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{{Short description|U.S. speech and debate league}}
{{Short description|U.S. speech and debate league}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{More citations needed|date=August 2007}}
{{More citations needed|date=August 2007}}
{{COI|date=June 2024}}
{{notability|date=June 2024}}
}}
{{Infobox organization
{{Infobox organization
| name = NCFCA Christian Speech & Debate League
| name = NCFCA Christian Speech & Debate League
| image = NCFCA Logo Original Color.jpg
| image = NCFCA Logo Original Color.jpg
| caption = Logo of the NCFCA
| caption = Logo
| membership =
| membership =
| general =
| general =
| headquarters = [[Mountlake Terrace, Washington]], United States <ref>[http://www.ncfca.org/ContactUs] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120414224042/http://www.ncfca.org/ContactUs |date=April 14, 2012 }}</ref>
| headquarters = [[Mountlake Terrace, Washington]], United States<ref>[http://www.ncfca.org/ContactUs] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120414224042/http://www.ncfca.org/ContactUs |date=April 14, 2012 }}</ref>
| formation = 1995<ref>{{cite web|url=http://debate.uvm.edu/debateblog/doctortuna/Blog/Entries/2007/6/12_NCFCA_NATIONALS_GIVES_HOMESCHOOL_DEBATERS_A_STAGE.html |title=Global Debate Blog |website=Debate.uvm.edu |date=2007-06-12 |accessdate=2016-01-17}}</ref>
| formation = 1995<ref>{{cite web|url=http://debate.uvm.edu/debateblog/doctortuna/Blog/Entries/2007/6/12_NCFCA_NATIONALS_GIVES_HOMESCHOOL_DEBATERS_A_STAGE.html |title=Global Debate Blog |website=Debate.uvm.edu |date=2007-06-12 |access-date=2016-01-17}}</ref>
| website = {{URL|https://ncfca.org}}
| website = {{URL|https://ncfca.org}}
}}
}}


The '''Christian Speech & Debate League''' also known as the '''National Christian Forensics and Communications Association''' is a [[Individual events|speech]] and [[debate]] league for Christian students in the United States. The NCFCA was established in 2001 after outgrowing its parent organization, the [[Home School Legal Defense Association]] (HSLDA), which had been running the league since it was originally established in 1995. NCFCA is now organized under its own board of directors with regional and state leadership coordinating various tournaments throughout the season.
The '''Christian Speech & Debate League''', also known as the '''National Christian Forensics and Communications Association''', is a [[Individual events|speech]] and [[debate]] league for Christian students in the United States. The NCFCA was established in 2001 after outgrowing its parent organization, the [[Home School Legal Defense Association]] (HSLDA), which had been running the league since it was originally established in 1995. NCFCA is now organized under its own board of directors with regional and state leadership coordinating various tournaments throughout the season.

Since 2001, the NCFCA seeks to provide students with the opportunity to apply and communicate their worldview with skill and clarity through competitive debate. NCFCA claims that "...their training and competition will provide a supportive opportunity for them to apply a biblical worldview to real-life issues."<ref>{{Cite web|last=Rosa|first=Natalia|date=2020-09-09|title=NCFCA Christian Speech & Debate League|url=https://ncfca.org/|access-date=2021-07-26|website=ncfca.org|language=en-US}}</ref>

⚫
== Structure of the organization ==
⚫
The NCFCA is a volunteer-run, non-profit organization. Tournaments are run by volunteers, who are usually parents, club directors, and league officials in the area. The judging pool includes parents of competitors, NCFCA alumni, and members of the community. Coaches also serve as judges on a volunteer basis. The NCFCA is governed by a board and divided into eleven regions. Each region has a regional coordinator and each state has a representative.

=== National Opens ===
Additionally, a certain number of national invitational slots are awarded each year at competitions known as National Opens. Currently, each national open awards two nationals slots for every individual speech event and debate event and four slots for moot court. These are large tournaments held mostly at colleges or large convention centers and are open to the entire nation.<ref>{{cite news|title=Rhetoric team to participate in Texas National Open Tournament|newspaper=Huntsville Item|date=2 March 2008|url=http://itemonline.com/local/x212543609/Rhetoric-team-to-participate-in-Texas-National-Open-Tournament?keyword=topstory}}</ref> Qualifying at a National Open tends to be more difficult than a regional qualifying tournament because of their increased size.


⚫
==Structure of the organization==
National opens since 2005:
⚫
The NCFCA is a volunteer-run, non-profit organization. Tournaments are run by volunteers, who are usually parents, club directors, and league officials in the area. The judging pool includes parents of competitors, NCFCA alumni, and members of the community. For moot court, the judging pool includes parents of competitors and members of the community with experience in law (e.g. attorneys, judges). Coaches also serve as judges on a volunteer basis. The NCFCA is governed by a board and divided into fourteen regions. Each region has a regional coordinator and each state has a representative.
* '''2005:''' California National Open (San Diego, CA); Colorado National Open (Colorado Springs, CO)<ref name="ncfca1">[http://www.ncfca.org/NationalOpenResults] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131116215931/http://www.ncfca.org/NationalOpenResults |date=November 16, 2013 }}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.ncfca.org/competition-results/past-seasons-results/|title=Past Seasons’ Results|website=NCFCA|language=en-US|access-date=2016-05-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160608001818/http://www.ncfca.org/competition-results/past-seasons-results/|archive-date=2016-06-08|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* '''2006:''' California National Open (San Diego, CA); Tennessee National Open (Jefferson City, TN); Colorado National Open (Colorado Springs, CO)<ref name="ncfca1" /><ref name=":0" />
* '''2007:''' Washington National Open (Seattle, WA); Ohio National Open (Cedarville, OH); Texas National Open (Houston, TX)<ref name="ncfca1" /><ref name=":0" />
* '''2008:''' Virginia National Open (Virginia Beach, VA); Colorado National Open (Colorado Springs, CO); Texas National Open (Houston, TX)<ref name="ncfca1" /><ref name=":0" />
* '''2009:''' Texas National Open (Houston, TX); Alabama National Open (Trussville, AL)<ref name="ncfca1" /><ref name=":0" />
* '''2010:''' Texas National Open (Houston, TX); Massachusetts National Open (Wenham, MA); Colorado National Open (Denver, CO)<ref name="ncfca1" />
* '''2011:''' Texas National Open (Houston, TX); Georgia National Open (Lookout Mountain, GA)<ref name="ncfca1" /><ref name=":0" />
* '''2012:''' Texas National Open (Houston, TX); Illinois Open (Joliet, IL); Washington Open (Spokane, WA)<ref name="ncfca1" /><ref name=":0" />
* '''2013:''' Alabama National Open (Montgomery, AL); Massachusetts National Open (Wenham, MA)<ref name="ncfca1" /><ref name=":0" />
* '''2014:''' Idaho National Open (Nampa, ID); Minnesota National Open (St. Paul, MN); North Carolina National Open (Black Mountain, NC)<ref name="ncfca1" /><ref name=":0" />
* '''2015:''' North Carolina National Open (Black Mountain, NC); Massachusetts National Open (Wenham, MA); Idaho National Open (Nampa, ID)<ref>{{Cite web|date=2014-08-19|title=National Christian Forensics and Communications Association - NCFCA N…|url=http://archive.today/Ag48S|access-date=2021-05-25|website=archive.ph}} </ref><ref name=":0" />
* '''2016:''' California National Open (San Diego, CA); North Carolina National Open (Black Mountain, NC); Oklahoma National Open (Shawnee, OK); Wisconsin National Open (Oshkosh, WI)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ncfca.org/competition-results/current-seasons-results/|title=Current Season's Results|website=NCFCA|language=en-US|access-date=2016-05-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160427133250/http://www.ncfca.org/competition-results/current-seasons-results/|archive-date=2016-04-27|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* '''2017:''' Washington National Open (Spokane, WA); Massachusetts National Open (Wenham, MA); and North Carolina National Open (Black Mountain, NC).
* '''2018:''' Wisconsin National Open (Oshkosh, WI) and North Carolina National Open (Black Mountain, NC).
*'''2019:''' North Carolina National Open (Black Mountain, NC).
*'''2020:''' North Carolina National Open (Black Mountain, NC) and Kentucky National Open (Louisville, KY).
*'''2022:''' North Carolina National Open (Black Mountain, NC).


=== Regional Qualifiers and Regional Championship ===
=== National Mixers ===
Each region hosts three "regional qualifiers," open to all competitors competing in Lincoln-Douglas, Team Policy, and speeches, between January and April. Competitors who advance from preliminary rounds to elimination rounds at any regional qualifier earn a slot at the regional championship, usually between April and May. Each region is allocated a certain number of national slots for a debate or speech event, according to the number of competitors nationally and regionally in a given event. As of the 2023 - 2024 season, there were 800 slots given out nationally for speech, and 120 slots for debate.
National Mixers debuted in the 2017–2018 season. They were officially known as March Mixer, because they only occurred in the month of March. As national level tournaments, they host moot court, but they only give out one national championship slot in each individual event and debate event and two slots in moot court. In the first year, there were eight March Mixers, all occurring in the first two weeks of March. There was a mixer in a city inside every region except 1 and 3 (which are much smaller than the other eight regions). Because of the large number of mixers and their close proximity in time, most competitors went to only the mixer closest to their home in the first year even though they could technically attend any mixer in the country.


=== Competition ===
===Size===
During the 2005–2006 season, there were roughly 5,000 competitors, making the NCFCA the third largest national high school speech and debate league after the [[National Speech and Debate Association]] and the [[National Catholic Forensic League]].{{Citation needed|date=August 2007}}
During the 2022–2023 season, there were roughly 3,000 students participating, making the NCFCA the third largest national high school speech and debate league after the [[National Speech and Debate Association]] and the [[National Catholic Forensic League]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=NCFCA {{!}} Christian Speech & Debate League |url=https://ncfca.org/ |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=ncfca.org |language=en-US}}</ref>


==Speech==
== Individual events ==
The NCFCA offers ten [[individual events]] from three categories: Platform, Interpretation, and Limited Preparation.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ncfca.org/?i=12690&mid=1000&id=311927 |title=Competition Results |website=Ncfca.org |accessdate=2016-01-17}}</ref>
The NCFCA offers ten [[individual events]] for speech from three categories: Platform (memorized, 10-minute speeches), Interpretation (short interpretations of written works), and Limited Preparation (impromptu or limited preparation speeches).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ncfca.org/?i=12690&mid=1000&id=311927 |title=Competition Results |website=Ncfca.org |access-date=2016-01-17}}</ref> The rules for each of these events are published in the Speech Guide each season.


⚫
==Debate and Moot Court==
From 2002 to 2007 and 2013–2014, the NCFCA also provided a different '''Wildcard event''' each season:
⚫
The NCFCA offers two types of debate: [[policy debate|Team Policy Debate]], [[Lincoln-Douglas debate format|Lincoln-Douglas Value Debate]], as well as [[Moot court|Moot Court]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Home schoolers from four states to debate at local church|author=Ida Brown|url=http://meridianstar.com/local/x681098537/Home-schoolers-from-four-states-to-debate-at-local-church|newspaper=Meridian Star|date=9 January 2008}}</ref> The NCFCA discourages the use of overly complicated theory and extremely fast talking (also known as "[[Spreading (debate)|spreading]]"), instead encouraging effective communication of complex topics to lay judges.<ref>[http://www.ncfca.org/files/NCFCA/Mission%20and%20Philosophy/NCFCA%20Philosophy%20of%20Judging%20rev%208-11.pdf] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120414224121/http://www.ncfca.org/files/NCFCA/Mission%20and%20Philosophy/NCFCA%20Philosophy%20of%20Judging%20rev%208-11.pdf|date=April 14, 2012}}</ref>
* The 2002–2003 Wildcard was Duo Impromptu. Two competitors would randomly draw three pieces of paper with the words for a person, place, and thing. Then they would have four minutes to prepare a five-minute skit incorporating all three nouns.
* The 2003–2004 Wildcard was Impromptu Apologetics. It was later renamed Apologetics and has become a standard NCFCA event.
* The 2004–2005 Wildcard was Oratorical Interpretation. The competitor would interpret a famous and/or historical speech.
* The 2006–2007 Wildcard was Thematic Interpretation. Competitors select several pieces of literature and weave them around a common theme. Thematic interpretation became a standard event for the 2009–2010 and 2010–2011 seasons but was retired in July 2011, and became a standard event again for the 2013–2014 season.
* From 2007 to 2012, there were no new Wildcard events.
* The 2013–2014 Wildcard was [[After-dinner speaker|After-Dinner Speaking]], a sort of humorous, persuasive or informative speech.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ncfca.org/IEEventDescriptions |title=Speech and Debate Competition |website=Ncfca.org |date= |accessdate=2016-01-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140729180945/http://www.ncfca.org/IEEventDescriptions |archive-date=2014-07-29 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* The 2018-2019 wildcard event was Biblical Thematic. Competitors select several pieces of literature, including one biblical selection exceeding 300 words, and weave them around a common theme. Biblical interpretation became a standard event for the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 season.
* The 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 wildcard event was Humorous Interpretation. Similar to Open Interpretation in both speech structure in execution, Humorous Interp. requires competitors to interpret a published literary selection with elements of humor, and allows for a self-authored introduction or conclusion.
'''


At tournaments, competitors speak in six rounds and are judged by one judge in preliminary rounds. In elimination rounds, competitors are judged by three judges and are judged by five judges in the qualifier tournament final.
⚫
== Debate ==
⚫
The NCFCA offers two types of debate — [[policy debate|Team Policy Debate]] and [[Lincoln-Douglas debate|Lincoln-Douglas Value Debate]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Home schoolers from four states to debate at local church|author=Ida Brown|url=http://meridianstar.com/local/x681098537/Home-schoolers-from-four-states-to-debate-at-local-church|newspaper=Meridian Star|date=9 January 2008}}</ref> The NCFCA discourages the use of overly complicated theory and extremely fast talking (also known as "[[Spreading (debate)|spreading]]").<ref>[http://www.ncfca.org/files/NCFCA/Mission%20and%20Philosophy/NCFCA%20Philosophy%20of%20Judging%20rev%208-11.pdf] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120414224121/http://www.ncfca.org/files/NCFCA/Mission%20and%20Philosophy/NCFCA%20Philosophy%20of%20Judging%20rev%208-11.pdf |date=April 14, 2012 }}</ref>


* ''Team Policy (TP):'' A policy-centered debate, with rounds typically lasting 90 minutes. Two teams of two competitors form the 'Affirmative' and 'Negative' sides to the debate, with the Affirmative arguing for a reform to the system and the Negative arguing against it. The debate is set by a resolution that is published before a season starts. The resolution for the 2024–25 season centers around reforming U.S. foreign policy towards Central America.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Office |date=2022-05-10 |title=2022-2023 Debate Resolutions Announced {{!}} NCFCA |url=https://ncfca.org/resources/2022-2023-debate-resolutions-announced/ |access-date=2023-03-18 |website=ncfca.org |language=en-US}}</ref> The resolution includes input from competitors and typically alternates between domestic and international policy.
== National Championship locations ==
* ''Lincoln-Douglas (LD):'' A value-centered debate, with rounds lasting around 45 minutes. Two competitors form the 'Affirmative' and 'Negative' sides to the debate, with the Affirmative affirming the validity of the resolution and the Negative negating it. As in Team Policy, the debate is governed by a resolution affirming one value above another. The resolution for the 2024 - 2025 is "in combat, the use of automation ought to be valued above the use of military personnel."<ref name=":1" />
* '''1998''': [[Home School Legal Defense Association]] – Purcellville, Virginia
* '''1999''': [[Home School Legal Defense Association]] – Purcellville, Virginia
* '''2000''': [[Point Loma Nazarene University]] – San Diego, California
* '''2001''': [[Santa Clara University]] – Santa Clara, California
* '''2002''': [[Blackman High School]] – Murfreesboro, Tennessee
* '''2003''': [[Cedarville University]] – Cedarville, Ohio
* '''2004''': [[Liberty University]] – Lynchburg, Virginia
* '''2005''': [[Point Loma Nazarene University]] – San Diego, California
* '''2006''': [[Patrick Henry College]] – Purcellville, Virginia
* '''2007''': [[University of Mary Hardin-Baylor]] – Belton, Texas
* '''2008''': Berry Middle School – Birmingham, Alabama
* '''2009''': [[Bob Jones University]] – Greenville, South Carolina
* '''2010''': [[Regent University]] – Virginia Beach, Virginia
* '''2011''': [[Gordon College (Massachusetts)|Gordon College]] – Wenham, Massachusetts
* '''2012''': [[Northwestern College (Minnesota)|Northwestern College]] – St. Paul, Minnesota
* '''2013''': [[Oral Roberts University]] – Tulsa, Oklahoma
* '''2014''': [[Patrick Henry College]] – Purcellville, Virginia
* '''2015''': [[Northwestern College (Minnesota)|Northwestern College]] – St. Paul, Minnesota
* '''2016''': [[Oklahoma Baptist University]] – Shawnee, OK
* '''2017''': [[Northwestern College (Minnesota)|Northwestern College]] – St. Paul, Minnesota
* '''2018''': [[Northwestern College (Minnesota)|Northwestern College]] – St. Paul, Minnesota
* '''2019''': [[Anderson University (South Carolina)|Anderson University]] - Anderson, South Carolina
* '''2020''': [[Northwestern College (Minnesota)|Northwestern College]] – St. Paul, Minnesota (the 2020 national championship was canceled due to [[COVID-19 pandemic|COVID-19]] concerns)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ncfca.org/ncfca-season-cancellation-notice/ |title=NCFCA Season Cancellation Notice|date=March 21, 2020|website=National Catholic Forensic League|access-date=October 11, 2020}}</ref>
* '''2021''': [https://ncfca.org/nationals Online] (the 2021 national championship was held virtually due to Covid-19 concerns)
* '''2022''': [[Northwestern College (Minnesota)|Northwestern College]] – St. Paul, Minnesota


== See also ==
==See also==
*[[Competitive debate in the United States]]
⚫
* [[National Forensic League]]
* [[National Catholic Forensic League]]
*[[National Forensic League]]
⚫
*[[National Catholic Forensic League]]
* [[Stoa USA]]
*[[Stoa USA]]


== References ==
==References==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}
http://iew.com/
http://iew.com/


== External links ==
==External links==
* [https://ncfca.org/ Official NCFCA website]
*[https://ncfca.org/ Official NCFCA website]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110927075927/http://www.ncfca.org/NCFCAHallofFame Official NCFCA Hall of Fame]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110927075927/http://www.ncfca.org/NCFCAHallofFame Official NCFCA Hall of Fame]


[[Category:Student debating societies]]
[[Category:Student debating societies]]

Latest revision as of 01:44, 27 November 2024

NCFCA Christian Speech & Debate League
Formation1995[1]
HeadquartersMountlake Terrace, Washington, United States[2]
Websitencfca.org

The Christian Speech & Debate League, also known as the National Christian Forensics and Communications Association, is a speech and debate league for Christian students in the United States. The NCFCA was established in 2001 after outgrowing its parent organization, the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA), which had been running the league since it was originally established in 1995. NCFCA is now organized under its own board of directors with regional and state leadership coordinating various tournaments throughout the season.

Structure of the organization

[edit]

The NCFCA is a volunteer-run, non-profit organization. Tournaments are run by volunteers, who are usually parents, club directors, and league officials in the area. The judging pool includes parents of competitors, NCFCA alumni, and members of the community. For moot court, the judging pool includes parents of competitors and members of the community with experience in law (e.g. attorneys, judges). Coaches also serve as judges on a volunteer basis. The NCFCA is governed by a board and divided into fourteen regions. Each region has a regional coordinator and each state has a representative.

Regional Qualifiers and Regional Championship

[edit]

Each region hosts three "regional qualifiers," open to all competitors competing in Lincoln-Douglas, Team Policy, and speeches, between January and April. Competitors who advance from preliminary rounds to elimination rounds at any regional qualifier earn a slot at the regional championship, usually between April and May. Each region is allocated a certain number of national slots for a debate or speech event, according to the number of competitors nationally and regionally in a given event. As of the 2023 - 2024 season, there were 800 slots given out nationally for speech, and 120 slots for debate.

Size

[edit]

During the 2022–2023 season, there were roughly 3,000 students participating, making the NCFCA the third largest national high school speech and debate league after the National Speech and Debate Association and the National Catholic Forensic League.[3]

Speech

[edit]

The NCFCA offers ten individual events for speech from three categories: Platform (memorized, 10-minute speeches), Interpretation (short interpretations of written works), and Limited Preparation (impromptu or limited preparation speeches).[4] The rules for each of these events are published in the Speech Guide each season.

Debate and Moot Court

[edit]

The NCFCA offers two types of debate: Team Policy Debate, Lincoln-Douglas Value Debate, as well as Moot Court.[5] The NCFCA discourages the use of overly complicated theory and extremely fast talking (also known as "spreading"), instead encouraging effective communication of complex topics to lay judges.[6]

At tournaments, competitors speak in six rounds and are judged by one judge in preliminary rounds. In elimination rounds, competitors are judged by three judges and are judged by five judges in the qualifier tournament final.

  • Team Policy (TP): A policy-centered debate, with rounds typically lasting 90 minutes. Two teams of two competitors form the 'Affirmative' and 'Negative' sides to the debate, with the Affirmative arguing for a reform to the system and the Negative arguing against it. The debate is set by a resolution that is published before a season starts. The resolution for the 2024–25 season centers around reforming U.S. foreign policy towards Central America.[7] The resolution includes input from competitors and typically alternates between domestic and international policy.
  • Lincoln-Douglas (LD): A value-centered debate, with rounds lasting around 45 minutes. Two competitors form the 'Affirmative' and 'Negative' sides to the debate, with the Affirmative affirming the validity of the resolution and the Negative negating it. As in Team Policy, the debate is governed by a resolution affirming one value above another. The resolution for the 2024 - 2025 is "in combat, the use of automation ought to be valued above the use of military personnel."[7]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Global Debate Blog". Debate.uvm.edu. 2007-06-12. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
  2. ^ [1] Archived April 14, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ "NCFCA | Christian Speech & Debate League". ncfca.org. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
  4. ^ "Competition Results". Ncfca.org. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
  5. ^ Ida Brown (9 January 2008). "Home schoolers from four states to debate at local church". Meridian Star.
  6. ^ [2] Archived April 14, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ a b Office (2022-05-10). "2022-2023 Debate Resolutions Announced | NCFCA". ncfca.org. Retrieved 2023-03-18.

http://iew.com/

[edit]
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