National Tournament Updates
Our annual high school National Tournament will be held June 12-17 in Louisville, Kentucky. Read on for new details about qualification and events as well as plans for the middle school tournament. Details are tentative and subject to change. More information will be available in early 2022.
New Qualifying Opportunity » We are thrilled to announce that we will host a free, last-chance National Tournament qualifying opportunity in the spring as part of our Springboard Series. Top-placing entries in each main event will qualify to compete in that event at the 2022 National Tournament. There are no entry fees to attend. Participating schools must have attended their district tournament to be permitted to enter students in the last-chance qualifier. Participating students must be districts-eligible and must not have qualified in any event at their district tournament. More details will be announced by December.
Middle School Location Change » Given uncertainty about travel safety for middle school-aged competitors, the 2022 Middle School National Tournament will be held fully online as a one-year pilot. To ensure we maintain the level of rigor and prestige NSDA members are accustomed to, we will offer live debate and live speech, as well as asynchronous speech events. The tournament will take place the week prior to the High School National Tournament to allow equal consideration and attention. Elimination rounds will be held, and the best of the best will be named middle school national champions.
Supplemental Qualifiers Continue » The 2021 policy that each school can enter up to two non-qualifying students who competed at the district tournament into supplemental events at the National Tournament will be continued in 2022. Additionally, some supplemental events will be offered as fully online, asynchronous opportunities to create opportunities for non-qualifying students who do not travel to Louisville, Kentucky. Additional supplemental events will be offered in-person for any non-qualifier or qualifier who travels to the 2022 National Tournament site.
Pilot Events Continue » Original Spoken Word Poetry, presented by The Delores Taylor Arthur School for Young Men, and the Pro Con Challenge will again be piloted as supplemental events at the high school 2022 National Tournament and as main events at the 2022 Middle School National Tournament.
