Speech Announcements

The following is KSHSAA’s position on students who do not follow KSHSAA rules particularly concerning the 500 mile Bylaw XIV.

the student/the school clearly violates KSHSAA policy and will be subject to KSHSAA penalities.

If a student chooses not to be on a school’s team and operates as an "independent" competitor or team, the student would not be under the bylaws, rules, and policies of the KSHSAA. However, the school cannot provide financial support for entry fees and/or travel expenses. No adult school representation/coach will be allowed to accompany student(s) as "independent(s). The school and school coach cannot be involved. (This does not prevent a student from being enrolled in an academic class for credit during school hours only.)

Specific clarification for Debate and the TOC: During the student’s senior year, if he/she would be on a team of seniors only and qualified for the TOC (Tournament of Champions), he/she could compete at the TOC due to no future KSHSAA eligibility. Please note, because the TOC tournament is outside KSHSAA’s 500 mile bylaw restriction, the student(s) would have to enter as independents(s) and could not represent their school or be financially funded by their school. Should an underclassman choose to attend the TOC tournament he/she would forfeit the next school year’s KSHSAA debate season eligibility which also prevents that student from qualifying for NFL and NCFL

State Speech Championship events as recommended by the Kansas Speech Communication Association (KSCA) were selected by coaches for all classifications at the fall Speech Rules Meetings. The events adopted, plus Lincoln-Douglas debate, accommodates each classification’s individual preference without affecting the other classes.
Each classification’s selected events will be performed during the 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10 school years. Event selection balloting will next occur during the fall Speech Rules Meetings in 2010.
Please refer to the KSHSAA Speech & Drama Manual for championship regulations.

Attention Speech Coaches and Activity Directors
KSHSAA member schools may NOT attend Speech tournaments which involve two or more states unless the event is listed on our KSHSAA “approved list”. Upon receiving an invitation, schools need to check the “approved list” link on KSHSAA’s front web page (http://www.kshsaa.org/Approved.pdf) before signing up. If the event isn’t on the list and you want to attend, contact the host school and ask them to contact their state’s athletic or activity association and complete the proper sanctioning forms to get it approved in Kansas. If this doesn’t work call Reg Romine for assistance. This does not guarantee that it will be approved, thus you must wait to make sure it appears on the approved list otherwise you may NOT attend.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The KSCA committee and KSHSAA have anticipated the following needed adjustments to the manual to reflect the above choices made by its membership. Ballots for any new event will be designed and ready for purchase by December 15, 2007.

Impromptu Speaking –
The manual has been changed on Page 26, Sec. 5, to read as follows: Each student is limited to two events and may not enter twice in the same event. NOTE: Students may enter only one “Draw” or “Preparation” event with the exception of Impromptu.

Thus, it is possible to enter Impromptu and Foreign or Domestic Extemporaneous Speaking in the same tournament.

Note: KSHSAA is soliciting suggested Impromptu topics from its membership to build a large data base of topics to be used at State Championship tournaments. Submit your suggestions under each of the following topic areas: proverbs, abstract words, events, quotations, and famous people. Please email a list of recommended topics to Reggie Romine at rromine@kshsaa.org.

DUO and Duet Acting –
If double entered in DUO and Duet Acting the student may NOT use the same piece/selection. It is permissible to be with different partners.

Like Events (DI and SSA or HI and HSA or DUO and Duet Acting) –
A student MUST qualify twice to double enter in like events.

A student who qualifies for SSA in an invitational tournament may enter DI at State or vice versa. A student who qualifies for HI in an invitational tournament may enter HSA at State or vice versa. A student who qualifies for DUO in an invitational tournament may enter Duet Acting at State or vice versa. Obviously at State, in each of these cases, they must comply with all rules of the specific event they enter.

One Act Play –
The manual has been changed on Page 23, last sentence to read: Please do not request coaches to present one-act plays before they have had their designated 15 minutes.

Festival Events –
Regional and State Festival events will remain the same for all 6 classes. Each school may enter the following ten events in any combination: Original Oratory, Informative Speech, Extemporaneous Speech, Humorous Solo Acting, Serious Solo Acting, Duet Acting, Oral Interpretation of Prose, Oral Interpretation of Poetry, Improvised Duet Acting, and One-Act Play.

Changes adopted by the KSHSAA Executive Board and published in the 2007-08 Debate, Speech & Drama Manual:
The number of events contested at Class 6A and 5A KSHSAA Regional and State Speech/Forensics
competitions increased from nine (9) to eleven (11).