Here are your Nationals updates for this week, Coach!

Food at Nationals

• Schools: We are excited to once again offer free lunch for anyone 18 and under at each school location. Adults over 18 can purchase meal tickets for $6 (card only) at the concession stand. Concessions are also available for purchase (card only) at each school. Check out the menus. 
• Convention Center: Lunch and concessions are available for purchase (card only) throughout the week at the GRCC Food Court on Level Two and/or at the Cyber Cafe located adjacent to the Exhibit Hall and self-service Business Center. Participants competing at the Richmond Marriott (connected to the GRCC via skybridge) also utilize the Convention Center for lunch. Schools will receive two $10 lunch vouchers per high school Congressional Debate competitor in their registration packets.
• Altria Theater: Concessions are available for purchase (card only) on Thursday, June 18 and Friday, June 19 at the Altria Theater outside the main entrance on Laurel Street and in the Grand Ballroom (basement level).
• Restaurants: Explore places to eat around the city! 

Meet the 2026 Student of the Year Finalists

Join us in congratulating our 2026 Student of the Year finalists! These five students won their district awards and then were selected as national finalists by a panel of coaches. They will interview with a panel on Sunday at Nationals, and the winner will be announced during the National Awards Assembly Friday night. 

Supplemental Reminders for Nationals

• Re-Registering: All students who intend to compete in supplementals must be re-registered to confirm their participation between 12:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 16, through Tabroom.com. Students who pre-registered but do not re-register will not be scheduled for competition. We do best to re-register students who are only here in supplemental events for you! Please double check to confirm they are re-registered in Tabroom. Prior to Tuesday, all supplemental event entries will show as dropped in your school’s registration. Once you complete re-registration, these entries will be re-added to the tournament. Check out the FAQ for more info! 
  
• Patterns and Flights: To enable double entry, each supplemental speech event is either Pattern A or Pattern B. This is why rounds are labeled as A or B on the schedule (e.g., Round 1A and Round 1B). Pattern B rounds cannot start until Pattern A rounds are complete. 
  
  • PATTERN A: Extemp Commentary, Original Spoken Word Poetry, Prose, and Expository.
  • PATTERN B: Impromptu, Poetry, and Storytelling.
  • Each prelim round is also split into two flights, or groups of competitors, with one flight of the event performing immediately after the other in the same room with the same judge. Flight 2 starts about 35 min after flight 1. This means that in round 1, four different sets of competitors will compete in the same room—Pattern A with flight 1 and 2 and Pattern B with flight 1 and 2. This can be confusing for students, so please help prep those entered in supplemental speech to expect patterns and flights! Check out this guide for more info.
  • The first four rounds of Extemp Debate rounds are quadruple flighted, meaning each room will host four sets of debates per round. There are no patterns, because students cannot double enter with Extemp Debate. 

• Poetry/Prose Rules: Performances must be from a manuscript (which may be in a folder). Students must have the full text of their manuscript in the binder or folder.

• Storytelling Rules: If a chair is used in Storytelling, students may choose the original position of the chair. Use of the chair is not considered a prop as long as: 1) Once the performance begins, all legs of the chair remain stationary on the ground and do not move from their original position, and 2) Competitors do not kneel or stand on the chair.
• Extemp Debate Locations: On the General tab of your school's registration in Tabroom.com, coaches can now review whether their pre-registered Extemp Debate students have been assigned to the Dogwood Group or Cardinal Group. Re-registered students in the Dogwood Group will compete at Hermitage HS on Wednesday and Thursday. Re-registered students in the Cardinal Group will compete at JR Tucker HS on Wednesday and Hermitage HS on Thursday. The groups will have separate competition on Wednesday, but they will combine into one group on Thursday. If your school has judges assigned to Extemp Debate, they will be assigned to the group your students are in. All schools within an NSDA district are assigned to the same group. 
  
• Supplemental Speech Locations: Supplemental speech events will all be held at Manchester HS. Some supplemental speech competition rooms will also be found at Bailey Bridge MS; these schools are on one campus separated by a parking lot, and competitors and judges may need to walk between the two locations. If a supplemental speech participant from your school has limited mobility, please complete the ADA accommodations request form.
  

Join us for Morning Warm-Ups

Start the competition off with movement, energy, and community at our first-ever Large Group Warm-Up from the NSDA Wellness Committee. Join Coach Reggie Chapman for a free 25-minute warm-up session outside between Manchester High School and Bailey Bridge Middle School on Monday at 8:00 a.m. and Tuesday at 7:30 a.m. The sessions are open to all students!

Accommodation Requests

We are committed to providing reasonable ADA accommodations to ensure full access and participation for all individuals at the National Tournament.

We encourage coaches and judges to submit requests early, including requests for wristband exemptions, to ensure timely support.

Things to Do in Richmond 

Student Party: Don't miss the NSDA Student Party at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday! The event will feature a DJ, dancing, food trucks, activities, opportunities to shop the NSDA Store, and access to the museum! Plus, High School Supplemental Only Registration, Middle School Registration, and the Middle School Expo will run from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. 

Activities: Attendees can enjoy free admission to Colonial Williamsburg and The Valentine Museum during the week! Learn more by visiting their tables at the National Tournament Expo on Sunday. Explore this list for even more things to do!

Reminder: Required Identification Information Due By June 1 

As stated in the security measures, every individual attending the tournament is required to have a wristband and a ribbon or badge indicating that they are associated with the event for entry. Schools are responsible for ensuring that all individuals attending in association with their school are informed of and understand that, throughout the tournament, all participants are expected to follow the NSDA Code of Honor, applicable school district policies, and all relevant state and federal laws. If someone is picking up registration materials on your behalf in person, they must be listed on your school's registration and assume responsibility for distributing them to the correct individuals. Please check that everyone attending with your school (including siblings, parents, etc.) is listed in Tabroom.com. Summary: 

• Competitors entered in Tabroom  —  No additional action needed to secure a badge.
• Judges entered in Tabroom  —  No additional action needed to secure a badge.
• Coaches who are not judging  —  Additional action needed. Coaches must be entered in the General tab and toggled to On Site to secure a badge.
• All other individuals  —  Additional action needed. Attendees must be entered in the Attendees section of the Judging & Attendees tab in Tabroom to secure a ribbon. 

Make sure you have entered everyone attending Nationals with your school by June 1 on your Tabroom.com registration to avoid issues on site!

Safety and Security Reminders

Your safety and well-being are our highest priorities. Over the past year, we’ve carefully reviewed and strengthened our safety protocols to ensure every participant feels secure and supported throughout the competition.

• *NEW* Controlled Entry Points: Access to venues will be limited to designated entrances with security checkpoints for safety and monitoring. Details on entry point locations will be shared prior to the event.

• *NEW* Entry Inspection at All Venues: All attendees will be required to enter through OPENGATE weapons detection system at all tournament venues and may be subject to search. Items like laptops, glasses cases, and binders must be removed from bags and handed to security before walking through the OPENGATE system.

• *NEW* Wristbands Required for Entry: All participants must wear a wristband for entry into tournament venues. Wristbands are non-transferrable and cannot be removed for the duration of the tournament. They will be distributed at registration to individuals listed with your team in Tabroom. If a replacement wristband is required, the participant must present valid identification before being permitted entry into a tournament venue. 

• Identification Badges/Ribbons: Within tournament venues, attendees must wear identifying ribbons at all times. This includes approved observers like parents and chaperones. Ribbons are distributed during registration to individuals listed with your team in Tabroom.

• Prohibited Items: No weapons, illegal substances, or alcohol are permitted onsite.

• Clear Bag Policy: A clear bag policy will be in effect for the Altria Theater in accordance with venue security protocols. Personal belongings must be placed in clear bags 12x12x6 or smaller. 

Middle School Coach of the Year

We're proud to announce Heather Huffman from The Village Middle School in Texas on being named the Middle School Coach of the Year!

Administrator of the Year

Congratulations to Dustin Combs,
Director of Federal Programs for the Knott County Board of Education in Kentucky on being named the Administrator of the Year!

Help us Recognize our Military Coaches!

Join us on Sunday, June 14 in Room B12 of the Greater Richmond Convention Center at 2:00 p.m. The reception will include light refreshments, brief remarks from NSDA Board Member Josh Swartsel and Executive Director J. Scott Wunn, and casual recognition of coaches from military schools, coaches with students in military families, and coaches who are active or retired military. We hope you’ll be able to attend.

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

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