Join Us
The NCFL is dedicated to providing quality speech and debate competitions at the national level in a wide variety of events. The NCFL Grand National Tournament takes place over Memorial Day weekend each year at venues across the country.
BENEFITS FOR STUDENTS
Competing with students from all over the country exposes participants to a wide variety of styles and materials. The three judges in each of the four (speech/interp) or five (debate) rounds on Saturday will each provide written critiques of every performance, guaranteeing twelve or fifteen ballots from a diverse pool of judges. Students participating in the Grand National Tournament not only have the chance to see the best, they have the chance to be the best... in the nation!
BENEFITS FOR COACHES
Attending the Grand National Tournament gives coaches a chance to see and learn from the best, as well as allowing their students to reach their fullest potential. The NCFL is an all-volunteer organization, run for coaches, by coaches. We offer a low-cost alternative to larger organizations that have paid staff and offices. We can also provide you with coach mentors because we are committed to the continued growth of forensics.
Competing with students from all over the country exposes participants to a wide variety of styles and materials. The three judges in each of the four (speech/interp) or five (debate) rounds on Saturday will each provide written critiques of every performance, guaranteeing twelve or fifteen ballots from a diverse pool of judges. Students participating in the Grand National Tournament not only have the chance to see the best, they have the chance to be the best... in the nation!
BENEFITS FOR COACHES
Attending the Grand National Tournament gives coaches a chance to see and learn from the best, as well as allowing their students to reach their fullest potential. The NCFL is an all-volunteer organization, run for coaches, by coaches. We offer a low-cost alternative to larger organizations that have paid staff and offices. We can also provide you with coach mentors because we are committed to the continued growth of forensics.

BENEFITS FOR SCHOOLS
The many trophies awarded to schools and leagues demonstrate our commitment to recognizing excellence. Beyond the hardware, a school participating in the NCFL will be a member of a prestigious national organization. Participation in a national competition and positive press releases are valuable in garnering community support for your school.
WHO CAN JOIN?
Any Catholic, public, or private high school located within the geographical boundaries of the United States of America and Canada is eligible for membership in the NCFL (with some exceptions detailed in the Constitution, Article III). Students who enter the Grand National Tournament as contestants must be current high school undergraduate students who have not attended a secondary school during more than 9 semesters. Graduate students are permitted to enter only in the academic year of graduation. All 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th year secondary school students may be members. Ninth and 10th graders in junior high schools may participate either with their local high school or as members of the junior high school. Home Schools are welcome to join the local leagues, and the NCFL, and compete, but only one per local league will count towards the league's membership quota.
COSTS TO PARTICIPATE
The cost to join the NCFL is currently $60 per school. Local Leagues may levy additional fees or costs as they see fit in addition to the NCFL fees. The cost to enter a student at the Grand National Tournament is $75 per student. These costs do not include travel costs, late fees, penalties, or fines, or other fees or surcharges that may be imposed by a local league.
HOW DOES A SCHOOL JOIN?
To join the NCFL, a school must be a member of a Local League. To find the league nearest you, check the Local League page. If there is no league in your region, you can start one.
STARTING A NEW LEAGUE
To start a new league, confirm there is not an existing league representing the local geographic diocese. While a school may choose to join a league outside of its diocese if no local diocesan league exists, two leagues may not exist within the same geographic diocese. Please contact a member of the NCFL Executive Council for assistance. We welcome new members and are happy to assist you!
A Local League Director is the primary league contact to the NCFL, and all materials will be passed to our member schools through our local Directors. Local leagues are free to structure their league in a way that will best benefit their members. The NCFL Executive Council and Local League Directors only determine rules and guidelines for the NCFL Grand National Tournament. It is the League Director's responsibility to communicate with the members regarding the rules for the NCFL Grand National Tournament.
Once you have determined that a new league is possible the following must be done:
The many trophies awarded to schools and leagues demonstrate our commitment to recognizing excellence. Beyond the hardware, a school participating in the NCFL will be a member of a prestigious national organization. Participation in a national competition and positive press releases are valuable in garnering community support for your school.
WHO CAN JOIN?
Any Catholic, public, or private high school located within the geographical boundaries of the United States of America and Canada is eligible for membership in the NCFL (with some exceptions detailed in the Constitution, Article III). Students who enter the Grand National Tournament as contestants must be current high school undergraduate students who have not attended a secondary school during more than 9 semesters. Graduate students are permitted to enter only in the academic year of graduation. All 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th year secondary school students may be members. Ninth and 10th graders in junior high schools may participate either with their local high school or as members of the junior high school. Home Schools are welcome to join the local leagues, and the NCFL, and compete, but only one per local league will count towards the league's membership quota.
COSTS TO PARTICIPATE
The cost to join the NCFL is currently $60 per school. Local Leagues may levy additional fees or costs as they see fit in addition to the NCFL fees. The cost to enter a student at the Grand National Tournament is $75 per student. These costs do not include travel costs, late fees, penalties, or fines, or other fees or surcharges that may be imposed by a local league.
HOW DOES A SCHOOL JOIN?
To join the NCFL, a school must be a member of a Local League. To find the league nearest you, check the Local League page. If there is no league in your region, you can start one.
STARTING A NEW LEAGUE
To start a new league, confirm there is not an existing league representing the local geographic diocese. While a school may choose to join a league outside of its diocese if no local diocesan league exists, two leagues may not exist within the same geographic diocese. Please contact a member of the NCFL Executive Council for assistance. We welcome new members and are happy to assist you!
A Local League Director is the primary league contact to the NCFL, and all materials will be passed to our member schools through our local Directors. Local leagues are free to structure their league in a way that will best benefit their members. The NCFL Executive Council and Local League Directors only determine rules and guidelines for the NCFL Grand National Tournament. It is the League Director's responsibility to communicate with the members regarding the rules for the NCFL Grand National Tournament.
Once you have determined that a new league is possible the following must be done:
- Send out communications to potential members, including school forms.
- Ensure school forms are returned fully completed, including the signature of the headmaster/ principal.
- Send the school forms with the current NCFL dues to the Executive Secretary before December 1st. One check for the league is preferred.
- Maintain a database of your school forms for local use.
- Meet with your new league members to determine your league’s rules and local dues.
- Create a constitution and by laws for your league. Included in your constitution and by laws should be items such as: membership, local dues, rules and structure for your local qualifier, local officers and their term of office. Feel free to contact other leagues or the NCFL Executive Council for best practices.
- If possible, have your Director attend the fall meeting, which is held the last weekend in September. Once a league is formed, the league should send a representative to this meeting in order to have the league’s students attend the national tournament. Obvious attendance exceptions would be made for leagues which formed after the fall meeting. However it is required, and helpful to have the new League Director contact a member of the NCFL Executive Council and receive a briefing on the business of the fall meeting if attendance is not possible. Contacting a member of the NCFL Executive Council, preferably the President, would supply information invaluable to a new moderator running a league and attending nationals for the first time.
- Hold your League’s qualifier as determined by your league. You will receive instructions about registering your students for the National Tournament in mid–March. Registration is done online and is due by April 15th. There are separate registration fees for the National Tournament. The league moderator is the only one who registers the league’s students for nationals.
- Visit our National Tournament website (ncflnationals.org) for the location and details concerning this annual event.
- It is helpful to find a veteran League Director who can serve as a mentor to a new League Director. However, if that is not possible, do not be afraid to contact an NCFL Executive Council member with any questions.