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How to be a Quality Contest Chair

Matt Steele, DTM

Reality Check!Contest Chair vs. Chief Judge

What is the Contest Chair Responsible for?

Almost Everything!

Preparation

PreparationDateVenueAgenda - consider timing restraintsContestants – Recruit / check info & EligibilityDownload and Print Forms, Certs and Rulebook

www.toastmasters.org/shop/contests/speech%20contest%20kits.aspx

How Many Contestants Per Club / Area / Division?

Eight weeks prior to the area contest, if an area has four assigned clubs or fewer in good standing, districts have the option to allow two contestants from each club to compete in the area contest.

Should additional clubs charter prior to the area contest, two contestants from each club are permitted to compete.

In those divisions with four assigned areas or less, districts have the option to allow the two highest-placed available contestants from each area to compete.

In districts with four assigned divisions or less, districts have the option to allow the two highest-placed available contestants from each division to participate in the district contest.

What are the Eligibility criteria?

EligibilityA. To be eligible to compete in any official Toastmasters speech contest, a membermust:1. Be a member in good standing of the club, area, division, and district in which heor she is competing.a) The club must also be in good standing.

2. In addition, to be eligible to compete in the International Speech Contest, amember must have completed at least six speech projects in the CompetentCommunication manual prior to the club contest. Contestants in speech contestsother than the international contest do not need to meet this requirement.

However, a charter member of a club chartered less than one year before theclub contest is permitted to compete without having completed this requirement.The club must have officially chartered before the area contest.

Which members are ineligible?

IneligibleA member serving as a chief judge, voting judge or tiebreaking judge beyond the club level for a contest in which the member is still competing or intends to compete.

District Officers; International Officers and Advisers – present and candidates; past International Champions for Intl Speech.

No contestant can compete in more than one area speech contest of a given type, even if the two areas are in different divisions or districts.

Who Recruits Judges and Facilitators?Chief Judge or Contest Chair?

Judges - how many?Facilitators - how many?

Judges

Club Contest: 5 Voting Judges + 1 Tiebreaker“unless impractical”

Area Contest: Equal Voting Judges from each club or Minimum 5 Voting Judges + 1 Tiebreaker

Division: Equal Voting Judges from each Area or Minimum 7 Voting Judges + 1 Tiebreaker

Plus Buffer!

Facilitators

All Levels: Club Contest: 3 Counters + 2 Timers“unless impractical”

Area Contest and above: 3 Counters + 2 Timers

PreparationArrange Trophies - Area & Division provided by District!Arrange RefreshmentsArrange PublicityPrepare MC Script – Rules, etiquette, speaker introduction, interviewsSend details to contestants – plus cert. of eligibility and originalityReconfirm before the contestPowerPoint for contest flowPrint Forms, Certs, Agendas, SignsPrepare packs for Judges – Agenda, Cert. of Eligibility, Cert. of Appreciation, Voting form(s)

What Happens on the Day?

PreparationRoom set-up- Audio Equipment, PowerPoint, Refreshments, Signage

Pass Judges’ packs to Chief Judge to distribute

Pre Contest Contestant BriefingCheck attendance, name pronounciation, speech titleReview rules and timing protocolsReview the speaking area, test micDraw for speaking positions

Check Facilitators and MC are in place and ready

When is a speaker disqualified for arriving late?

If the primary contestant is not present when the person conducting the contest

is introduced, the primary contestant is disqualified and the alternate officially

becomes the contestant.

Is the Contest Chair the MC?

In Standard practice, Yes.But not specifically required.

Who Announces the Results?

By the rulebook – The Contest Chair.

How about the Chief Judge?

Is That It?

Protests and Disqualifications

A. Protests are limited to eligibility and originality and shall only be lodged by voting judges and contestants. Any protest shall be lodged with the chief judge and/or contest chair prior to the announcement of the winner and alternate(s).B. Before a contestant can be disqualified on the basis of originality, the contestant must be given an opportunity to respond to the voting judges. A majority of the voting judges must concur in the decision to disqualify.C. The contest chair can disqualify a contestant on the basis of eligibility.D. All decisions of the voting judges and qualifying judges are final.

Is That It?

What Else Makes A Quality Contest?

Quality Speakers

Fairness- Skilled judging, correct timing, accurate ballot counting

Time Control

Quality of venue-Convenience, price, enough seating, equipment-back-up equipment