Lincoln Northeast

Speech Handbook

2010-2011

SPEECH HANDBOOK

2010-2011

Welcome to the Northeast Speech Team! Being a part of the team offers many opportunities and personal rewards. Forensic members become better writers and speakers, gain confidence and meet new people!

It is important to know exactly what you are getting into by becoming a member of the Northeast Speech Team. Please read the handbook and return the last page to Mrs. Wardyn by September 29th. YOU WILL NOT COMPETE IF THIS IS NOT TURNED IN.

CONTENTS

1. Practices

2. Tournaments

3. The LNE tournament

4. Leadership

5. District Speech Tournament

6. State Speech Tournament

7. National Forensic League

8. Lettering Requirements

Thank you very much!

Autumn Wardyn, Coach


PRACTICES

  • Practice is a time to work with the team. This means we watch and evaluate each other. As with any skill, you must practice, practice, practice.
  • If you are doing excessive goofing around, causing your teammates to lose practice time, you will be asked to leave and will not compete in the upcoming meet.
  • Sign up sheets for practice time will be posted in room 32. Mrs. Wardyn and Mr. McEntarffer will be available after school for practice. You must sign up at least one day in advance. There may be some days when coaches are not available due to meetings; we will mark this on the practice sign-up sheets. These practice times will generally be 1/2 hour to 1 hour in length. You must schedule at least one half hour of one-on-one practice time each week before a meet. Practice on your own is strongly encouraged.
  • Scheduled team meetings/practices are every Monday from 3:00 – 3:30 pm in room 32 (unless otherwise notified). If you cannot attend practice please let Mrs. Wardyn or Mr. McEntarffer know ahead of time.
  • Know when you are going to practice so that you can get a ride home or have someone pick you up.

TOURNAMENTS

  • You will not be allowed to compete at tournaments if you have not turned in all required paperwork, have more than one F in your classes the Monday before a meet, been suspended the week before a tournament or have not signed up by Tuesday morning before a tournament.

TRAVEL

  • We will ride to the out-of-town tournaments together in a van. If your parents want to pick you up from the meet, you will need to bring a note signed by a parent at least one day before the tournament. Exceptions will be made in the case of emergencies.
  • For Friday tournaments, you will usually be excused from school for part of the afternoon. You are responsible for making up any work you will miss. If you receive a notice that you were truant from the classes that you were excused from, let me know and I will get it cleared.
  • For in-town tournaments, you will need to find your own way to the tournament and home. If this is a problem, talk to me.
  • Be on time. I cannot stress this enough. We will leave without you if you are not on time.
  • We will give you approximate arrive home times so that you can arrange for a ride.

BEHAVIOR AT TOURNAMENTS

  • All school rules apply at tournaments!!!
  • Be professional at all times. Be confident, but not cocky. “Listen to others as you would have them listen to you.”
  • Find out your competition rooms early. Write down the time, room number, and speaker position. Locate the room so you know exactly where to go.
  • If you are double entered, make sure you put your code on the board and indicate you are double entered (or triple entered).
  • Be polite to everyone you see. Never say anything unkind while at a tournament about anyone or anything - including yourself. Listen to everyone in the round if you are not entered in another event. Judges are always around and pay attention to your behaviors.
  • Do not ask the judge anything concerning your performance - before, during, or after. Wait for your ballots!
  • Don’t go wandering off during a tournament. If there is a round in which you are not competing, don’t just sit around. Choose an event to watch.
  • Refrain from talking between speakers. The judges need quiet to fill out their ballots.

BEHAVIOR AT AWARDS

  • Act like winners. Professional competitors do not shout or stand up at awards. Applaud equally for everyone.
  • If you do not win an award, try not to act shocked, angry or show disappointment.

TOURNAMENT FEES

  • We pay for you to enter a tournament. It costs around $7 for each entry. We also pay for judges at each tournament. That cost is $10 per person per event. If you sign up to compete at a meet and then back out at the last minute or decide not to show up, you must pay the entry fee and the judging fee.
  • Each tournament will have a concession stand. Make sure you bring money to buy food or bring food from home. I will try to provide snacks for each meet if possible.

ATTIRE AT TOURNAMENTS

  • You will need to dress professionally for competition. This means a dress or suit for the ladies, and a suit or dress pants, shirt, and tie for the men.
  • If you break into a final round and will be receiving an award, you must remain dressed up for the awards. You should look professional at all times.
  • If you do not break into finals you may change out of your dress clothes into appropriate casual attire.
  • You may NOT change before finals are posted. Even if you feel like you didn’t make to finals, you never know what those judges will do!
  • We will order team t-shirts chosen by the varsity team. We would prefer it if you would wear your LNE team shirts when you change.
  • If you are on free/reduced lunch, there is a fund available to use for tournament attire. Please talk to one of the coaches about this.

THE LNE TOURNAMENT

  • Our tournament this year is on January 29, 2011. There is a lot that needs to be done and you will be expected to help out.
  • The week of the tournament you will need to help get everything organized. We all need to be here to work on Friday, January 28 after school. There will be many last minute things that will have to be put together. We may be working late, so be prepared.
  • The day of the meet, we will all need to be at Northeast bright and early. There will be a lot to do. All day you will be running errands for the people in the tab room, stuffing ballots into envelopes, and doing whatever is asked of you. Be prepared for a long and busy day.

Leadership

  • There will be two senior, varsity members chosen by the coaches to serve as captains of the team. Each captain will have a designated number of team members to look after.
  • The captains will be in charge of mentoring novice members, calling their designated teammates, designing the team shirt and planning the end of the year celebration.

District Speech

  • District competition will be held March 12th.
  • Only two competitors are allowed to go to districts in each event (
  • In the event that more than two people have competed in a given event, district competitors will be chosen by the coaches based on number of tournaments attended and success at those tournaments.

State Speech

  • The state competition is held at the University of Nebraska-Kearney on Thursday, March 24th.
  • Only those who qualify for state will be allowed to go with the team.
  • This is an overnight trip since the tournament begins early in the morning. Accommodations will be paid out of the speech budget. Students are expected to pay for their food.

NATIONAL FORENSIC LEAGUE

  • Membership in NFL provides many opportunities: sound training in speech, recognition of forensic achievement, membership that is recognized by colleges and universities, and the right to wear the NFL insignia.
  • You become a NFL member when you receive 25 NFL points.
  • You receive NFL points according to rank received in each round.

LETTERING REQUIREMENTS

  • You must have 150 points to letter.

Gain Points / Lose Points
Compete in a regular meet / + 20 / Not show up for practice / -5
Compete at the district meet / + 30 / Back out of a regular meet / -10
Compete at the state meet / +50 / Back out of the district meet / -20
Help with the LNE meet / +20

I have read and understand the Northeast High School Forensics Handbook 2010-2011.

______

(Parent Signature)

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(Student Signature)

Contact Information:

Home Phone Number______

Parent Cell Number______

Student Cell Number______

Email address______

Please return this page to Mrs. Wardyn by September 29, 2010.