“The Sir”

2025 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 12, 13 & 14

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? Ask for a link.

Friday night

A demonstration debate, with educational critique

Enjoyable topic, followed by a critique and discussion

Saturday morning:

“Brent for Beginners”

&

Megan Towles of Arizona State, Carroll Alum ’13

Irish National Champions: Adrianne & Rob

Discuss Irish & European BP strategy

Saturday afternoon & Sunday morning

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

Virtually yours, from the Carroll College Cloud

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Carroll College invites you to the 14th 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 13! 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 hosted by Brent.

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 do things upside-down at Carroll: I am the first-year coach, while the upper teams work with my assistants. I help new students with their transition to college, and I try to lay the foundation for success in speech, debate and life.

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. But if the team competes solo more than one round, the team cannot break. No solo debaters, except as swings.

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 use Yaatly, the BP program. (And TabbyCat).

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

Brent of Carroll College

 bnorthup@carroll.edu
(406) 459-2371

SCHEDULE, Montana Time,

Mountain Daylight Time

Friday, Sept. 12 (Montana time)

6:30 p.m. Showcase debate, hosted by Brent Northup (non-entered debaters welcome)

8:00 p.m. Critique and discussion

Saturday, Sept. 13 (non-entered debaters welcome for workshops)

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

Advanced I: Master Class: Megan Towles      9-10:30 a.m.

Advanced II: Master Class: Irish Champions  11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

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

Equity/Tech Briefing                               1 p.m.

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

Round 2                                                       3:30 p.m. (5-minute speeches)

Round 3                                                       5:30 p.m. (5-minute speeches)

Sunday, Sept. 14

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

NOVICE & OPEN semi-finals                    Noon (finals asap; 7-minute 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. Ask for a link.

Platform: Yaatly (Tabbycat for tabbing)

Entry due date: Monday, by 6 p.m., September 8, 2025 on Forensics Tournament. (forensicstournament.net)

Novice: First year of college BP debate

Hybrid teams, combining students from two schools, 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 only one round, the team can break – but all breaking teams must have competed in three rounds with both partners present. If one partner can’t compete in an out round, the next highest seeded team will take that team’s place.

END