District Tournaments
District Tournaments
Each district holds an annual district tournament series, which is the primary method for determining qualifiers to the annual National Speech & Debate Tournament. Schools which join or renew prior to their established local district tournament dates for the year may register eligible students to compete and potentially qualify for the National Tournament, held annually in June. Students are district eligible if their membership is paid, they have earned at least the Merit degree, and they have a valid, unique email address on their NSDA account. Visit the District Tournament Operations Manual section for full details on district eligibility.
Looking for a District Tournament?
NSDA Districts Calendar
The district chair, in consultation with the District Committee and members of the district, will determine the date, time, and place of the district contest. If any part of the district tournament series will occur before December 31, the District Committee must officially register all tournament dates with the national office by October 31 of the competition season. If all parts of the district tournament series will occur after January 1, the District Committee must officially register all tournament dates with the national office by November 30 of the competition season.
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Resources
District Leader Toolkit
District Leaders are peer-elected coach members who are charged with hosting their district’s qualifying tournament. This page is the hub for the materials they need throughout the year.
High School Unified Manual
From entry limits to tabulation procedures, everything you need to know about the district tournament can be found in section 3 of the manual.
Newsletters
We send periodic updates to coaches, district leaders, students, and alumni to keep our members informed about what is happening in the speech and debate community. Use this link to see current issues and archives.
District Leadership Directory
The contact information for each district chair and committee member can be found by using the directory.
How to Register for Districts
When you are ready to register students for the district tournament, use this step-by-step handout to guide you through.
Single Entry Letter of Intent
No student may double enter at the National Tournament. Therefore, a Single Entry Letter of Intent (SELI) must be filed with the district chair indicating the event in which the student will compete at the National Tournament, should they qualify.
Congress Legislation Template
Students wanting to submit legislation for consideration at the National Tournament should use these templates when writing their legislation to ensure style and formatting are consistent with the rules.
Evidence Violation Form
All rules of evidence can be found in the High School Unified Manual. Use this form for formal evidence violations during the district debate tournament.
Suggested Sources – Interp
Any source material is acceptable as long as it meets the standards outlined in the High School Unified Manual. While sources do not have to come from this list, these are a great starting point.