League Policies
Manage the Room
- Competitors are scheduled in 10 to 15-minute intervals and are only allowed to speak within their allotted 10 to 15-minute window. Please make sure that competitors conclude their speeches by the end of their speaking windows so that the next competitor can start on time.
- If a student arrives with less time remaining than is allowed for the speech, please remind them to be mindful of the time and conclude speaking at the end of their allotted time.
- Unless instructed to do so by the tournament team, do not allow a student to begin early, speak past their allotted time slot, or speak in a different time slot.
- Speakers experiencing technical difficulties or other challenges are not eligible for additional time, accommodations, or re-addition at the end of the round.
- For In-Person Tournaments, ensure that the competition room door remains open between speakers.
- If necessary, graciously remind other judges not to confer about speakers or rankings.
- Graciously remind other judges to pause note-taking when competitors are introducing themselves.
Confirm and Announce the Speech Times
- Competitors should stop the timepiece at the conclusion of the speech and show the time to the judges.
- Announce the time exactly as recorded on the timepiece to the rest of the judge panel and to the speaker for confirmation.
Preparation Time for Apologetics and Impromptu
- The speaker will set the timepiece to count down from 4 minutes for Apologetics or for 2 minutes for Impromptu and show it to the judges. You may remind the student to start their timepiece before the topic is drawn.
- Please also remind them to look for their name on their topic card at in-person tournaments.
- When preparation time is over, students should start their timer for the speech and begin speaking promptly.
Announcing Did Not Compete, Script Use, or Timer Issue
- If a student does not compete—either does not arrive or does not give any portion of his or her speech—announce “did not compete.” Notify a Communications team member at the first available opportunity.
- If a student uses a script for a platform or interpretation speech, announce “script use” at the end of the speech.
- If a student has a timer issue, announce “timer issue” at the end of the speech.
- Competitors are scheduled in 10 to 15-minute intervals and are only allowed to speak within their allotted 10 to 15-minute window. Please make sure that competitors conclude their speeches by the end of their speaking windows so that the next competitor can start on time.