NCFL Grand National Tournament
The NCFL sponsors the annual Grand National Tournament on Memorial Day weekend, offering six speech events and four debate events. The National Association of Secondary School Principals has placed this program on the NASSP National Advisory List of Student Contests and Activities.
Where is the grand national tournament?
The 2024 Grand National Tournament is in Chicago, IL. Please see www.ncflnationals.org for details.
The Grand National Tournament is held at a different site each year. NCFL Grand Nationals has been held in Omaha, Louisville, Chicago, Milwaukee, Boston, Arlington, Pittsburgh, New York City, and other cities around the United States. The competitions have been held in colleges, universities, high schools, government buildings, and hotels.
The Grand National Tournament is held at a different site each year. NCFL Grand Nationals has been held in Omaha, Louisville, Chicago, Milwaukee, Boston, Arlington, Pittsburgh, New York City, and other cities around the United States. The competitions have been held in colleges, universities, high schools, government buildings, and hotels.
What are the deadlines?
Schools joining through a Local Diocesan League, must submit their Membership Forms and Dues to their Local League according to their Local Diocesan League deadlines.
- December 10 - New and Existing Local Diocesan Leagues must submit all membership forms and dues ($60 per school).
- January 10 - New and Existing Local Diocesan Leagues may submit late membership forms and dues.
- January 10 - New Leagues must submit membership information.
- January 10 - Schools requesting Individual Membership.
- Mid-March - Tournament Registration materials will be sent to all enrolled Leagues and Individual Schools.
- April 15 - Tournament Registration must be completed, and fees paid.
How much does it cost?
The fee to participate in the Grand National Tournament is currently $75 per student (thus a Duo Interpretation entry, Policy Debate team, or Public Forum team is $150). Registration fees are doubled for entries staying outside the NCFL Tournament hotel block. This does not include local and national membership fees (per school). 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.
Also, each league must provide judges (coaches or other qualified people) to the tournament to cover their entries, which are currently:
Also, each league must provide judges (coaches or other qualified people) to the tournament to cover their entries, which are currently:
- 1 judge per 2 interpretation/speech entries
- 3 judges per 2 policy debate teams (or 2 judges for 1 team)
- 1 judge per Lincoln-Douglas debater
- 1 judge per public forum team
- 1 student congress judge for the entire local league if there are any student congress entries.
What is the tournament format?
Registration by league directors is on Friday afternoon. Directors arrange to distribute registration materials to coaches and judges from their local leagues on Friday night.
In interpretation and speech, each student competes in four preliminary rounds on Saturday. Each round, students will compete against 6 others in front of 3 judges. Judges will rank all entries in their section. The top 48 entries in each event advance to the octo-final rounds held on Sunday morning. Quarter-final and semi-final rounds continue throughout the midmorning and afternoon. Late Sunday afternoon, the top six entries in each category compete in the final round, judged by 5 judges. An awards ceremony is held Sunday evening for all events.
In Policy Debate, Public Forum Debate, and Lincoln-Douglas Debate, students compete in five preliminary rounds on Saturday. Each round will have 3 judges. In public forum and lincoln-douglas debate, all 4-1 teams will advance to a play-in round. After that the top 32 entries will advance to double octofinals. The top 32 entries in policy debate will advance to the double-octofinal round held on Sunday Morning. Elimination rounds continue until the final round on late Sunday afternoon. An awards ceremony is held Sunday evening for all events.
In Student Congress, 3 sessions are held on Saturday, with each session lasting about 3 hours. The top 6 students from each chamber (as selected by the students), for a total of 48 students, advance to the 3-hour semi-final session on Sunday morning. The top 24 semi-finalists advance to the final session on Sunday afternoon. An awards ceremony is held Sunday evening for all events.
In interpretation and speech, each student competes in four preliminary rounds on Saturday. Each round, students will compete against 6 others in front of 3 judges. Judges will rank all entries in their section. The top 48 entries in each event advance to the octo-final rounds held on Sunday morning. Quarter-final and semi-final rounds continue throughout the midmorning and afternoon. Late Sunday afternoon, the top six entries in each category compete in the final round, judged by 5 judges. An awards ceremony is held Sunday evening for all events.
In Policy Debate, Public Forum Debate, and Lincoln-Douglas Debate, students compete in five preliminary rounds on Saturday. Each round will have 3 judges. In public forum and lincoln-douglas debate, all 4-1 teams will advance to a play-in round. After that the top 32 entries will advance to double octofinals. The top 32 entries in policy debate will advance to the double-octofinal round held on Sunday Morning. Elimination rounds continue until the final round on late Sunday afternoon. An awards ceremony is held Sunday evening for all events.
In Student Congress, 3 sessions are held on Saturday, with each session lasting about 3 hours. The top 6 students from each chamber (as selected by the students), for a total of 48 students, advance to the 3-hour semi-final session on Sunday morning. The top 24 semi-finalists advance to the final session on Sunday afternoon. An awards ceremony is held Sunday evening for all events.
How can a student qualify to compete?
The student's school must be a member of an NCFL Local League. These leagues are geographically distributed across the United States. Each league develops its own qualification system for the national tournament. Some leagues use a point system while others hold a qualifying tournament. League quotas represent the maximum number of entries in each category that can advance to the Grand National Tournament from each local league.
View a list of NCFL Local Leagues and contact information.
View information about forming a new league.
NOTE: A school that is not a member of an NCFL league may enter as an independent school for one year only. As such, that school could send one entry to the Grand National Tournament. After that, the school would have to join an NCFL league in order to continue participating. Only schools that are not geographically near an existing local league can apply for individual membership. Application for this membership should be made to the President via email, not later than December 10 each year.
View a list of NCFL Local Leagues and contact information.
View information about forming a new league.
NOTE: A school that is not a member of an NCFL league may enter as an independent school for one year only. As such, that school could send one entry to the Grand National Tournament. After that, the school would have to join an NCFL league in order to continue participating. Only schools that are not geographically near an existing local league can apply for individual membership. Application for this membership should be made to the President via email, not later than December 10 each year.
What are a participating coach's responsibilities?
The coach must become familiar with all rules and procedures of the NCFL. Certain categories may be unique to the NCFL, or be slightly different from those of one's state or region. NCFL coaches must also arrange to pay all fees and provide all required judges. A significant fine will be assessed to any school who fails to provide a judge after registering for the tournament.
What awards are given?
In interpretation and speech events, the top 24 contestants or duo teams (quarter and semi-finalists) will receive trophies at the awards ceremony. The top six will be recognized individually. The next 24 (octo-finalists) will receive medals.
In debate events, trophies will be awarded to the top 4 teams in Team Debate and Public Forum Debate, to the top 4 Lincoln-Douglas Debaters, as well as to all octo-finalists and quarter-finalists in debate. Double octo-finalists in debate will receive medals. In Student Congress, trophies will be awarded to all finalists, and semi-finalists will receive medals. In addition to the individual awards, a variety of team and league sweepstakes awards are given.
In debate events, trophies will be awarded to the top 4 teams in Team Debate and Public Forum Debate, to the top 4 Lincoln-Douglas Debaters, as well as to all octo-finalists and quarter-finalists in debate. Double octo-finalists in debate will receive medals. In Student Congress, trophies will be awarded to all finalists, and semi-finalists will receive medals. In addition to the individual awards, a variety of team and league sweepstakes awards are given.
What is a typical tournament schedule like?
The exact schedule for the tournament varies slightly each year, depending on the facilities and the tournament locations.
How can a student or coach find out the results of the tournament?
All results are announced at the awards ceremony, held Sunday evening. After the ceremony, each diocese will receive one copy of the overall results, along with the copies of all contestants' individual critique sheets. The results from the tournament are also posted online. View past Grand National Tournament results here.