2026 Gorlok Gala Forensic Tentative Tournament Schedule

Thursday, January 22

6:30 – 10:00 pm              Early Registration—Sheraton Westport Chalet

191 Westport Plaza Drive, St. Louis, MO

Friday, January 23

  8:00 – 11:00 am            Registration—Lobby—University Center (Main Floor)

  8:15                                 Release of Debate Pairings (Rds 1 and 2)

  8:45                                 Round 1, Lincoln-Douglas

10:15                                 Round 2, Lincoln-Douglas

11:30                                 IPDA Draw Flight 1A—Sunnen Lounge, UC

12:00                                 Round 1, IPDA & IPDA Draw Flight 1B

  1:00                                 IPDA Draw Flight 2A—Sunnen Lounge, UC

  1:30                                 Round 2, IPDA & IPDA Draw Flight 2B

  2:30                                 Round 3, Lincoln-Douglas

  3:45                                 IPDA Draw Flight 3A—Sunnen Lounge, UC

  4:15                                 Round 3, IPDA & IPDA Draw Flight 3B

  5:15                                 Round 4, Lincoln-Douglas

  5:45 – 7:30                     Dinner—Pasta & Salad Bar, PROVIDED BY WEBSTER

  7:00                                 IPDA Draw Flight 4A—Sunnen Lounge, UC

  7:30                                 Round 4, IPDA & IPDA Draw Flight 4B

 

Saturday, January 24

  7:00                                 Individual Events-Only Registration & Continental Breakfast

                                           Sunnen Lounge—University Center (Main Floor)

  8:00                                 Extemp Draw—TBA

  8:15                                 Round 1, Individual Events “A”

  9:45                                 Round 1, Individual Events “B” & Round 5 LD

11:15                                 IPDA Draw Flight 5A—Sunnen Lounge, UC

11:45                                 Round 5, IPDA & IPDA Draw Flight 5B

12:00 – 2:00                     St. Louis FARE, PROVIDED BY WEBSTER

  1:00                                 Extemp Draw

  1:30                                 Round 2, Individual Events “A”

  3:00                                 Round 2, Individual Events “B” & Round 6 LD

  4:30                                 IPDA Draw—Sunnen Lounge, UC

  5:00                                 IPDA Elimination Round 1

  5:45                                 Extemp Draw

  6:15                                 Semi’s/Finals, Individual Events “A” + Semi’s B

  6:45                                 LD Elimination Round 1

                                                    

Sunday, January 25—Events to be Held on Webster’s Campus—EAB Building

  7:30                                 Continental Breakfast – EAB 2^nd Floor Commons

  8:15                                 Extemp Draw—TBA 

  8:30                                 Remaining Individual Events Finals and Round 3, Interviewing

  9:00                                 LD Elimination Round 2

10:15                                 IPDA Draw—TBA

10:45                                 IPDA Elimination Round 2

11:45                                 Awards—TBA

12:45                                 Elimination rounds will continue, each format running concurrently when             possible 

 

General Tournament Notes

Tournament Hotel

The Sheraton Westport Chalet at 191 Westport Plaza will serve as the tournament hotel. The tournament rate is 135.00. The rate includes complimentary Internet access in each guest room reserved through the block.

For reservations, click the link Book your group rate for Gorlok Gala or call (314) 878-1500 and ask for "Gorlok Gala" rates. Should you encounter problems, ask for Nancy, or call Gina Jensen at Webster. Our block will be released Monday, January 5^th.   PLEASE make your reservations early! Rates may well go up after this date!  Earlier reservations will also alert us to any need to increase the block prior to its cut-off date.

Awards

Awards will be presented to all students reaching elimination rounds--including duplicate awards for duo and improvisational pairs. Pentathlon, debate speaker, and outstanding novice individual event awards will also be presented. Additionally, sweepstakes awards will be given to the top three teams in individual events, debate, and overall sweepstakes (a school must be entered in debate and individual events to be eligible for overall sweepstakes). Awards will also be given to the Pi Kappa Delta chapter and two-year school earning the most sweepstakes points.

Student Eligibility

Students must be currently enrolled at the college or university for which they are competing. Students may not have attended a collegiate national forensic/debate tournament in four or more academic years OR completed eight semesters of collegiate competition. A semester is defined as having competed in more than two tournaments. Either of these standards being met (eight semesters of college competition or four years of collegiate national tournament participation) will render a student ineligible to compete in this tournament.

Local Host Entries

Webster University may enter some events, although host entries will be very limited. Competing Webster students will be eligible for awards.

Sweepstakes

Points will be awarded to a school’s top three individual event entries per event and top six debate entries total. ALL of a school's elimination round entries will count toward sweepstakes. The points system will be:

IEs                        3-2-1 for a 1, 2 or 3 rank in preliminary rounds

1 for all semifinalists

6-5-4-3-2-1 for 1st through 6th or 7th in finals

Debate                7 points per win, up to 4 wins per entry

7 points per advancement to elimination rounds for entries 

 Fees and Judging

The tournament fee schedule is…

              *Friday participation fee (per student/judge)                    $12.00

              *Saturday participation fee (per student/judge)               $12.00

              IE entries—on ground (including duos)                                $10.00

              IE entries—asynchronous                                                       $ 8.00

              Debate entries                                                                          $40.00

              Uncovered IE entries                                                               $10.00 plus entry fee

              Uncovered debate entries                                                      $80.00 plus entry fee

              Changes at registration                                                           $25.00 per change

              Dropped judge after Thursday, January 22^nd 6:00 pm       $100.00 per judge

              *Participation fees are paid for on-ground participants; asynchronous-only participants are

                exempt.

 In order to keep the tournament running smoothly, food will be provided as noted in the schedule. Participation fees don’t cover our costs but help to offset.  All on-ground participants are required to pay this fee.

One individual events judge will cover ten entries. One debate judge will cover two LD and/or four IPDA entries. A single judge may cover…

• four IPDA and/or 10 IE entries
• four IPDA entries and/or two NFA LD entries
• two NFA LD entries & 5 flight A only IE entries 

For purposes of clarification, each IPDA entry will require three rounds of coverage since an odd number of preliminary rounds are being offered. IPDA will be flighted unless room availability can accommodate a single schedule. A single judge may not cover both LD and flight B individual event entries. Schools needing to hire a substantial number of judges should contact the tournament director before tournament week.  PLEASE--we would rather have your judges. 

Schools entering asynchronous events must provide one judge for every six entries. Each judge should be available for both the preliminary and final rounds. While in-person judges can be the same person/people as your asynchronous judges, we encourage you to explore other coaches, judges, and alumni to fill this role.

Special note regarding LD judges and uncovered LD entries…because of consistently having an overwhelming number of uncovered LD entries, we must insist at least half of any school’s LD entries are covered.  We will turn away entries not meeting this request.  For example, a school with 12 LD entries must provide at least three judges who are able to cover full LD commitments; with only three judges we will not accept a 13^th entry. There are absolutely no exceptions to this rule.

IPDA does allow undergraduate judges and as such a limited number of undergraduate judges may be used in the preliminary rounds. Teams are encouraged to offer their students who were eliminated to judge outrounds.

Entry Deadlines and Instructions

This year’s Gorlok is using the tournament entry services at www.forensictournament.net.  The invitation, tournament notes, and tournament entry are all located at this site. Search for Webster University Gorlok Gala. Schools not using this service in the past will need to enter a roster of students and judges prior to entering the tournament. This site will also allow schools to view the entire tournament entry. All schools must submit entries on www.forensictournament.net. Entries will not be accepted in any other form.

Fees are assessed at 6:00 pm CST Tuesday, January 20^th.  Direct questions to Gina Jensen at jensen@webster.edu.

 

Individual Events Notes

Events/Flights

All 11 AFA-NST events plus improvisational pairs and interviewing will be offered in two flights.

Flight A--extemp, persuasive, impromptu, dramatic, poetry, improvisational pairs

Flight B--prose, informative, poi, duo, after-dinner, communication analysis, interviewing

Asynchronous events will include extemporaneous commentary, editorial impromptu, broadcast journalism, and podcasting.

Rules

Unless otherwise noted in the invitation, AFA-NST rules will be followed for all events provided at their national tournament. Pi Kappa Delta rules will be followed for all PKD events. Students should not enter material that has been used in competition before September 1, 2025. 

Extemp topics will be taken from socio-political, international, and economic areas.  Each round will be one of these three.  In the instance that the tournament holds semifinals, final round topics will be editorial cartoons. For extemp draw, electronic access is allowed during draw; live Internet access is allowed. No extemper will be allowed access to electricity in the draw room as outlets are not readily available for all competitors.

Students in impromptu will have a choice of two topics that will vary by round and section. Topics will be selected from philosophical quotations and song lyrics.

The event description for improvisational pairs is as follows:

Preparation time is three minutes. Preparation time is separate from performance time. Performance

time must be a minimum of three minutes and a maximum of six with a 30-second grace period. The

judge should clarify with the students before they begin how time signals will be communicated and must

then give hand signals as the contestants are performing to help them stay within the time limit. No make-

up, costumes, props, or lighting are permitted, but a table and/or two chairs may be used. Doors and walls

are considered props and must not be used. The scene must contain only two characters with equal

sharing of dialogue. An introduction by one or both students is REQUIRED to set the scene, and a

resolution of the conflict must be evident at the end of the scene. Excessive profanity, sexual innuendo, or

excessive physicality (i.e. pushing, shoving, and striking) will not be tolerated. Contestants are to remain

outside of the room until it is their time to perform. Once they have finished with their performance, they

must remain in the room until the round is complete.

 

The event description for interviewing is as follows:

Interviewing will mirror the rules to be used by Pi Kappa Delta National Tournament and

Convention. Rounds one and two will consist of an interview lasting no longer than 10 minutes, conducted by

a judge utilizing the same question-set for each competitor. In round three, judges evaluate/rank student

résumés based on writing techniques and overall strength. Competitors entered in Interviewing must

provide an accessible link to their resume (either Google Doc, Dropbox, or other similar option) of their

résumé by Friday morning debate registration. Please double check the permissions settings on document links to

ensure judges are permitted to view the document. There is no final round for interviewing.

Asynchronous Events

Registration & video links are due by Monday, January 19^th on ForensicsTournament.net. Links will be sent to judges by approx. 9 am CST on Tuesday, January 20^th for preliminary rounds and will be due by 5 pm on Thursday, January 22^rd.  Final ballots will be due by Saturday, January 24^th at 2 pm. Broadcast Journalism topics will be released roughly 24 hours before the entry deadline.

 Link Upload Process

The tournament will require you to upload a URL with your student’s speech. Unlisted YouTube videos are recommended. The video uploaded for the 2025 Gorlok Gala should be unique to this tournament. Previously recorded versions of the speeches are not allowed. Coaches are responsible for ensuring unique recordings for the tournament.

Extemporaneous Commentary will replicate the rules and procedures to be used by Pi Kappa

Delta. In a speech not to exceed 7-mins, participants conduct research and record a speech that proposes reform and

responds to the proposed question.

 What actions must be taken to ensure that Artificial Intelligence (AI) development reflects human values, not inhuman values?

For this event, we encourage participants to break out of conventional speech patterns and be creative with

arrangement. Ask: what format will best represent my arguments and evidence? Judging Criteria Includes: Substance of

Proposal │Viability Proof of Solvency Feasibility of Plan │Clarity in Explanations and Advocacy.

 

Broadcast Journalism will largely mirror the performances to be delivered in the on-ground version offered by Pi Kappa

Delta. The focus of this event is to demonstrate skill in selection, organization, and presentation of a simulated

broadcast news/talk program. Speakers will choose and edit their own material to be exactly five minutes

in length. Previous versions of this event focused on tournament staff providing copious written material. To be more

mindful of the actual processes of contemporary radio news/talk, we have updated the rules to best reflect current

trends as a competitive event. Students will receive a randomized list of topics each broadcaster must cover

(participants will not receive a packet of pre-selected articles). Students, then, create an entirely factual

account of the topics identified. A portion may be the student’s opinion about any of the topics. Like in

Extemporaneous Speaking, each speaker will receive a different set of topics to ensure fairness. For

example, the speaker might be prompted to provide stories about Central America, the US Congress and

Climate Change, or European Football, the Chinese Yuan and U.S. Higher Education recruitment

practices. While other stories can be included to make time, judging criteria will favor those identified in

the round’s prompt. Judges will be made aware of the topics in advance. Call letters/radio-platform

identification, as well as references to weather, sponsors, programming, etc., are acceptable, but not

required.

 

Editorial Impromptu: Students will receive a short editorial (ideally 3-5 paragraphs) and develop a response. Participants will be allocated nine minutes to divide between preparation and speech time. Speakers must speak for at least five minutes. Limited notes, prepared in the round, are permitted. Judges will provide time signals

Podcasting will largely mirror the performances to be delivered in the version offered by Pi Kappa Delta.

Students will have a single 10-minute block of time in which to stitch together their three elements and submit a single,

audio-only file. 1. The Trailer - successful podcast trailers should effectively do three things: (1) introduce the topic of the

podcast in a compelling way, using their own voice. No props or sound effects (or any extraneous production) other than

those made by the speaker’s voice are permitted. Remember: hook but never spoil the show! (2) Speaker should make

clear the reason and necessity for their podcast; and (3) provide a “narrative arc” for the season/series. 2. The Guest

Interview - participants conduct an original interview with one or more individual(s). It should make clear who is

participating and why. 3. Edited Segment - students will then provide a final “clip” of their podcast. It may feature

elements from both the trailer and interview. It should be representative of the style and flow of a typical podcast

episode from the series. The elements above can be scripted or improvisational, episodic or serial, fast-paced or a slow-

burn. Choices, number of participants, subject matter and ultimate audience is entirely up to the participant. The time

balance for all three (trailer, interview, edited segment) is also up to the participant. We encourage students to be

strategic about divvying up time and to remember: all three sections need to be edited together and submitted as a

single audio only file not to exceed ten minutes. Students can include transitions, but it is not required. Judges will

assess the presentation’s coherence and viability while offering comments on speech fluidity, engagement and talent.

 

Ballots

We will be using electronic ballots. Judges should bring a device to use for filling out ballots. We suggest

using a laptop or tablet for ease of use. Judges are also reminded to use only Google Chrome as their

browser. Judges may submit their ballots electronically with ranks/rates and come back later and recall

their ballots to write comments if they find this necessary in order to keep the tournament on time. All

judges and coaches must have an account on Forensicstournament.net. Please ensure your ballot

preference is set to “email” and that you have included a cell number and an email address for each

person. If your preference is set to “paper” you won’t receive a ballot or any announcements. 

 

Cross-Entering

Individual event competitors may enter up to three events per flight. We are, however, committed to running a tournament that stays on time. Critics will be instructed to not wait beyond the allotted ending time for each round.  A student may enter only two duos and two improvisational pairs.  We will make efforts to accommodate multiple entered students in flight A with early speaking positions in extemp. 

Students in Lincoln-Douglas may enter two flight A individual events—they may NOT enter flight B individual events.

Elimination Rounds

Semi-finals will be held in all events with 50 or more entries. Semi-final round brackets will be seeded into unbroken brackets. Final place finishes will be determined based on (1) majority of 1's, (2) ranks, (3) judges' preference, (4) points, and (5) seedings.

Pentathlon

In an attempt to reward diversity in competitive excellence, students must enter a minimum of four events and compete in public address, limited preparation, and interpretation events to be eligible for pentathlon.  A maximum of five events will count toward a student's pentathlon score. Duo Improvisation will count as a limited preparation or interpretation event. Interviewing will count as a limited preparation event. Asynchronous entries will count toward pentathlon consideration as public address events.

 

Novice Awards

The top novice in each AFA-NST event will be given a special award.  To be eligible, the student should be in their first collegiate year in the appropriate genre of event (public address, interpretation, or limited preparation).

IMPORTANT IE JUDGING NOTE:  In addition to the obligation of the final round in each flight, all judges are obligated for any semifinal rounds in either flight. Again, all individual event judges are obligated for final rounds, regardless of whether or not they are used in or qualify students for semi-final rounds.

 

Debate Notes

 

Divisions Defined

Any student may enter an open division. Junior division is open to students in their first four semesters of collegiate debate (of any kind). Novice division is open to students with less than two semesters of any debate at any level (high school or college).

NFA Lincoln-Douglas

An open, junior, and novice division of NFA Lincoln Douglas will be offered. Debates will use a 6-3-7-3-6-6-3 format with 4 minutes of preparation. We will use the 2025-26 NFA LD topic. All divisions will adhere to the NFA rules for Lincoln-Douglas debate.

IPDA

An open, junior, novice and professional division of IPDA will be offered.  Debates will use a 5-2-6-2-3-5-3 with 30 minutes to prep.  Rounds will be flighted unless room availability can accommodate a single schedule. All divisions will adhere to the IPDA Constitution and By-Laws. Teams are encouraged to offer their students who were eliminated to judge outrounds.

 

Warm-Room, Breaking Brackets, and Sexual Harassment

The Gorlok Gala will have a warm room available during the tournament, meaning results will be posted for all formats and divisions. Since ballots are electronic, we will not have a coaches’ review of ballots for IPDA. The tournament will not break brackets for elimination rounds. The tournament will adhere to the NPDA statement on sexual harassment, as well as the Pi Kappa Delta Statement on Discrimination.

Ballots

We will be using electronic ballots.  Judges should bring a device to use for filling out ballots.  We

suggest using a laptop or tablet for ease of use. Judges will want to use Google Chrome as their browser.

Judges may submit their ballots electronically with ranks/rates plus win/loss then and come back later and

recall their ballots to write comments if they find this necessary in order to keep the tournament on time;

this early submission of results is strongly encouraged for Friday morning and early afternoon rounds. All

judges and coaches must have an account on Forensicstournament.net. Please ensure your ballot

preference is set to “email” and that you have included a cell number and an email address for each

person. If your preference is set to “paper” you won’t receive a ballot or any announcements. 

 

 

Elimination Rounds and Speaker Awards

Appropriate elimination rounds will be held in accordance with the standards of the national organizations’ sanctioning the respective debate divisions. Debaters advancing will be determined and seeded based on (1) win/loss record, (2) adjusted points, (3) total points, (4) double adjusted total points, and (5) opposition record. Brackets will not be broken. All winning records will advance in all divisions.

Speaker awards will be determined based on (1) adjusted points, (2) total points, (3) double adjusted points, (4) z-score, and (5) speaker ranks. 

Power-Matching

Rounds will be power-matched beginning with round three. Rounds three and five will be hi/hi while four and six will be hi/low within brackets.

IMPORTANT DEBATE JUDGING NOTE:  In addition to the obligation of the first elimination round after the point at which a school’s competitors are eliminated, all judges are obligated for the first full elimination round for all formats in which they have debaters. If partial elimination rounds are held and a judge is assigned to that round, they remain obligated for the next elimination round.

Tournament Speech Statement

The Gorlok Gala affirms the importance of all tournament participants’ cooperation in creating an educational and competitive environment that is fair, humane and responsible while, at the same time, encouraging debates that are devoted to full and robust argument about a diverse range of ideas.  Specifically, this tournament affirms that:

1.           Judges and students are encouraged to talk about the expectations that they have for creating a debate that focuses on ideas instead of personal attacks.

2.           Debaters are encouraged to communicate with respect, not attacking each other or the judge.

3.           Judges are encouraged to communicate with respect, not attacking or devaluing students.

4.           Debaters and judges are encouraged to reject discourse which devalues other members of our community

based on their race, age, gender, [ability], class, sexual or religious orientation or any reason that is not directly related to the arguments that they present.

5.           Students and judges are encouraged to communicate with each other when they observe instances of verbally aggressive attacks rather than silently watching something happen before them to which they object.

6.           Judges are encouraged to reward courteous and respectful behavior toward the judge and other

              competitors in awarding speaker points.

7.           If serious and/or repeated demeaning speech materially or substantially disrupts the opportunity for debaters to compete fairly or the judge to evaluate fairly, judges are encouraged to dock speaker points or give a team a loss.

Bartanen, K. & Hanson, J.  (1994). Advocating humane discourse.  The Forensic of Pi Kappa Delta, 80, 16-22.

 

Land Acknowledgement Statement

 

It is important for us here at Webster University, in alignment with our mission to enrich lives and build community through communication, to acknowledge that the land beneath us owes its vitality to generations who have come before us. In the spirit of making erased and silenced histories visible, Webster Forensics and Debate chooses to learn about, come to terms with, and share the truth of Westward Expansion. Webster Forensics acknowledges its community spaces rest on the traditional land of Indigenous People that have stewarded and cared for this land for centuries. We acknowledge that we are standing on the ancestral and occupied lands of the Illini Confederacy, Osage Nation and the Myaamia, Očhéthi Šakówiŋ, O-ga-xpa Ma-zho (Quapaw), Kaskaskia, Kiikaapoi (Kickapoo), and Missouria tribes. They are the peoples to whom we pay our respects. We acknowledge that this land was stolen and acquired through a history of violence. While Webster remains on these lands, we will attempt to do honor to their histories and ask you to join us in uncovering such histories at any and all public in-person and virtual events. We encourage you to learn more about Indigenous communities and land where you live and to honor those who made their homes on this land before us."

Webster Outstanding Forensic Alumni Award

An annual award will be presented each year to an alumna of the Webster University forensic and debate program. The winner will be selected from a list of nominees submitted by any individual familiar with the Webster forensic program. Nominees should be past members of the Webster University forensic and debate program and be committed to forensics as important life-preparation. This commitment should be a focus of any nomination for the award.

Nominations should include the identification of the potential award winner, as well as a letter of support. There is no limit to the volume of support material that will be accepted in support of a single nomination.

 

2013—Ryan Louis

2014—Deanna Beaton

2015—Jason Roach

2016—Kim Runnion

2017—Melissa Benton & Justin Raymundo

2018—Sierra Weber

2019---Andy Hobin

2020---Kirby Weber

2021—Shawn Hoover

2022—John Wallis

2023—Liberty Weyandt

2024—David Harpool

2025—Amy Lorenz

Community Forensic Citizenship Award

An annual award will be presented each year to a non-student member of the forensic community who advances the benefits of forensics in the broadest of terms. This should include but is not limited to outstanding teaching/coaching and service.

Nominations should include an identification of the potential award winner as well as a letter of support. There is no limit to the volume of support material that will be accepted in support of a single nomination.

2013—Robert Markstrom, McNeese State University

2014—John Boyer, Lafayette College

2015—Kevin Minch, Truman State University

2016—Phillip Voigt, Gustavus Adolphus College

2017—M’Liss Hindman, Tyler Junior College & Scott Jensen, Webster University

2018—Gary Harmon, Kansas Wesleyan

2019—Jack Rogers, University of Central Missouri

2020—Richard Paine, North Central College

2021—Jeannie Hunt, Northwest College & Connie McKee, West Texas University

2022—Danny Cantrell, Mt. San Antonio College

2023—Spencer Waugh, Simpson College

2024—Ryan Louis, Ottawa University

2025—Joe Gantt, Lewis and Clark College

 

Nomination Procedures

Nominations should be submitted to Gina Jensen at jensen@webster.edu. All nominations should be received by Monday, January 13, 2026 to receive full consideration. Community Forensic Citizenship Award nominating packets will be distributed to a reading committee of intercollegiate forensic educators. Webster Outstanding Forensic Alumni Award nominating packets will be distributed to a reading committee of Webster alumni, students, and non-forensic faculty. Both awards will be presented at the Gorlok awards ceremony.