[GFCA] How to qualify for the Varsity State Championships

[Pam Childress]

Lots of questions about qualifying for the Varsity State Championships.  We
are following the bylaws as we enter bids.  I am uploading the specific
bylaw below but in plain language:

1. In order for ANY student(s) to earn a qualifying bid OR participation
bid, there must be a minimum of four entries in the event.

2. At LEAST three schools (NOT including the host school) must be
represented in those four entries in order for the event to be eligible to
award a state qualifier bid.

3. If there are not three schools represented in the four entries,
competitors may still use the tournament as a "participation" bid.

4. Host school entries don't count toward qualification level for state
bids. (So, if the Columbus tournament only has 11 entries and Lyndsey
throws in Sharvil/Morgan to make 12-- when it comes to how many bids can be
awarded, it's as though there were still only 11 entries.)

5. For HoCo specifically, there will not be an HI qualifier, but HI counts
as participation, as only two schools competed with 5 entries. We'll allow
the Duo entry a participation bid as a one time exception since the
tournament allowed them to compete and it was the first tournament of the
year.

The bylaw:

4.22     To attend the Varsity State Tournament, students must earn
qualifying bids.

(a)       *Debate and Speech Regular Season Qualifier*: A bid to the
Varsity State Tournament awarded to the finalists in a single event as
follows:

(1)        Twelve (12) or more debate entries, the top four (4) competitors.

(2)        Twelve (12) or more speech entries, the top six (6) competitors.

(3)        Eight (8) to eleven (11) debate entries, the top two (2)
  competitors.

(4)        Eight (8) to eleven (11) speech entries, the top three (3)
competitors.

(5)        Four (4) to seven (7) debate and speech entries, the top one (1)
competitor.

(6)        If the event has three (3) or fewer entries, no competitors from
the event will qualify to the GFCA Varsity State Tournament.

(7)        There are no exceptions to the entry rules above.

                (a)       If an entry already has a bid to the Varsity
State Tournament and meets the qualifications a second time, the bid does
not defer to the next entry not yet qualified.

(b)       Qualifiers in two-person events must attend the same school.

(c)       In order to qualify entries in a speech or debate event to the
State Tournament, a minimum of three (3) schools, excluding the host
school, must have entries that participate in the event.

(d)       Host school entries will not count towards qualification level
for the Varsity State Tournament.

(e)       Non-Georgia participants may not qualify for the GFCA Varsity
State Tournament.

I hope this helps to clarify the rules.  Please let me know if I can assist
you in any way.

Pam
Pamela Childress
Valdosta High School - English
Debate & Speech Coach
GFCA - Director of Communications
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