Point of Information

The new Saint Francis tournament to feature parli!

2009 1st Annual Robert Garcia Invitational

Saint Francis High School

September 25-27, 2009

Dear Colleague,

Saint Francis High School invites you to participate in the first annual Robert Garcia Invitational to be held Friday, September 25th through Sunday, September 27th, 2009. It is our hope that we can assist you in getting your students excited and involved in forensics while opening up the Fall 2009 forensics season with a success.

The schedule for the tournament includes five preliminary rounds of debate and three preliminary rounds of individual events (with a break to octofinals in all debate events (unless entries facilitate larger/smaller breaks) and a break to finals in individual events). California High School Speech Association rules will be used as a guideline, but discretion is at the hands of the tournament director.

Due to campus space constraints, the invitational will be a varsity-only event. Please take note of the entry limits on the pages that follow. Competitors who reach octofinals in debate or finals in individual events will receive awards. The sweepstakes awards will be awarded to the top three schools. Speaker awards will be given to the top five competitors in Lincoln-Douglas, Public Forum, Parliamentary, and Policy Debate.

You will find the tournament schedule on the website. The deadline for entries is Thursday, September 17, 2009 before 4pm Pacific Standard Time. You will not be refunded your entry fee for any drops after this date. Due to the nature of this tournament, there will be absolutely no adds at registration. We do not accept email entries.

Please enter your squad on Joy of Tournaments as soon as possible (and when available). We take entries on a first-come, first-served basis and the tournament will likely fill up before the official deadline. While we will make every effort to accept all entrants, it may be necessary to limit entry in some popular events. We will take as many entries, up to 50 per event, with all other additional students being placed on a waitlist.

Schools are required to bring qualified judges. One judge will cover one of the following: two debate teams, four Lincoln-Douglas debaters, or five entries in individual events. Schools are required to provide one judge for every two debate teams in elimination rounds up to one round past that school’s dropping from competition. Please call if you have any questions about your judging obligations. Schools will pay a penalty for uncovered judges: $90 per uncovered Team Debate judge, $80 per uncovered LD judge, and $60 per uncovered IE, Parliamentary, or Public Forum judge. Schools will also be fined $20 per round for missed ballots. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE bring your own qualified critics. While there will be some available for hire, we would much rather have your critics than your money. The tournament committee will resolve any disputes that arise during the tournament.

Registration will be at the Library of Saint Francis High School on Friday, September 25th from 3:00 pm to 3:30pm. For those schools not participating in debate, registration for individual events will be on Saturday, September 26th from 7:30 to 8:00am. We strongly advise you to register on Friday if at all possible. Turn in your fees at registration.

We hope to make the Robert J. Garcia Invitational a successful and exciting tournament. With your help, it will be done. We are looking forward to seeing you.

Sincerely,

Doug Dennis

Forensics Moderator

TOURNAMENT EVENTS

Debate Pattern
* Team Debate
* Lincoln-Douglas Debate
* Parliamentary Debate
* Public Forum Debate

Events Pattern
* Dramatic Interpretation (DI)
* Humorous Interpretation (HI)
* Duo Interpretation (DUO)
* Oratorical Interpretation (OI)
* Impromptu (IMP)
* Expository Speaking (Expos)
* Original Oratory (OO)
* Original Advocacy (OA)
* Extemporaneous Speaking (EXT)

DEBATE RESOLUTIONS
Team Debate:
Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase social services for persons living in poverty in the United States.
Lincoln-Douglas Debate:
We will use the September-October National Forensic League topic for Lincoln-Douglas Debate.
Public Forum Debate:
We will use the September National Forensic League topic for Public Forum Debate.

DOUBLE & TRIPLE ENTRIES
Students may only double enter in events if and only if the events are not in the same pattern (for example, you can do a pattern A and a pattern B, but not two in any pattern). Furthermore, students doing extemporaneous speaking or policy debate may not double enter at all. No triple entries.

IMPORTANT REMINDERS
Please remind students to stay on campus during the competition. We will sell a variety of foods at reasonable prices. We also ask that students respect the campus and classrooms. Rooms will be monitored and any student found tampering with any items will be disqualified. The judge should be the first to enter and the last to exit the classroom. Judges will be asked to turn in the names of students violating this rule. We are trying to keep tournament costs to a minimum; any damage to property will result in disqualification. Moreover, in concurrence with California law, any student caught smoking in view of the campus will be disqualified as well.

ENTRY INSTRUCTIONS
Click on the Registration button at the top of this page. Make all entries via this website. You may make changes, drops, and additions to your entry via this website.

IMPORTANT DATES
Sept 17: Last day for adds and drops without penalty (4pm PST)
Sept 25: Registration at the Library from 3:00pm – 3:30pm. Schools participating in debate must register on this date.
Sept 26: Registration for schools not participating in debate in the Library from 8:00am – 8:30am

LODGING INFORMATION
This year the tournament hotel will be the Courtyard Marriott in Cupertino, CA, which is less than 10 minutes from Saint Francis High School. We have worked out a rate of $99 per night (plus tax) for a single and $109 a night for double beds. A limited number of rooms are available, so make your reservations early.

Courtyard Marriott
10605 North Wolfe Rd
Cupertino, CA, 95014
408-252-9100

ENTRY LIMITS PER SCHOOL
Team Debate – 4 teams
Parliamentary Debate – 4 teams
Public Forum Debate – 4 teams
Lincoln-Douglas Debate – 4 competitors
Individual Events – 4 competitors / teams per event

Questions can be directed to Doug Dennis at dougdennis@sfhs.com

Friday, September 25, 2009
3:00pm Registration, schools competing in debate (3:00pm – 3:30pm)
4:00pm Team Debate, LD, Parli, PF Round 1
6:00pm Team Debate, LD, Parli, PF Round 2
8:00pm Team Debate, LD, Parli, PF Round 3

Saturday, September 26, 2009
8:30am to 9:30am Final Registration for IE’s (Any final drops in IEs)
9:00am Team Debate, LD, Parli, PF Round 4
10:45am Extemp Prep
11:00am Individual Events Round 1
12:45pm Team Debate, LD, Parli, PF Round 5
2:30pm Extemp Prep
2:45pm Individual Events Round 2
4:15pm Extemp Prep
4:30pm Individual Events Round 3
5:15pm Team Debate, LD, Parli, PF Round 6
8:00 Octafinals: Team Debate, LD, Parli, PF

Sunday, September 27, 2009
9:00am Quarters: Team Debate, LD, Parli, PF
11:00am Extemp Prep
11:15amFinals: Individual Events
1:00pm Semis: Team Debate, LD, Parli, PF
3:00pm Finals: Team Debate, LD, Parli, PF
4:30pm Awards Ceremony
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School Fee $25.00
Individual Events $10.00
Duo Interpretation $20.00
Lincoln-Douglas Debate $35.00
Team Debate $50.00
Parliamentary Debate $40.00
Public Forum Debate $40.00
Uncovered IE, Parli, PF Judge $60.00
Uncovered LD Judge $80.00
Uncovered Team Judge $90.00

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Please make checks payable to

Saint Francis High School

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