Transcript Shakopee Saber Speech

Shakopee
Saber Speech
Parent Meeting
Speech Vocabulary
Judge - a qualified adult who is paid to critique competitors and rank them in order of placement in each round.
-Invitational tournaments do not require state certified judges. Each team is responsible for hiring a judge
per 6 competitors for each invitational they attend. It is the responsibility of the head coach of each team to make sure
their judges are qualified.
-Sections and State tournaments use state certified judges who have been trained and tested by the
MSHSL.
Category - there are thirteen categories for speech. Your student specializes in one category in which they compete.
Interp. (Short for Interpretation) - any category which requires dramatization of a fictional work - ie acting.
Light Interp: Humorous, Humorous Duo, Storytelling
Heavy Interp: Prose, Poetry, Drama, Ex. Reading.
PA (Short for Public Address) - any category which is a straight format speech written by and given by the student.
Disco - Discussion
O.O. - Original Oratory is a persuasive speech category
Info. - Informative is an informational speech category.
Ex. (Ex. Reading or Ex. Speaking) - Extemporaneous
Creative Ex. - Short for Creative Expression is a work of fiction that is written and performed by the student.
Round - Refers to the random grouping of students in a category that compete against each other in a room and are
judged by a common judge.
Speech Vocabulary
Break- If a student is selected to proceed to the final round they “Break”
Finals: Final rounds are composed of the top 6-7 students in each category.
Tab Room - The room where competitor scores are tabulated at a tournament
Boards - Two Dimensional visual aids used by the Informative Category.Manipulatives - Three dimensional visual aids
used by the competitors in the Informative Category.
Talk to a Wall - To prepare for their rounds, students will often face a wall or a locker bank and give their speech. This
allows them to focus on the speech and also to hear their voices bounced back to them.
Bins - Bins of hard copy research that is shared by Extemporaneous Speakers on a team.
Speech Clap - In order to make award ceremonies shorter in length, when 6-2nd place are announced in each category
the audience will issue one clap for each competitor announced. Then for the champion in each category, the audience
stands and applauds.
Team Sweeps - at the end of each award ceremony, trophies are awarded to teams with the highest number of
competitor points.
We are not that Team - Popular phrase within the Shakopee team to use when we as coaches, or other team members
want to remind each other to calm down, watch their behavior or language, etc. We don’t have control over the behavior
of students from other schools. We do however have high expectations for the behavior of our competitors.
Meld - Preliminary Round scores that are added together
Speaker Points - Percentages added together - a tie breaking strategy for students in the same category who recieve the
same meld score.
Reciprocals - a tie breaking strategy for students in the same category who recieve the same meld score.
What is Speech
Student Time Commitment
-45 min. Category Practice once a week (Discussion
and Ex. Speakers have a different schedule)
-30 min. meeting on Fridays
-Saturday tournaments
Leave times are generally around 7:00 AM with
return times ranging from 4:00-6:00
How does Scoring work at a Tournament
3 Preliminary Rounds - Students are split into groups of 6-8 other competitors in their
categories and placed in a room with a judge. Each student performs their piece, and is
ranked 1-4 (with all others 5), and given a percentage of 85-100.
After all three rounds are finished, the scores for each competitor are averaged together to
create a meld score. Students with the lowest meld scores in each category advance to
final rounds.
Example: Student A receives 1st place in their 1st round = 1
3rd place in their
2nd
round = 3
2nd place in their 3rd round
=2
Meld =
6
In final rounds students compete against the top 6-8 in their category and are judged by a
panel of three judges. The three scores are averaged to decide who receives first through
6th/8th place.
Saturday Tournaments
1. Tournaments are every Saturday.
a. We leave from the high school parking lot in the early morning.
b. The leave times are posted on the speech page of the activities website under “tournament
schedule”.
c. If your student is running late, please call. The leave times have a little bit of wiggle room in
case of poor road conditions etc. so we might be able to wait a few minutes.
i.
If your student is over 10 min. late they will most likely miss the bus. If this is the case,
and they would still like to compete, you can drive them to the tournament. They need
to be at the tournament before 8:30. Once they are there, they will be able to ride the
bus back to the high school at the end of the tournament.
2. Pick up time:
a. Tournaments usually follow approx. the same schedule, so leave and return times can be
predicted by the length of travel time.
b. We will have the students call you when the bus is about 10 min. away from Shakopee.
c. Unless there is an event or activity being held at the high school, the building will be locked
At the Tournament
1. Once students arrive at the tournament, they will be expected to read the
tournament schedule, find out when and where they are speaking, and then
attend all rounds from start to finish
2. Students are expected to bring their own food, or purchase lunch and snacks
from the concession stand.
3. If the tournament has finals
a. if they break into finals, they will compete
b. if they do not they will observe the final round in their category.
4. Students are expected to stay at the tournament from start to finish unless
picked up by a parent, or other arrangements have been made in advance.
a. No student will be allowed to leave with anyone other than a legal guardian
unless an alternate transportation form has been filled out and filed with
the activities office at least 2 days prior to the tournament.
Dress Code: First Impression is very important
1. Business Formal:
a. Women: pantsuit, or skirt/jacket/hosiery
b. Men: Suit and Tie
2. Dress shoes – clean and polished. No tennis shoes.
3. Solid colors – no prints – preferably no prints and dark colors
4. Conservative jewelry
5. Well groomed
a. Hair back and away from face – pinned or no bangs.
b. Clean Shaven
6. Strategically draw attention toward face and hands
Parent Commitment
1. Home Meet: 3/7/15
a. This is our fundraiser - we use the registration fees and concession
sales to help fund for team needs such as interp. scripts, presentation
tools, technology, etc.
b. You will be contacted later in the season to sign up for a shift to work
either concessions or judges lounge at the home meet.
2. Banquet: 5/1/15
a. Your students work exceptionally hard during a long practice and
competition season - they deserve the recognition of a nice banquet.
b. You will be contacted later in the season to sign up tasks for the
banquet at the end of the season.