This weekend is our National Qualifier. It will be held at Dowling Catholic (at least we are not traveling in this cold weather). For those of you who are new and will be participating in the Nat Qual for the first time:
1). No Tournament has more "pressure."
2). There are some strict rules to be followed:
--No sharing of cases or information with anyone outside of your team and coaches
--No nonsence of any type. Do your thing and head back to the cafeteria to be with your team.
--Keep interaction with other teams to a minimum. Their coaches want them focused.
--Never enter the tab room.
--Support your team mates. We could all be badly disappointed when this is over. Some of
your team mates are facing their last qualifier. If they don't survive, its a difficult ending
to their dream of being at the NFL National Tournament.
--Learn from this opportunity. Go to out rounds when you are eliminated. Come back
on Saturday to watch and learn if you went out on Friday.
--There are always unfair and unpopular decisions. Nat Quals doesn't always produce
our district's best. In fact, many times, it doesn't. Anyone can beat anyone when the
system is a two down event.
--Two "downs" and you're gone is different than anyother tournament. In speech, a down
is a bottom half of the prelim pool. If there are six, three are up and three are down.
If there are five two are up and three are downed.
--Instead of posting rounds--after round two in all events, there will be posted a down list.
If your code # appears, you are done.
--In debate as the end approaches, teams are divided into two pools--those undefeated and
those with a loss. Those with a loss will be run against each other. Undefeateds will be
run against each other.
Rarely do freshmen and sophomores get through the system--it happens but not with much frequency. Mostly seniors go.
If you are first alternate, there is a chance you will be added to the district team but the odds of it happening aren't great.
Remember this: Lots and lots of great speakers and debaters never made it to the National
Tournament. I know the feeling well from my days.
Coach Harry
