National Online Forensics SPAR Series Invitational

National Online Forensics is excited to launch a brand new tournament series devoted entirely to SPAR. With divisions for elementary, middle school, high school, and college, this series is designed to provide consistent opportunities for students to compete, improve, and have fun with SPAR throughout the fall.

All competition will take place online, and events will follow the SPAR rules and procedures outlined in the NOF Tournament Handbook.

EVENT FORMAT

Each event will include one round per tournament day, held at 4:30 PM Pacific Time. There will be no elimination rounds. Placement in the overall series standings will be based on each competitor’s top three scores across the four tournaments in the series.

The following series are scheduled:

Monday Cup (Held the first four Mondays in September): September 1, 8, 15, and 22, 2025

Tuesday Cup (Held on the Tuesdays in October): October 7, 14, 21, and 28, 2025

Wednesday Cup (Held on the Wednesdays in November): November 5, 12, 19, and 26, 2025

Additional series may be added later in the season.

EVENTS OFFERED

SPAR will be the only event offered. Competition will be held in four divisions: Elementary School SPAR, Middle School SPAR, High School SPAR, and College SPAR.

Competitors may enter only one division.

FEES AND PENALTIES

The school fee is $25 per school. Each competitor pays a $15 entry fee. If a school does not provide enough judges, an uncovered judge fee of $25 per slot will apply.

Other penalties include $25 for the first missed ballot by a judge and $50 for each additional missed ballot. Dropping a judge within 24 hours of the tournament results in a $150 fee. Approved entry changes after the deadline cost $25 each. Tournament delays caused by a school may incur a fee ranging from $20 to $100. Competitor no-shows without notice result in a $25 fee.

Each school must provide one judge per every five entries. Uncovered entries may be allowed at the discretion of the Tournament Director with applicable fees.

JUDGING

Judges must remain in the Judges Room until dismissed or until their ballot is picked up via email.

Incomplete eBallots (minimal or no feedback) may incur a judge no-show fee.

Judge Missed Ballots: $25 (first) / $50 (each additional)

Judge Drops within 24 hours: $150

Incomplete eBallots: May result in judge no-show fees

Judges must be available for the full round and are expected to submit decisions and feedback in a timely manner. Missing a round without communication may result in a fine or the school being removed from the remainder of the series.

AWARDS

Prelim Ranking: Drop High Rank / Ranks / Decimal. Competitors will be recognized with Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Honors awards.

Physical Awards: Shipped to coaches following the tournament.

Address Verification: Coaches confirm shipping address during registration. Additional charges may apply if an incorrect address is provided.

REGISTRATION AND PLATFORM

Registration Deadline: 8:00 PM Pacific the Tuesday before each tournament on ForensicsTournament.net

Technology: Synchronous tournaments use video conferencing. See the Best Practices section of NOF Rules and By-Laws for guidance on preparing to compete online.

Rules: The complete set of NOF rules is available here.

Registration will take place through forensicstournament.net.

If you have questions, contact us at info@nationalonlineforensics.org. We look forward to seeing you in the SPAR Series!