JUDGES RESOURCES
Original Oratory
Impromptu Speaking
Interpretive Performance
Policy Debate
If you signed up to judge our Policy Debate division, please watch the orientation video before reading the “How To” instructions.
Public Forum
Public Speaking
Please watch the following videos explaining how to use a rubric to judge competitors and how to fill out a ballot. The rubric discussed in the first video is provided for your reference.
World Schools
THINGS TO REMEMBER:
GLOSSARY
This glossary introduces you to key terms used at a speech and debate tournament.
BACKGROUND CHECK
Once a year, all of our volunteers are required to complete a background check. Once you register for the next tournament, our staff will determine if you will need a background check. If you do, you will get an email directly from Sterling Volunteers, requesting some personal info (ex. DOB and SSN) so the process can begin. We prioritize the safety of our students so please complete this as soon as you receive the email.
JUDGE TRAINING
If you have not judged with SVUDL before, and have signed up to judge at SVUDL Internal Tournaments and Invitational, we provide live judge training on zoom which is typically scheduled an hour before the first round.
HOW WILL YOU GET NOTIFIED OF YOUR ROUND?
Tabroom will notify you of your assigned round during the tournament, at least 15 minutes before the round you have signed up for is scheduled to begin. Notifications will come via email, and also via text if you shared your phone number in your Tabroom profile. Once they receive their assignments, judges are given 10 minutes to formally start their rounds in tabroom.com. Judges who do not start their rounds on time will be replaced. If you sign up to volunteer for a round and do not receive an assignment, please wait until 10 minutes after the start of that round before contacting tournament staff to determine if you are needed to judge or not.
HOW DO I ACCESS MY ROUND ON TABROOM?
Please click here to learn how to access the round you are assigned to judge on Tabroom.
HOW DO I ACCESS THE BALLOT AND FEATURES WITHIN THE COMPETITION ROOMS?
Please click here to watch the NSDA campus overview that gives judges the step by step instructions.
HOW DO I FILL OUT THE BALLOT ON TABROOM?
Please click here to see the step by step instructions for how to fill out a speech and debate on Tabroom?
WHO DO I CONTACT FOR IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE?
At SVUDL Internal Tournaments: You will receive an invitation to join the Judge and Coach helpdesk channel on Slack. Feel free to ask questions publicly there, and staff members will respond in real time.
At SVUDL Invitational, CFL and National Tournaments: The SVUDL Coach Lead assigned at these tournaments will be your contact person. Their contact information will be shared with you at least a week prior to the event.