Presidents’ Cup

November 14-16, 2025

Washington DC

Qualified:

Long, Jarvis, David, Gzell, Chase, Hope, Aissata, Mackenzie P

(More debaters will be invited by end of October)

NCFL National Championship

May 22-25, 2026

Washington DC

(Students must qualify at Grands in March)

Coolidge Yale Open

December 5-6

New Haven, CT

(by invitation only: roster will be determined in mid-November)

NSDA National Championship

June 14-19, 2026

Richmond, VA

(Students must qualify at Districts in February)

State Championship

April 17-19

Bronx Science

(students must qualify by mid-March to compete)

Coolidge Cup

July 1-5, 2026

Plymouth Notch, VT

(Students must qualify at Coolidge tournaments throughout the year)

Free professional apparel available

Email DiCo if you see something you’d like to try on

Black Blazer and Skirt

Brand: Tahari

Size: 8P

Cut: Women's

Black Blazer

Brand: Calvin Klein

Size: 6

Cut: Women's

Grey Shirt

Brand: Howler's

Size: M

Cut: Men's

Grey Blazer and Skirt

Brand: JCrew

Size: 6

Cut: Women's

Blue Shirt

Brand: Uniqlo

Size: Slim Fit L

Cut: Men's

Light Blue Blazer & Pants

Brand: JFerrar

Size: 40#

Cut: Men’s

Grey Pants

Brand: Docker's

Size: Straight Fit D2

Cut: Men's

BDL PO Sheet	Use this sheet when PO’ing by making a copy and using last names for recency/precedence
Scrimmage Assessment Form	Must be completed after every scrimmage
Scrimmage Scorecard	To be used by judges at scrims; useful for students to know how they’re being assessed
Shared Prep Google Drive	We are stronger when we work together! Find prep for local and national circuit tournaments across our partner schools here
Google Photos	Coaches and debaters, add your pics here!
Tournament Calendar	Check out your upcoming competition opportunities
Angie's Prepared Speeches	Ban Social Media for Kids A Bill To Phase Out Fracking Make US Satellites Public

Getting set up

Placard Template - We recommend printing on cardstock at the beginning of the year.

Media Release Form - All coaches, parents of students, and photographed-persons must fill this out.

Example of First-Day Letter - Customize to fit your school’s needs, or ask your BDL coach if they have one already made

Lessons and Slides

Coolidge Folders

Pace Slides / UCC Slides

Summer Camp 2024 Congress Slides - this is a useful resource for lesson planning or review!

Beginning the Research Process - Video

Congress Judging Guide - includes copy/paste “canned” comments for ballots and a guide to setting up your paradigm

Congress Debate Guide - includes:

1 Brief Overview of Congressional Debate, for Absolute Beginners

2 Instructions for Setting Up a Tabroom Paradigm for Judges

3 Glossary of Keywords

4 Judging Criteria

5 PO Cheat Sheets

6 A Guide on How to Use Motions

7 Speaking Etiquette and Delivery Tips

8 Congressional Speech Structure

League Policies

Student Safety and Liability

In an emergency, do not hesitate to call 911.
Rule of Three - no student should ever be alone with just one other person.
Staff should model a professional working relationship for students in person, through messaging, and on social mediatshould not connect with students on social media.

Reach out to your BDL Faculty Advisor or coach with any questions, or use the link below to report issues anonymously.

anonymous survey