible values.

      • Team Policy Debate

        A team of two debaters affirms the resolution while another team of two debaters negates the affirmative position. This form of debate simulates argumentation in a legislative body.

  • Quick Links

      Moot Court simulates oral arguments before an appellate court. Students present legal arguments regarding a fictional case as they focus on convincing the judge(s) to either uphold or overturn a lower court’s ruling.

      Moot Court competition provides students with the unique opportunity to strengthen their reasoning and persuasion skills while increasing their understanding of the US Constitution and the judicial system.

      See an Overview of Moot Court Competition

      • Moot Court

        Moot Court simulates oral arguments before an appellate court. Students present legal arguments regarding a fictional case as they focus on convincing the judge(s) to either uphold or overturn a lower court’s ruling.

Judge Policies

We value the perspectives of caring adults from a variety of backgrounds. If you are willing and qualified, we can provide the orientation and training to help you feel equipped.

Find a Tournament

  • Judging Philosophy

    In order to offer competitors varied feedback and encourage them to be universal in their impact, NCFCA values a diverse judge pool. In addition to our parent judges, we actively recruit people from all walks of life who may or may not have judging experience. We intentionally extend judging invitations to judges with worldviews which are both similar to and different from those of NCFCA competitors.

  • Judge Eligibility Policies

    Age

    A judge must be at least 18 years old, must not be currently enrolled in high school, and must not have been eligible to compete in any NCFCA event during the current season. Please direct any questions regarding a judge’s eligibility based on age, graduation, or competition eligibility status to the National Judge Coordinator at gro.ACFCNobfsctd@segduJlanoitaN.

    Relationship

    Judges must be unrelated to the competitors they are assigned to judge and may not have coached them in that event.

    Re-Judging

    A judge should not judge a specific speaker more than one time in the same prepared speech or on the same side of a debate round in any given tournament. The same judge may judge a speaker in a different event or more than one time in limited preparation speeches.

  • Judging Conflicts

    Our ability to employ best practices for avoiding judge conflicts beyond our stated eligibility policies is dependent on the number of judges available for each round. Our system will prevent most judging conflicts, but there are some factors we ask judges to keep in mind when choosing to accept a ballot. 

    • Please do not take a ballot with a student you know very well or have coached in the event.
    • Do not take a ballot for a room where a family member is also judging. If this happens inadvertently, please contact Tournament Administration.
    • Judges who have a question or have difficulty finding a ballot that seems suitable should contact tournament administration for help.

    Parent judges should follow additional guidance contained in our tournament prep instructions.

  • Judge Decisions

    All judge decisions are final as they apply to assessment of the round; however, adjudication determinations by the National Adjudication Team supersede judge assessments. All adjudication decisions are final.

  • Ballot Completion and Deadlines

    At the end of the round, please exit the competition room to finish filling out your ballot. For in-person tournaments, please remain at the facility until your ballot is complete.

    You will receive a notification indicating the time when ballots are due. We want judges to provide ample and excellent feedback; however, for the tournament to proceed in a timely manner, the ballot deadline must also be honored. Until we have all ballots returned, we cannot begin processing the next round. Therefore, please prioritize essential items on your ballot like your win/loss decision for debate and ranking speakers for both speech and debate, then provide as much additional feedback as time allows.

Voices from the Stage

We need you

Hear firsthand from NCFCA competitors about how much your contribution of time means to them.

  • No experience required
  • Training available
  • Make a lasting impact
Judge a Tournament

FAQs

Find answers to commonly asked questions about judging in tournaments.

  • Do I need prior experience to judge an NCFCA tournament?

    As an NCFCA judge, you don’t need prior judging experience. NCFCA provides comprehensive training and resources to equip you with the knowledge and skills necessary to evaluate student performances effectively.

    The organization believes that a passion for communication and a willingness to learn are the most important qualities for a successful judge.

  • What kind of device and/or browser will I need?

    • Top tip: use Google Chrome if possible.
    • Be sure your camera and microphone are enabled.
    • Click HERE for the Technology Guidelines detailing Device and Browser Requirements

  • How and when do I check in for the tournament?

    Check In

    • Approximately 45 minutes before the round, please log in to your account on NCFCA.org with a supported browser.
    • Find the Tournament under My Upcoming Tournaments and Enter.
    • Click on Check-in and follow the prompts to confirm your contact information and rounds (Community Judges)
    • Wait for the Select button for the round to display near the top of the screen.
    • See the screenshots below.

    Why do I need to log in 45 minutes before the round?

    Ballots are released to judges in groups well ahead of the round. We aim to have all judges on ballots 20 minutes prior to the first speaker. This allows you to have time to check-in and check technology, have a choice of ballots, review event information, and be ready at the competition room before the first competitor’s assigned speaking time.

  • How do I select a ballot after logging in?

    About 30-45 minutes before the round begins, judges will begin to see notifications by text and on the tournament dashboard that it’s time to select a ballot.

    •  A ballot selection button for the round will appear on your dashboard screen (as shown above).
    • Our system will show two competition room choices at a time with the names of the competitors. 
    • Click to accept a ballot that does not include competitors that you know on a personal basis. 
    • If you need assistance finding a ballot that works for you, please contact Tournament Administration.

  • What if I accidentally choose a ballot with someone I know?

    In the event that you discover a conflict with your ballot selection, please contact Tournament Administration as soon as possible for assistance with a reassignment. 

  • What should I do after selecting my ballot?

    • Once you have selected a ballot, you will see the room you have selected on your screen with a View button that displays participants. Please check again to be sure you do not have conflicts with competitors.
    • There may be a waiting time while other judges select the rest of the remaining ballots.
    • While you wait, you can read about your selected event and preview a sample ballot.
    • This is also a good time to refill your beverage and prepare for the round which will take approximately 2 hours. Please do not leave the competition room during the round. If there is an emergency during a round, please contact Tournament Administration.
    • When it’s time for the round to begin, you will receive a text and/or dashboard notification from Tournament Administration.
    • For an in-person tournament, the View button will change to Open.
    • For an online tournament you will see a Join button to enter the electronic competition room.

  • What do I do if I need help?

    For an issue that must be resolved during the round

    • At in-person tournaments, contact a member of our Communications Team, identified by green name tag inserts and stationed near your room. 
    • At online tournaments, change the room status to “Need Help” in the upper right corner of your screen. If you are not able to use the functionality in the competition room, please try to use the Contact Tournament Administration button on your dashboard and monitor your phone for contact from a tournament representative.

    For help after the round is complete 

    • You may use the Contact Tournament Administration button in the upper right corner of your screen. 
    • At in-person tournaments, you also have the option to consult members of the Compliance Team, identified by yellow name tag inserts. 

  • What do I do after the round ends?

    • At the end of the round, please exit the competition room to finish filling out your ballot. For in-person tournaments, please remain at the facility until your ballot is submitted.
    • You will receive a notification indicating the time when ballots are due. In order for the tournament to proceed in a timely manner, please prioritize your decision and speaker rankings, then provide as much additional feedback as time allows. 
    • Once your ballot is submitted, your work for the round is complete.

  • Can I get documentation of my volunteer hours for judging?

    Absolutely! If you would like a Volunteer Certification for your time, please contact our Judge Support Team.

  • May I take photographs or recordings?

    • Please do not record the round or take photographs of the competitors.
    • Please do not use your cell phone during the round unless you encounter an issue that requires a conversation with tournament administration.