Coach,

As we reach the middle of March, more and more of your districts have completed your district tournament series. Congratulations! A member of our team will be reaching out to the chair at the conclusion of your series with instructions to open Nationals registration for the schools in your district. For those of you with more district competition ahead of you, please email or call if you need our support.

Call for 2026 Nationals Extemp Questions

Students, coaches, alumni, and Extemp enthusiasts are invited to submit questions for consideration at the 2026 National Tournament! Community contributions help ensure a relevant and engaging set of questions for the competition.

Interested in getting more involved? You can also volunteer for the Extemp question editing team. Editors must be NSDA alumni, coaches, or adult community members and cannot have students competing in both International Extemp (IX) and United States Extemp (USX) at Nationals. Simply indicate your interest on the Topic Submission Form.

Thank you for helping make this year’s tournament a success!

Reminder: Use Those Prepaid Memberships!

As we prepare to transition to a flat fee membership model for next school year, please remember: the last day to use any prepaid memberships for 2025-2026 will be Tuesday, March 31, 2026. In early April, any existing prepaid memberships will be converted to account credits for future application to membership expenses or National Tournament entry fees. At the same time, we plan to enable the purchase of $349 flat-rate prepaid school memberships for next school year for programs that have room in their existing budgets. Thank you for your patience and support as we transition our systems to accommodate the new membership model!

Know a Great Mentor in Your District?

As we prepare to launch our Coach Mentorship Program Pilot in August, we’re building a mentor pool of 85 to 100 experienced coaches who are thoughtful leaders and passionate about supporting others. If someone comes to mind, we’d love to invite them! Please share their name and email with Amber at amber.gracia@speechanddebate.org or pass along the mentor interest form link directly. Thank you for helping us strengthen support for coaches across our community.

Miss Listen and Lead #4?

No problem! You can watch the recorded session here and pick up ideas for celebrating the growth of your team and coaches in your area. You’ll also learn strategies to help foster community and grow your district.

Prepare to Vote for the Competition and Rules Leadership Committee (CRLC)

Elections for the Competition and Rules Leadership Committee, which serves as a standing committee impacting decisions related to NSDA competitions and rules, will be held April 1-22, 2026. Thank you to the individuals who have expressed an interest in serving! If your district is in one of the following regions, visit the election website to read up on your slate of candidates. One advisor per active NSDA school in these regions will be eligible to vote. Results will be announced April 30, 2026.

• Texas Region (all TX)

• Southeast Region (FL, GA, KY, NC, SC, VA)

• Mountain/Southwest Region (AZ, CO, HI, NM, NV, UT)

• Southern Midwest Region (AL, AR, LA, MO, MS, OK, TN)

You’re Invited! Join us for the District Leader Luncheon on Sunday, June 14

Registration day at the National Tournament is an exciting day, often full of travel and visiting with old and new friends. We would like to invite you to also plan to attend the District Leader Luncheon on Sunday, June 14 at 12:30 p.m. ET in the Capital Ballroom at the Richmond Marriott in Downtown Richmond (by the convention center that will hold other Sunday events). The luncheon is a great opportunity to connect with other regional leaders, thank current leaders for their service, and celebrate those districts and leaders who have enjoyed exceptional years. In order to best accommodate food needs, we ask that you please RSVP by May 20. 

Meet the Team: Megan West, Campaign Director

Please introduce yourself.

Hello! While I have only officially been with the NSDA since August of 2025, I feel like the NSDA is in my DNA. I am a proud alum, former coach, District Committee member/chair (Go Manateem!), and Nationals host. Perhaps my proudest role is that I am now a speech and debate mom, as my 5- and 8-year old are lucky enough to compete for their elementary school. Other things I love include my husband (a former debater), our German Shepherd Rey (thinks she's a debater), great coffee, great television, and great conversations.

What does being the Campaign Director include?

My role as the Campaign Director is primarily to rally alumni and other speech and debate fans to support our Strategic Plan. We have a a bold goal of doubling the number of students who have access to speech and debate over the next five years. I collaborate with all sorts of awesome people to launch email campaigns and host in-person and virtual events to raise funds that support our mission.

What are you excited about during your first year on staff?

I am really excited about our new 101 Campaign that we just launched on National Speech and Debate Education Day. We have some cool hats and an even cooler purpose: to jumpstart the next 100 years of speech and debate! I am also looking forward to "hosting" Nationals again. The work we do here is so much bigger than Nationals, but there is definitely something magical about seeing so many dreams come true.

Spotlight: Visit Our Trophy Shop!

As district leaders, you set the standard for excellence in speech and debate. Because we understand the structure, traditions, and expectations that define district tournaments and championships, our Trophy Shop creates high-end, fully customizable awards designed specifically for your events—complete with event-accurate engraving and premium finishes worthy of the honor. We're here to make recognition seamless, consistent, and worthy of the achievements your students, coaches, and programs represent.

🏆 Visit our Trophy Shop to learn more »

Questions? We're here to help! Email info@speechanddebate.org or call (920) 748-6206.