Check out what's new, Coach!
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Kick Off March Madness with an Impact Calculus Tournament
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While NCAA basketball teams gear up to compete in their tournament, your NSDA students can, too! Use this lesson from Start Here: Teaching Policy Debate to hold an Impact Calculus Tournament for your debaters. On day one, students learn about comparing impacts and formulate their arguments. On day two, the tournament begins! Students deliver short (30-second to one-minute) speeches on their advantages or disadvantages, comparing their impact to their opponents’ impact. Students should address magnitude, probability, and timeframe. Impact turns are fair game! Either have the team vote on a winner or make a decision on your own.
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Middle School Registration » Middle School National Tournament registration opens March 15! Learn more and register on Tabroom.com by May 15.
High School Registration » High school tournament registration begins March 15 but opens once a district's full district tournament series has concluded and the chair has confirmed the results. Coaches will receive an email when registration is open for their school. Learn more about Nationals »
NEW Judge Accreditation » Judge Accreditation level 3 is here and required for judges attending the National Tournament.
Last-Chance Qualifier » The Last-Chance Qualifier, presented by The Julia Burke Foundation, will be held April 23-25. It's a free, online tournament for students who did not qualify through their district tournament to have a chance to attend the 2026 National Tournament. Learn more and register by April 17.
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Road to Nationals Fund Applications: Going to Nationals? Apply for a grant from the Road to Nationals Fund founded by the William Woods Tate, Jr., Memorial Fund. These grants support high school teams who need financial assistance and can be used for food, travel, and lodging expenses. Grants range from $100 to $1,000, with average grants of $500.
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How to Complete Nationals Registration in Tabroom.com: Is your school attending Nationals this summer? Join Tabroom.com super-users Martin Glendinning and Zachary Prax on March 23 at 7:00 p.m. CT as they take you through the steps of completing high school National Tournament registration on Tabroom.com. Register »
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Get Connected with the Coaches' Network
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Spring coaches' caucus and interest group meetings are almost here! Connect with fellow coaches, exchange ideas, and find support to grow your program. Explore group options and schedules »
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Submit Your Nominations for NSDA Awards!
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High School (District to National) » Each winner of the following district awards is automatically entered into the running for the national-level award when reported by your district chair. This is a special way to recognize excellence, offer a boost to new or rarely celebrated members, and uplift the members of your community who make speech and debate great.
District deadlines vary, so be sure to check with your local leadership when nominations are due. District chairs must report district winners to us by April 16 for national award consideration!
Middle School (National) » Recognize a coach who champions speech and debate! Nominations for the Middle School Coach of the Year Award are due May 1. These nominations are evaluated by the national office to choose the winner.
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Opportunities to Get Involved with Debate Topics
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Submit Topic Ideas: Are you interested in shaping the topics your students will debate next season? Coaches, alumni, and students are invited to submit topic ideas for Public Forum, Lincoln-Douglas, Big Questions, and World Schools for consideration by the wording committees by March 20!
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Policy Topic Fellowship: High school Policy Debate coaches interested in writing a topic paper and attending the annual topic meeting next summer should apply for the Policy Topic Fellowship! We have partnered with the NFHS to offer two Policy Debate topic fellowships with a goal of increased representation in the topic process. Learn more and apply by April 1.
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Reminder: Last Day to Use Prepaid Student Memberships Approaching
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As we prepare to transition to a flat fee membership model for next school year, please remember that the last day to use any prepaid memberships for 2025-2026 is 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 will enable the purchase of $349 flat-rate prepaid school memberships for next school year. Thank you for your patience and support as we transition our systems to accommodate the new membership model!
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Coming Soon: National Tournament Judge Grant Applications
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To strengthen our judge pool at the National Speech & Debate Tournament, we’re offering limited travel grants to experienced, independent judges. Applications open April 1. Funding may cover a portion of costs and can't be received in back-to-back years. Bring your perspective! More info »
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