The following advisory statements are shared to the Arkansas speech & debate community based on complaints and inquiries that were submitted to the Tournament Advisory Committee (TAC) Chair in the the months of September & October 2024.

Clipping Cards

“Clipping” occurs when the debater claims to have read the complete text of highlighted and/or underlined evidence when, in fact, the contestant skips or omits portions of evidence.

Complaints about "clipping" should be made in round to the judge, not held to addressed to the tournament director after the round. The current, NSDA High School Unified Manual (adopted by ACTAA membership for event rules on September 2014) states, "Judges are responsible for resolving disputes between debaters regarding oral citations (7.1.B.); written source citations (7.1.C.); distinguishing between what parts of each piece of evidence are and are not read in a particular round (7.1.G.). When the judge(s) have such a dispute in the round, they must make a written note on the ballot or inform the tabulation committee of the dispute. They must do so particularly if it impacts the decision in the debate. These decisions may not be appealed."

Novice Eligibility

Although coaches have discretion in what level of debate competition to enter their students in at an tournament (e.g., novice, junior varsity, varsity, etc.), coaches should evaluate the skill level and successful experience of a student and enter the student in the appropriate level competition.

The current Arkansas State Championship (ASC) Qualifying Tournament Guidelines (adopted by ACTAA membership for event rules in September 2024) states. “a “novice” debater is one who is in their first year of competition…who compete in one debate event for more than one year and then compete in a different debate event in the same or subsequent years should enter the APPROPRIATE level of competition for their experience level, competitiveness, and skill. It is the affirmative responsibility of coaches to make ethically sound decisions about competitor placement." (ACTAA Handbook, pg. 81)

Successful participation in multiple tournaments or advancing to out rounds in highly competitive fields (i.e., larger competition field, State Tournament, etc.), generally should be considered as appropriate experience, competitiveness, and skill level to be considered for varsity competition. As shared in the ASC Qualifying Tournament Guidelines, if coaches have questions about how to enter their students “coaches may seek guidance about how to place students from TAC, ASC Committee, or Qualifying Tournament Directors.” (ACTAA Handbook, pg. 82)

Finally, member are reminded that “coaches who wish to challenge a competitor’s placement should do so respectfully and discretely before competition begins to the tournament director and the chair of the TAC committee.” (ACTAA Handbook, pg. 82)

Communication during Tournament 

With often 100+ student entries in 20+ events and 30+ judges & coaches at a given tournament, changes in schedules, room assignments, judge assignments, break thresholds are inevitable. Participants, judges, and coaches should proactively recognize changes will happen, and be understanding of tournament administration when they do occur.

In turn, tournament directors and tabroom staff, should ensure changes of expectations (i.e., postings, invitation, previous communication, etc.) are clearly communicated in a medium that can be equitably received by all parties impacted by the change. 

Sending a person to a room to communicate the same message to all parties and/or a group text message directly to the coaches of the students/ judges impacted, are best practices to ensure the change is communicated quickly and equitably to all parties. 

With this in light, it is recommended tournament directors collect coaches' cell phone numbers and ensure said numbers are added to the phones of all tabulation staff ahead of the tournament. Having number pre-programed in phone before the tournament, would allow for ease of messaging updates during the busyness of a tournament. 

Tournament Decorum & Student Behavior

As coaches, your leadership plays a vital role in setting the tone for students' behavior and decorum at tournaments. Encourage your students to exemplify professionalism, respect, and sportsmanship, both during and outside their rounds. Remind students that tournaments are not only a platform for intellectual growth but also an opportunity to build positive relationships with peers and adjudicators. Behavior such as interrupting, disparaging remarks, disrespecting adult-tournament staff, or any form of misconduct reflects poorly on both the individual and their team, and should be actively discouraged.

Additionally, ensure students are aware of tournament rules and expectations, emphasizing punctuality, preparedness, and adherence to guidelines. All participants of speech & debate tournaments in Arkansas, should be reminded frequently of ACTAA's Professional & Ethical Standards of Conduct and the collective expectation of civility, ethical behavior, inclusion, and respect. (ACTAA Handbook, pg. 68)

Addressing any concerns or issues with feudality, reinforcing the importance of accountability and mutual respect, should foster a culture of integrity and decorum. As adult-educators we should collectively uphold and actively coach these high standards that make speech & debate a meaningful and enriching experience for all participants.