FAQ Seattle University Tournament
Click your question below—after clicking, look to the
top of your screen.
How Important is it that we register for the Tournament?
What Events should I register for?
What topics can they use for their speeches?
What are the main differences between the different days
of the Tournament?
Can I drop off my child at Seattle University?
Does my child need to be there for the whole tournament?
Who participates in the tournament?
Who will my child debate with?
Is doing two tournaments too much?
Is doing Speech and Debate together too much?
The Sunday tournament seems long—can my kid handle it?
My Question isn’t answered here.
When are the Tournaments?
Choose one day (one
tournament) to participate
(you can do 2 or 3 tournaments but most students do just
1 tournament day)
Nov 22 Friday Tournament
ZOOM ONLINE, 4 to 915pm.
Nov 23 Saturday Tournament
IN PERSON SEATTLE U, 9am to 530pm
plus Finals/Awards
Nov 24 Sunday Tournament
IN PERSON SEATTLE U, 9am to 610pm
plus Finals/Awards
See the Dashboard
for the detailed schedules
What is the Cost?
Fees are $35 to $70.
Costs depend on the event entered. Entering two events costs more. See the registration form for details.
Costs include SU registration fees, food costs, judging fees—these costs are covered by your tournament registration fees.
Low Income/Rainier Scholars receive the same discounts as in our program fees.
How Important is it that we register for the Tournament?
Very important. This may be a transformative moment for your child.
Many students “find” themselves in the tournaments—they have a group of friends that share their passion and interest.
Even for students who just participate—they will grow tremendously in their speaking and thinking skills during the tournament.
What Events should I register for?
Register for the
events your child is taking in our program.
So, for example, if your child is in the elementary debate program, sign up for
elementary debate.
They will be fully ready as our program directly prepares students to
participate in the tournament.
If your child knows an event well but isn’t in the program for that, they can also register for that event.
What topics will they debate?
The tournament uses topics we use in our program. See the Dashboard.
What topics can they use for their speeches?
Students use the exact same speeches they have prepared for PowerPoint, Platform, and Interp in our classes.
Extemp questions will be provided a day or two before the tournament begins.
Impromptu topics will be provided by the judge in the round (students get the topic and have a short time to prepare and to speak).
What are the main differences between the different days of the Tournament?
Friday is online and is shorter than the in-person Saturday and Sunday tournaments.
Friday is for speaking events and middle school debate.
Saturday is for
middle schoolers doing debate only.
Sunday is for all ages and all events.
For elementary school debaters, You can participate in debate on Sunday in person only. We expect 15 to 20 teams.
For middle school debaters, You can participate in debate on any of the 3 days.
Friday online, 3 rounds, expected 15-20 teams. Congress offered.
Saturday in person, 3 rounds plus finals, expected 80-100 teams (in May, 20-30 teams). Congress not offered.
Sunday in person, 4 rounds plus finals, expected 30-50 teams. Congress offered.
For high school debaters, You can participate on Friday or Sunday.
Speaking Events, you can do on Friday (3 rounds online) or Sunday (3 rounds in person).
Can I drop off my child at Seattle University?
Yes. We’ll have a staff
member there in the mornings to guide them into the Piggott building.
Climb students meet with an adult leader in a “school room” between rounds.
Children are together with adult supervision throughout the tournament.
Yes
you can park at the school and be there with your child
(we recommend this for 3rd and 4th graders but many
parents also come in-person
to see their older kids because they want to celebrate in their child’s
achievements).
Does my child need to be there for the whole tournament?
Being there the whole time is by far the best option.
Debaters debate in
ALL debates.
Speakers present 3 times at different times in the schedule.
If you can’t be there the whole time, please contact Jim Hanson at jim@climbthemountain.us and we can see if that will work.
Who participates in the tournament?
All of the Climb programs participate. Schools in the Puget Sound area plus British Columbia and China also participate.
Who will my child debate with?
When you register, tell us who you want and don’t want as a debate partner.
And if you really want that person—coordinate with them to attend the tournament on the same day.
We put students
together based on their preferences and beyond that
also based on having similar speaking scores in the program so they are equally
matched up.
Is doing two tournaments too much?
Always depends on
your child. I’d say Friday evening online and Sunday in-person would be fine.
Students might get overwhelmed by Saturday and Sunday both.
Is doing Speech and Debate together too much?
Again, depends on
your child. Doing them together on Sunday will be a lot to do, keeping your
child busy.
That said, we’ve had a number of students do it and it
was just fine for them.
The Sunday tournament seems long—can my kid handle it?
I worried about this
when we started but what I have found is that the vast
majority of kids
thrive in the environment of the tournament. They’ll be tired at the end but
during the
tournament, they’ll have lots of energy and can handle it.
My Question isn’t answered here.
Contact Jim Hanson at jim@climbthemountain.us and ask.