What are Springboard Tournaments?

Thanks to the generosity of The Julia Burke Foundation, the NSDA offers the online Springboard Series. The Springboard Series offers FREE speech and debate events. These events will provide a variety of free, online opportunities including after-school scrimmages and two weekend tournaments. We are grateful to continue offering these events for the 2024-2025 school year. 

The Julia Burke Foundation was established in memory of Julia Burke, a young woman of substance with a passion for debate. We are proud to partner with The Julia Burke Foundation to offer these opportunities in Julia’s memory. 

Click here for more information about the Springboard Series

Students must fill out the NSDA Springboard Permission Form to participate.

Links

Student Sign Up - DUE March 3 - NOTE SPEECHES ARE LIVE!!

Judge Sign Up - NOTE: All judges must complete the Multicultural Competency judge training course.

Tabroom Link

Students must fill out the NSDA Springboard Permission Form to participate.

Details

Debate:

• All debate will be held live on NSDA Campus - accessed through Tabroom.

• Congress, Policy, Lincoln-Douglas, Public Forum, Big Questions, and World Schools will be offered. No double entry is permitted.

• Each debate event will have two divisions: an open division that anyone can enter, and a rising stars division that is limited to any middle school competitor and any high school competitor in their first year of speech and debate competition.

• Congress will do one two-hour session, and all other events will do one preset preliminary round.

Speech:

• Speech events will have two divisions: an open division that anyone can enter, and a rising stars division that is limited to any middle school competitor and any high school competitor in their first year of speech and debate competition.

• Live speech scrimmages will offer Dramatic Interp, Humorous Interp, Program Oral Interp, Original Oratory, Informative Speaking, Prose, Poetry, Mixed Extemp, and Live Duo (competitors must perform in the same physical room).

• Prose and Poetry will use a 7 minute time limit with a 30 second grace period.

• No double entry is permitted in live speech events.