National Circuit Program

The CDL’s National Circuit Program helps the the top debaters in the city to compete against the best suburban, regional, and national circuit programs in the country. The most advanced and ambitious CDL students develop their talent and debating skills against the very best high school debaters in the nation, at tournaments beyond the standard schedule.

The performance of CDL teams at these highly competitive tournaments, which feature debate teams from some of the most prestigious public and private schools from across the country, has been extraordinary. Students from the CDL have won the National Forensic League Nationals and been invited to participate in the highly selective Harvard University Round Robin and have won elimination rounds at some of the largest and most competitive debate tournaments in the country.

While the CDC continues to seek funding support for these trips, the CDC will assist with the following for the 2011-2012 school year:

  • Providing tournament dates and links to further info on National Circuit tournaments – assisting with communication with tournament officials where necessary
  • Assistance with judge preference sheets – schools are responsible for entering these on time themselves, but David Song will offer advice and assist with these if provided enough lead time and sent early enough
  • Negotiating reduced entry fees for regional/Midwestern tournaments, where possible – negotiated discounts will be posted on this page of the CDL programming site
  • Recommendations on tournament travel and logistics

NC Program Updates

2011-2012 In-State National Circuit Tournament Dates

  • March 3rd: Illini District National Forensic League Nationals District Qualifier, Downers Grove South High School – registration open on Joy of Tournaments, forms available, must register on Joy of Tournaments by 4 pm, Tuesday, 2/28
  • March 9th – 10th: ICTA JV/Novice States, Dundee-Crown High School (1st/2nd year debaters only)
    • Entry fee: $25/team and $60 required annual membership dues if school’s coach hasn’t already paid ICTA member dues this school year – checks paid to ICTA (Illinois Communication and Theatre Association)
    • Preliminary entry numbers deadline: 2/17
    • Final names and numbers due 3/1, no refund on entry fees after this date
    • Final entry must be set by 3/8, any drops after this date are charged $50 per team dropped
    • 1 judge required per Novice team – must be at least a third-year high school debater
    • 1 adult judge (out of high school) required for every 2 JV teams
    • No hired judges are available through tournament
    • Novices are debaters in their first year of competition; JV are debaters in their second year of competition
  • March 15th – 17th: IHSA Varsity States, Illinois Wesleyan Univ., Bloomington (Limit 4 teams/school)
    • Schools should enter intent to compete on IHSA website by 11/1; entries must be submitted there online by 2/29
    • You can obtain your school’s Spring Activities login from your administration or Athletic Director, it’s the same username/password used to login for all IHSA sports and events
    • Maximum of 4 Varsity teams per school
    • $50 entry fee per team – checks payable to “Illinois Wesleyan University”
    • Late entry fee of $100 for teams registering online after 2/29
    • Entry fees frozen after 2/29 plus late withdrawal penalty of $125
    • 1 adult judge (at least a sophomore in college or 2 years from graduation from high school) required per team
    • No hired judges are available through tournament
    • Book hotel EARLY – every year, Bloomington/Normal hosts IHSA sports finals that same weekend and it gets very crowded

    Past tournaments:

    • September 23rd – 25th (Late elims on 25th): Niles West (Varsity only) [entry deadline 9/16]
    • October 22nd – 24th (Late elims on 24th, registration in evening 10/21): New Trier (Varsity only – 4 teams maximum per school) [entry and hired judge deadline 10/12]
    • November 19th – 21st (Elims on 21st, registration in evening 11/18): Glenbrooks – Glenview/Northbrook
      • Schools should register early since divisions fill well before deadline, especially Varsity
      • Maximum teams per school: 3 Varsity team, 2 JV/2nd-year, 1 Novice/1st-year
      • Entry is only confirmed off of waitlist when entry fee check is received
      • Each school must have their own check for payment (schools cannot combine fees for payment) and must submit only one check for the total amount of payment
      • Drop penalty deadline after which no refunds: 10/31
      • Entry name change penalty deadline: 11/11
      • No hired judges are available through tournament
      • 1 judge required for each division entered – all Varsity judges must upload judge philosophies by 11/11 in order to submit a strike sheet
    • February 24th – 26th (Late elims on 26th): Homewood-Flossmoor (registration deadline and fees frozen 2/17; must request hired judges by 2/10)
    2011-2012 Out-of-State National Circuit Tournament Dates

    Past tournaments:

    • Sept. 24th – 26th (Late elims on 26th): West Des Moines Valley, IA (Varsity only) [entry deadline 9/8 or when full, drop deadline without fees is 9/15, tournament hotel block closes 9/16]
    • Oct. 28th – 30th (Late elims on 30th): Iowa Caucus, Cedar Rapids [4 teams per school, additional teams added to waitlist, no drops without owing fees as of 10/21, tournament hotel block closes 10/14]
    • Nov. 4th – 6th (Elims on 6th): University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
      • Book hotel EARLY as they’ll be gone soon! Ask for UM Debate block:
        • Hampton Inn Ann Arbor South: (734) 665-5000, ext: 118
        • Sheraton Ann Arbor: (734) 929-3408
      • Entry deadline: 10/10
      • Entry and judging fees due: 10/10
      • No refunds for dropped teams after 10/10
      • Schools must provide names/e-mails of all those needing Internet wifi access at touranment by 10/28
    • Dec. 9th – 11th (Late elims on 11th): Dowling Catholic, West Des Moines, IA (entry fees non-refundable after 12/2)
    • Dec. 16th – 18th (Late elims on 18th): The Blake School, Minneapolis, MN (Varsity only, entries due and fees non-refundable 12/5) [book hotel EARLY]
    • Jan. 7th – 8th (Registration on Friday night 1/6): Montgomery Bell Academy, Nashville, TN (Only 1 Varsity team allowed per school; entry fees non-refundable after 11/18; hotel block closes 12/15)
    • Jan. 27th – 29th (Elims on 29th) : Emory University, Atlanta, GA (Only 1-2 Varsity teams accepted, by application; entry application must be received by 12/5 – notified of acceptance by 12/9; entry fees non-refundable after 1/20)
    • Feb. 18th – 20th (Elims on 20th): Harvard University, Cambridge, MA (Varsity + 2nd-year only) [registration opens 12/1, book hotel EARLY]
    • Feb. 18th – 20th (Elims on 20th): University of California, Berkeley (Varsity + 2nd-year only, $25 late entry fee after 1/10, $50 after 2/1; must register by 2/7, entry fees non-refundable after 1/10] [book hotel EARLY]

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