“The Sir”

2024 Online Edition of The BP Teaching Tournament

“Education before competition. Teaching before trophies”

Enter on forensicstournament.net

bnorthup@carroll.edu

(406) 459-2371 Brent cell

Why online? Because we want our friends from Vandy, Rutgers, Boca Raton, Chicago, USAFA, India and Mississippi to return! We love them!

A Virtual BP Teaching Tournament and Master Class

Friday night, Saturday and Sunday morning/afternoon

September 13, 14 & 15

Come to learn and to compete.

Or just to join in the Friday Zoom forum? Free to all.

Or just to join the Saturday Zoom workshops? Free to all.

Or just to watch rounds? (Modest Yaatly donation)

Friday night

A forum with Brent:

A conversation on international BP (calendar sharing; information; perhaps intl. guests)

A demonstration debate: Enjoyable topic, followed by a critique and discussion

Saturday morning: 

“Brent for Beginners”

&

Megan Towles, Carroll Alum, ASU doctoral student in communication.

Second advanced leader to be announced soon.

Saturday afternoon & Sunday morning

A four-round tournament with separate out-rounds in novice and open

Advanced workshops on Saturday morning. 

Brent for Beginners on Saturday morning.

Virtually yours, from the Carroll College Cloud

“The Sir” 

“Education before competition and teaching before trophies”

A Virtual BP Teaching Tournament and Master Class

Friday night, Saturday and Sunday morning

September 13, 14 & 15, 2024

Carroll College invites you to the 13th annual Montana BP Teaching Tournament. Nothing can top the first edition at Rocky in 2012 when Shelby Jo gave a stirring BP lecture and then raced to the hospital to give birth to Ava Joyce, now 12! That weekend ended with my debaters in the Billings maternity ward!

The emphasis is teaching, not competition – but we offer a low-key four-round tournament (breaking to two finals, Open and Novice). We offer a beginner’s workshop and an advanced workshop.

On Friday night, we will feature short showcase debate, preceded by a forum hosted by Brent.

The forum topic will be on international BP – calendars, opportunities, contacts – and I hope to have international guests, too – Ireland, Saskatchewan, Alberta. I’ll explain the Irish tour of America, that brings champion Irish debaters to American campuses in March.

Saturday morning. Two 75-minute workshops on advanced topics. Debaters can attend both.

Also on Saturday morning, Brent will offer “BP for beginners” designed to introduce students and coaches to BP debate, and to prepare students for the tournament which begins after lunch. A student who knew nothing about BP when the workshop starts will end the workshop brave enough to give BP a go after lunch. They will speak the language of BP – old matter, new matter, whipping - well enough to enjoy the four-round tournament without (much) embarrassment. Judges will be instructed to give constructive critiques during the tournament designed to lift all boats: advanced debaters get stronger, and novice debaters learn skills they can apply during the next rounds. Topics will be substantive, but also novice-friendly, to keep from discouraging beginners.

Brent will offer to keep in touch with novices afterwards as a resource and secret consultant. Once I teach you, I am yours forever. Unlimited Warranty! My cell phone number will be made available to all. No need to worry about time zones, I’ll answer 24/7. I love working with novices.We will have separate outrounds in open and in novice, although prelims will include all teams. Novice is defined as a debater in their first year of college BP debate. Break ties in favor of moving them to open. Hybrids welcome. A team with one partner missing (illness, etc.) for one round, can break. More than one, no break.

Fees will be a flat $20 school fee, plus $20 per debater, with a judge fee of $50 for each team uncovered by a judge. Each judge covers two teams. We will use Yaatly, the BP program.

We are also recruiting honored alum judges to provide stellar feedback. Stay tuned for updates.

Brent of Carroll College  bnorthup@carroll.edu   (406) 459-237

SCHEDULE, Montana Time,

Mountain Daylight Time

Friday, Sept. 13 (Montana time)

6:30 p.m. Forum on international BP debate, hosted by Brent Northup (non-entered debaters welcome)

7:30 p.m. Showcase debate

8:45 p.m. Critique and discussion

Saturday, Sept. 14     (non-entered debaters welcome for workshops)

“Brent for Beginners” Zero to Hero Workshop 9-10:30 a.m. & 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Advanced I: Master Class                      9-10:15 a.m.

Advanced II: Master Class                         10:30-Noon

Lunch                                                          Noon-1 p.m. Virtual feast!!!

Equity Briefing                                            1 p.m.

Topic Draw                                                 1:15 p.m.

Round 1:                                                      1:30 p.m. (5-minute speeches)

Round 2                                                       3:15 p.m. (5-minute speeches)

Round 3                                                       5 p.m. (7-minute speeches)

Sunday, Sept. 17

Round 4                                                       9:30 a.m. (7 minute speeches)

NOVICE & OPEN semi-finals                    Noon (finals asap; 7 minutes speeches)

Start the virtual drive home                            3 p.m. (7 minute speeches)

Entry Fee: $20 school fee. $20 per debater, plus $50 fee for each team not covered. One judge covers two teams. Observers may watch rounds, but Yaatly donation ($20?) welcome.

Platform: Yaatly (Tabbycat for tabbing)

Entry due date: Monday, by 6 p.m., September 9, 2024 on Forensics Tournament. (forensicstournament.net)

Novice: First year of college BP debate

Hybrid teams welcome.

Iron Teams: If we can’t find a partner for a solo debater, that one-person team may still be allowed to compete, but would not be eligible to break. If a partner misses one round, the team can break – but all breaking teams must have competed in three rounds with both partners present.