Travel Tournament Benchmarks

Minimum benchmarks for VARSITY to attend major overnight tournaments

ALL POTENTIAL VARSITY COMPETITORS MUST HAVE A MINIMUM OF “X” NSDA POINTS ON RECORD (AS SPECIFIED FOR EACH TOURNAMENT), + MAINTAIN AT LEAST A “B” GRADE IN DEBATE, PLUS THE FOLLOWING:

  • Yale Invitational – BY THE START OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, must have at least 75 NSDA high school competition points (Degree of Honor) on record.
  • New York City Invitational @ Bronx High School of Science – BY SEPTEMBER 15, must have at least 75 NSDA high school competition points (Degree of Honor) on record + competed in at least one tournament during the current school year, including at least one PBCFL.
  • Florida Blue Key at University of Florida BY OCTOBER 1, must have at least 75 NSDA high school competition points (Degree of Honor) on record, + must have competed at the September PBCFL Congressional, given the equivalent of at least three speeches, + either placed Top 6 in the chamber or won a Chamber’s Choice Presiding Officer gavel. The student is also required to compete at the October PBCFL tournament in the event(s) in which s/he intends to compete at FBK.
  • Patriot Games at George Mason University – BY NOVEMBER 1, must have at least 150 NSDA high school competition points (Degree of Excellence) on record + competed in at least three tournaments during the current school year, including at least two PBCFLs.
  • Barkley Forum for High Schools at Emory University – BY DECEMBER 1, must have at least 150 NSDA high school competition points (Degree of Excellence) on record + competed in at least four tournaments during the current school year, including at least two PBCFLs, and with at least one Top 3 break/place.
  • Liberty Bell Classic at UPenn – BY JANUARY 15, must have at least 150 NSDA high school competition points (Degree of Excellence) on record + competed in at least five tournaments during the current school year, including at least three PBCFLs, and with at least one Top 3 break/place.

Minimum benchmarks for NOVICES to attend major overnight tournaments

ALL POTENTIAL NOVICE COMPETITORS MUST HAVE A MINIMUM OF “X” NSDA POINTS ON RECORD (AS SPECIFIED FOR EACH TOURNAMENT), + MAINTAIN AT LEAST A “B” GRADE IN DEBATE, PLUS THE FOLLOWING:

  • Yale Invitational and New York City Invitational @ Bronx High School of Science – due to registration deadlines, neither the Yale Invitational nor the New York City Invitational are available to first-year debaters, regardless of whether they were active in middle school debate.
  • Florida Blue Key at University of Florida BY OCTOBER 1, must have competed at the September PBCFL Congressional, + given at least three speeches, + and placed Top 6 in the chamber. The student is also required to compete at the October PBCFL tournament in the event in which s/he intends to compete at FBK.
  • Patriot Games at George Mason University – BY NOVEMBER 1, must have at least 25 NSDA high school competition points on record (Degree of Merit) + competed in at least three tournaments during the current school year, including at least two PBCFLs.
  • Barkley Forum for High Schools at Emory University – BY DECEMBER 1, must have at least 50 NSDA high school competition points on record (Degree of Merit + 25) + competed in at least four tournaments during the current school year, including at least two PBCFLs, and with at least one Top 3 break/place.
  • Liberty Bell Classic at UPenn – BY JANUARY 15, must have at least 75 NSDA high school competition points (Degree of Honor) on record + competed in at least five tournaments during the current school year, including at least three PBCFLs, and with at least one Top 3 break/place.

National and state qualifying tournament participants must fulfill grade and attendance requirements and will be invited to attend by the coach. The coach has discretion to waive this on a case-by-case basis; tourneys listed are not guaranteed to be part of the year’s schedule.

(Updated 25 October 2019)