League Tournaments
The SOCES Speech and Debate Team is part of the Tri-County Forensic League (TCFL). The TCFL is made up of the high schools in our area. League Tournaments of different categories are held approximately every two weeks starting in October. Congress tournaments are typically first, followed by Debate, and then finally Individual Events.
Please be at each tournament by 8:30 am and bring money for concessions that will be sold between rounds. The team dues that you pay at the beginning of the year cover these local tournaments, as well as State Qualifiers and and CHSSA State Championships. This is explained in more detail below.
Invitationals
Invitationals are tournaments held at universities or high schools that the SOCES Speech and Debate Team is invited to compete at. For these tournaments each competitor pays their own entry fees. If the location of an invitational is far, then we will be getting a hotel. Each year the SOCES Speech and Debate Team competes at either the Berkeley or Stanford invitational. Competitors who have done well in their events are invited to attend. Other invitationals include CSU Fullerton Invitational, La Costa Canyon Invitational,Schurr Invitational, and CSU Long Beach Invitational.
CHSSA State Tournament
The state tournament is a prestigious three-day tournament held annually. To be eligible to compete at a state-qualifier, you must have competed in at least one open-level league tournament that competition season. The number of allotted spots varies from year to year. State qualifiers for Debate, Congress, and Individual Events are held at the end of February into early March. This year, the State Tournament will be held in Riverside, California. If you are lucky enough to attend, you will have received a plaque denoting your excellence in the qualifying event, as well as a certificate in a welcoming program at State Championships.
NSDA National Tournament
Nationals is a prestigious tournament held in a different state each year. The best of the best compete to see who is the best in the nation. To determine who will be competing at the national tournament, each state is divided into several districts. Those districts hold a National Qualifier Tournament to determine who will be representing them at the National Tournament. SOCES is part of the West Los Angeles District. Please note that the National Events are Dramatic Interpretation, Humorous Interpretation, Original Oratory, Extemporaneous Speaking, Duo Interpretation, Lincoln Douglas Debate, Public Forum Debate, Policy Debate, and Congress.
