Dear Colleagues:

The Point Loma Nazarene University forensics squad is pleased to invite you to our annual SUNSET CLIFFS CLASSIC Invitational forensics tournament.  The tournament will be Friday through Sunday, October 20-22, 2023.  We hope you can come enjoy our beautiful seaside campus and the typically sunny weather.  

We will offer open and novice division competition in all eleven AFA individual events (collapsing some events and or divisions should numbers so dictate); four preliminary rounds of Novice, Junior and Senior divisions of IPDA, TPDA and NPDA Parliamentary Debate with appropriate elimination rounds; four preliminary rounds of junior and senior divisions of NFA LD debate if numbers allow.

Unfortunately British Parliamentary Debate will not be offered in Fall 2024 

·        SPECIAL TPDA TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS: We will be accepting bids and choosing 10 top bids for folks competing in our first annual TPDA Tournament of Champions on Friday, October 20^th.  We will provide catered meals, participation gifts, three judges per round, and an amazing experience to celebrate 10 top TPDA teams on Friday, Details available in a separate invitation from the Tournament Director. Teams can submit a bid for one two-person team and one quality judge, by September 22^nd,2023. Obviously judges and team members competing in the Round Robin, will not be able to judge or compete in other Friday events. This event is meant to celebrate the competitors and provide them with excellent competition and feedback, and of course nice meals and swag. Since TPDA is new in our area, feel free to pair up two of your top IPDA debaters into a good team. We hope others try the team event on Sunday.

·        Electronic Debate Balloting: IPDA, TPDA, NPDA, and NFA LD will again be using electronic ballots.  Judges for these debate formats are required to have an electronic phone or tablet or lap top capable of receiving emails to qualify as judges, and please bring a charger.  Judges should not be on-line during the actual debate rounds though, for any reason, including but not limited to social media, fact checking, etc.. . You may flow on your electronic device if you are a judge. This added note:  Additional instructions about email balloting will be provided once registration has closed. However, please ensure that you supply an email address and cell phone address in the judge notes for each judge you enter AND please be sure it is an email and phone number that can be accessed throughout the tournament.

·        Topic Areas and Recommendations:  You are encouraged to provide a list of debatable, fairly worded resolutions for tab staff to consider for all formats of debate, except NFA LD which is of course locked in to one topic for the year.  There are ballot issues on the California ballot during this time frame, so some of those topics may be debated in various events.

• Some noteworthy attractions of the Sunset Cliffs Classic include:

·        Strong competition with diverse regional and national representation and quality judging.

·        A picturesque ocean front campus.

·        Two $3,000.00 scholarships for the top community college competitors (one each for debate & IE’s) for tuition remission at PLNU the following year.

·        Attractive trophies.

·        Enjoyable food nearby, and especially in the judge’s area for judges and coaches.

·        Did I mention the ocean proximity and view?  It bears repeating.

·        No guarantee on chamber of commerce, postcard weather, but it will likely be better than where y’all come in from. J

Please let me know of any questions or concerns.

Skip

Dr. Skip Rutledge, Director of Forensics                      Nathaniel Hosmer, ADOF       

skiprutledge@pointloma.edu                                         nathanielhosmer@pointloma.edu

Cell  (619) 655-0112

Office (619) 849-2391