Welcome to Speech and Debate 2023 - 2024
New Coaches
“Where do I start?”
You’re in luck! There is a New Speech Coach Manual and an entire webpage designed just for you, including training videos!
“How do I locate tournaments my students can attend?”
Three main sources of information can be found on these webpages:
- UIL Invitational Meets - https://www.uiltexas.org/academics/invitational-meets
- SpeechWire - https://www.speechwire.com
- Tabroom – UIL Circuit https://www.tabroom.com/index/index.mhtml
Although two are tournament management sites used by all states, you will find a UIL circuit listed on their page. Note that several tournaments early in the season are “teaching tournaments”, sometimes referred to as “angel tournaments”, providing a perfect way to ease you and your novice students into competition with confidence.
All Speech & Debate Coaches
Here’s your “Year-At-A-Glance” calendar.
Submit your registration form no matter which speaking events you coach in order to receive announcements, deadline reminders, tournament info throughout the season. You must submit this form each school year.
Congress
- First official UIL event of the season
- Fall/Winter event: Region – November 1-15; State – January 10-11
https://www.uiltexas.org/files/academics/speech/Congress_Important_Dates_2023_24.pdf
- Access the Congress webpage for contest rules, important dates, region meet information, forms, and handbook
https://www.uiltexas.org/speech/congress
- Deadline approaching! File an Intent to Participate form by September 10
- Deadline approaching! Submit legislation authored by your school to your Region Clerk by September 10 (not required in order to participate but an opportunity)
- Who is my Region Clerk?
https://www.uiltexas.org/files/academics/speech/Congress_Region_Clerks_2023-2024.pdf
Extensive resources can be found on the Congress webpage and in the Congressional handbook.
Lincoln Douglas Debate
The fall topic has been released and can be located on the Debate webpage at:
https://www.uiltexas.org/speech/debate
- This topic will be used at UIL tournaments September – December
- Student Activity Conferences will feature a demonstration LD debate. If you coached a debater that placed at State or was successful at Region last season who would be willing to provide a demo at one of our 4 sites, contact me via email promptly.
- UIL Debate webpage is the information hub for the LD Debate contest.https://www.uiltexas.org/speech/debate
CROSS EXAMINATION DEBATE
CX Debate competition is held January – March.
- District window extends from January 2 – February 10. Attend your district planning meeting to help select the date, site, location, contest director, judging pool
- State championship meets are scheduled for March 11 -12 (1/2/3A) and March 15 -16 (4/5/6A) on the campus of The University of Texas in Austin.
- Communicate the dates for State to your parents well in advance to avoid vacation plans being made that conflict with the meet.
- Schools are strongly advised to make hotel reservations now while better rates and rooms are still available. Cancel promptly if you don't advance.
- Thorough affirmative and negative analysis of this year’s policy debate topic will be provided by Dr. Rich Edwards, Baylor University UIL debate consultant at the Student Activity Conferences. SACS will also feature a demonstration debate. If you coached a team that placed at State last season and who would be willing to provide a demo at one of our 4 sites, contact me promptly.jriggins@uiltexas.org
- UIL Debate webpage is the information hub for the CX Debate contest.
PROSE AND POETRY
- Prose and Poetry require students to prepare two performances, one from each category.
- New categories for the 2023-24 season have been announced.
https://www.uiltexas.org/speech/oral-interp
- A Performance Hour is scheduled for each of the 4 Student Activity Conferences this fall. If you had a state medalist last year and your student is interested in performing at one of the sites, contact me promptly. jriggins@uiltexas.org
- The newly-revised contest handbook includes links to UIL YouTube videos over coaching and providing insight into how to submit documentation properly.
https://www.uiltexas.org/speech/oral-interp/uil-prose-and-poetry-handbook
(23-24 version coming soon!)
- Access the Oral Interpretation webpage for documentation rulings, copyright information, judge training materials. This is also where district, region and state official documentation forms will be posted.
INFORMATIVE & PERSUASIVE EXTEMPORANEOUS SPEAKING
Topics for your in-school practice rounds are provided each month. Watch for the first set to be posted in September.
- Locate these on the Extemporaneous Speaking webpage.
https://www.uiltexas.org/speech/extemp
- Attend a UIL Student Activities Conference this fall to see state finalists provide live demonstration speeches.
https://www.uiltexas.org/academics/student-activity-conferences
If you coached an extemp speaker at State who wishes to present an Informative or Persuasive demonstration speech at one of these sites, contact me promptly. jriggins@uiltexas.org
- For a great teaching resource to present to your students, access the Extemp Analysis videos presented by a former UIL State Champion and NSDA National Champion speaker. https://www.uiltexas.org/speech/extemp