NCFL Grand National Tournament

About

The NCFL Grand National Tournament is an elite annual competition held over Memorial Day weekend that serves as a national championship for high school speech and debate. The program's mission is to foster articulate communication, critical thinking, and character development through a diverse range of forensic events. It offers ten distinct categories, including six speech events like Dramatic Performance and Original Oratory, and four debate formats such as Policy and Public Forum. The tournament is unique for its "lay judge" philosophy in many events, emphasizing the ability to persuade a general audience rather than just technical specialists. Core activities include multiple preliminary rounds of competition followed by elimination rounds that culminate in a national awards ceremony. By participating, students gain the opportunity to test their skills against the highest caliber of peers from across the United States.

Application Requirements