NFA sponsors a national championship tournament for both individual event speaking and Lincoln-Douglas debate. The tournament normally covers 4-5 days, and championships are awarded in nine individual events and Lincoln-Douglas debate. Team awards are given in several divisions, based on the entry size of each school. Normally, between 90-125 colleges and universities attend the national tournament.
Update for 2009 Nationals - Curt Gilstrap has set up a Twitter feed.
The 2009 experimental event will be Editorial Impromptu.
November 3, 2009 (from Larry Schnoor)
As the President of NFA, it gives me great pleasure to announce that the 2009 National Forensic Association's National Individual Events Tournament will be held in Springfield, Missouri and hosted by Drury University and Missouri State University. Dr. Curt Gilstrap will be our host, along with the Communication Department at Drury University and Dr. Kelly McNeilis and the Communication Department at Missouri State University. Missouri State University will be the site of the tournament from Thursday thru Sunday, and on Monday, the events will be moved to the Drury University Campus. The dates of the tournament are April 16 - 20, 2009.
The following hotels will serve as the official Tournament Hotels:
University Plaza Hotel & Convention Center
333 John Q Hammons Parkway
417-864-7333
Rates: $96 plus tax. Suites $20 more.
Leigh Anne Garren - 417-522-1118
This hotel has ties both to Missouri State University and Drury University. It is halfway between both.
Comfort Inn
2815 N. Glenstone Ave, Springfield
417-869-8246
Rates: $86
Additional Information about 2009 Nationals:
- 2009 Invite (PDF; same as February 1 newsletter)
- 2009 Entry Form
Links of interest:
- Past NFA Nationals champions and elimination round participants - our goal has been to try to complete the historical archives. If you have any information about past national tournaments that we haven't posted, please contact the webmaster.
- NFA Nationals Hosting Requirements - for schools that would like to host the national tournament.
- Your Average IE Nationals - an article written by Dr. Christina Reynolds for the 1990 history, and still gives the background of how the tournament is scheduled.
- Tournament results reporting form (Excel version) - a form to use to submit qualifying results to the tournament director.
- Qualification procedures -- March 21 is the last qualifying date for the 2009 nationals.