Invitation Letter

May 21 , 2009

Dear Debate Coach:

We are pleased to invite you to the 2009 Capitol Debate Fall Classic Debate Tournament. Our nonprofit, Capitol Debate, is committed to growing debate locally, regionally and nationally. This tournament was created as a way to create national debate opportunities right here in the Mid-Atlantic Region. Our goal in starting this tournament is to draw competition from many states and creating a vibrant debate tournament right outside the nation’s capitol each fall.

Last year we attracted outstanding competition from 3 states and this year we are expecting many more states! We have submitted for a final round bid with the Tournament of Champions.

We will offer Varsity competition in Policy Debate, Lincoln Douglas Debate, and Public Forum debate. There will be 6 preliminary debates and then the requisite amount of elimination debates based on the number of teams entered.

Capitol Debate is partnering with the Howard County Public School System in bringing this tournament to you. Centennial High School in Ellicott City, Maryland will play host to our Third annual Capitol Debate tournament. The Capitol Debate Tournament will rotate to different schools in Howard County every year.

We look forward to seeing you in the fall! If you have any questions, please feel free to call me at 443 538 4992.

All the necessary logistical information follows,

EVENTS

Policy Debate: We will offer 6 rounds of preliminary competition in VARSITY policy debate with the requisite number of elimination rounds based on entry level. We will be debating the 2009-10 NFL Topic:

The United States federal government should substantially increase social services for persons living in poverty in the United States.

We will follow standard NFL speech times (8-3-5) with 8 minutes preparation time.

Schools may enter as many 2 person teams as space allows. If we run into space issues, we will contact schools about limiting the number of entries per school.

Lincoln Douglas Debate: We will offer 6 rounds of preliminary competition in VARSITY Lincoln Douglas Debate with the requisite number of elimination rounds based on entry level.

Lincoln Douglas Debates will be flighted.

We will be debating the September and October Lincoln Douglas Debate Topic

Speech Times will follow standard NFL speech times for Lincoln Douglas Debate.

Schools may enter as many Lincoln Douglas Debaters as space allows. If we run into space issues, we will contact schools about limiting the number of entries per school.

PUBLIC FORUM DEBATE: We will offer 6 rounds of preliminary competition in VARSITY Public Forum 2 Person Debate with the requisite number of elimination rounds based on entry level. Public Forum debates will be flighted.

We will be debating the October Public Forum topic announced by the NFL on September 1. Times will be the standard NFL times for Public Forum. Teams may enter as many 2 person teams as space allows. If we reach our limit, we will contact schools about limiting their entries.

JUDGING

School must provide judging sufficient to cover their entries;

Policy Debate: One qualified judge per every 2 Policy Debate Teams.
Lincoln Douglas Debate: One qualified judge per every 3 LD entries (no partial covarge)
Public Forum: One qualified judge per every 3 two person public forum teams (no partial coverage)

A limited number of judges will be available for hire at $200 per hired judge. We must be notified by October 15, 2009 in order to reserve a judge.

For policy debate, it is imperative that you enter qualified judges who have judged debate in the past as this is varsity competition and we are building this as a TOC qualified tournament.

All judges must be available to judge through at least the first elimination round or 1 round past when their team is eliminated, whichever is later. Please have judges available for both days.

FEES

Policy Debate: $60 per team
LD Debater: $30 per entry
Public Forum: $60 per team

Checks should be made payable to Capitol Debate and be paid at registration. If your school district is slow in processing payments, please submit early as all entries must be paid at registration so if school check is not available we will accept cash or personal checks.

Entries are due no later than Friday October 23rd.

ANY DROPS MADE AFTER TUESDAY, 5 P.M. OCTOBER 27th WILL BE ASSESSED A NON-NEGOTIABLE NUISANCE FEE OF 50 PERCENT OF FEE. CHANGES MADE AT REGISTRATION WILL ALSO BE ASSESSED A NONNEGOTIABLE 50 PERCENT FEE. IF YOU HAVE CHANGES, CALL ME AT 443 538 4992 BEFORE THE DAY OF THE TOURNAMENT.

TOURNAMENT HOTEL

The official tournament hotel is Tentatively the Hilton Columbia

5485 Twin Knolls Road
Columbia, MD 21045
Telephone (410) 997-1060 * Facsimile (410) 964-3338

This is the information from last year which we will update after negotiating rates for 2009. **** We have negotiated a good rate for our area (remember we are located right in the middle of DC and Baltimore so we have city rates) of $94. This rate will be in effect until September 6th. After that date, the rate will be $99. The block closes on September 25, 2009. After that date, the rate will go up and rooms are not guaranteed. There are numerous conventions in the area that weekend.

To reserve your room, call (410) 997-1060 and say you are with the “Capitol Debate Tournament at Long Reach High School ”. If you have any problems, please ask for Director of Sales. If they are telling you that the rooms are sold out, please contact me at bratt@capitol-debate.com immediately.
The URL for the hotel is

http://www1.hilton.com/en_US/hi/hotel/BWICHHF-Hilton-Columbia-Maryland/index.do

The hotel is only several miles away from the school and it is a full service hotel. I highly recommend that you consider staying in the tournament hotel.

Less expensive options are about 10 to 15 miles out with about a 30 minute drive in the morning. I did not reserve rooms at these hotels but the present going rates are listed. Remember, these hotels are much further and just not as nice!

Comfort Inn – Fort Meade - (410) 880-3133 - $79 to $89
Red Roof Inn – Columbia - (410) 796-0380 - $79 to $89
Econo Lodge – Elkridge - (410) 796-1020 - $74 to $79

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Friday, October 30, 2009

8:30 to 10:00 – Early Registration – Hilton Columbia Tournament Hotel

Saturday, October 31, 2009

7:15 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. – Registration – Centennial High School
9 a.m. – Round 1
11:00 a.m. – Round 2
1:00 p.m. – Lunch (lunch provided for coaches/judges and on sale for students in cafeteria – please do not leave building as this is a short lunch break).
2:00 p.m. – Round 3
4:30 p.m. – Round 4
7:00 pm. Round 5

Sunday, November 1, 2009

7:30 a.m. - Pairing Released
8 a.m. Round 6
10:30 a.m. Announcements of Elimination Rounds and Awards
11 a.m. – Elimination Rounds begin

DIRECTIONS TO CENTENNIAL HS

The school is located at 4200 Centennial Lane, Ellicott City, MD 21042
.