William Carey University’s

“Crusader Classic” Invitational

Dear Speech and Debate Friends and Colleagues:

Please join us for William Carey’s 4^th annual William Carey “Crusader Classic” Invitational Tournament on September 5-6, 2025.

In Debate, we offer Novice Public Forum, Varsity Public Forum, Novice Lincoln-Douglas, Varsity Lincoln-Douglas, Policy Debate, and Congressional Debate

Flight A Individual Events are Novice and Varsity Prose, Impromptu, Dramatic Interpretation, Duet Acting, Original Oratory, and Program Oral Interpretation. We also offer the supplemental event of Expository Speaking for ninth and tenth-grade students only. William Carey also is uniquely offering two non-MHSAA events for ninth through twelfth-grade students only.

Homiletics: For this event, students are to present an 8–10-minute prepared homily expounding two-to-three points from a particular biblical passage. Judges will evaluate coherence, organization, pace, creativity, and content. This event is very similar to other platform speeches, like Info and Persuasive. The primary difference, however, is that your argumentation must be based in a biblical passage or verse.

Broadcast Journalism, participants assume the role of a news anchor or reporter delivering a news segment in a simulated live broadcast of news reporting. Students will be given a packet of articles with which they will have thirty minutes to prepare a script that will be delivered. Students must consider the diversity of article types, potential commercials, and, finally, interviews. Students will face away from the judges when presenting their broadcast.

Flight B Individual Events are Novice and Varsity Extemporaneous Speaking, Humorous Interpretation, Duo Interpretation, Novice and Varsity Poetry Interpretation, Declamation and Informative Speaking. We also offer the supplemental event of Storytelling for ninth and tenth-grade students only. This year’s topic area for Storytelling is on Stories from the Margins, or narratives told from the perspective of a secondary or overlooked character in a famous work. For example, students can present on Medusa's side of the myth, or the Giant in Jack and the Beanstalk.

Sweepstakes trophies will be awarded to the top school in debate and individual events, as well as the top three schools overall. We will also be awarding a "Top Individual Performer" award to the top Performer at the tournament. All students are only permitted to enter four events TOTAL, either choosing two Flight A’s and two Flight B’s or one debate, one Flight A and Two Flight B’s.

Registration for the tournament closes Monday, September 1^st at midnight. Judge Registration ends Tuesday, September 2^nd at 5:00 pm. Judge obligations and entry fees are on the following page.

Coaches,

please be sure to nominate a student for the Obra Quave Leadership Award. The Obra Quave Leadership Award will be presented to a nominee who not only excels in competition but consistently embodies leadership, innovation in event preparation, and resiliency when faced with challenges. One student can be nominated by the director of forensics for each participating team. Nomination letters detailing the nominee’s leadership traits should be submitted via email to Dr. Brandon Knight (Bknight@wmcarey.edu).

We look forward to hosting you in Hattiesburg!

Scholarship Opportunities

Competitors who place among the top three in their respective events are offered talent scholarships on behalf of the William Carey University Speech & Debate Team.

1^st Place - $6,800 (residential); $4,100 (non-residential)

2^nd Place - $6,300 (residential); $3,600 non-residential)

3^rd Place - $5,800 (residential); $3,100 (non-residential)

Tournament Staff

Dr. Brandon Knight: Director of William Carey Speech & Debate

Lyeneal Griffin: Assistant Coach of William Carey Speech & Debate

Anna-Rachel Krebs: WCU Speech and Debate President and Student Tournament Director

Judge Obligations and Entry Fees

1. Judge Quotas: Each school must provide judges for each event based on a specific quota:

A. INDIVIDUAL EVENTS: Two judges for every ten entries or fraction thereof.

2. Entry Fees

A. $10 per entry in Individual Events other than Duo Interpretation and Duet Acting

B. $12 per Duo Interpretation or Duet Acting entry

3. Uncovered Entries (meaning, judge quota is not met)

A. Individual events -- $40 per uncovered entry.

B. Complete buyouts are not allowed. This means all schools must provide at least one judge in IE's (if entered in IE's).

4. All entry fees will be fixed as the Monday of the tournament. Drop fees will be assessed for any drops after that point. Drop fees will be double the entry fees for any given entry. Judge fees for uncovered entries will be fixed as of the Tuesday deadline. Please email the tournament director with information regarding any drops as early as possible to avoid penalties. PLEASE NOTE: A judge who misses a ballot assignment will incur a $20 fine for their school, which must be paid prior to the release of the school's ballots.

Please make checks out to William Carey Speech and Debate Team