Upcoming competitions & trips
Next 30 days
Resources & Links
Come observe — and learn to judge No experience needed. You’ll shadow an experienced judge first.
Family members are invited to join us for any scrimmage or competition to learn how to judge! We’ll start you off shadowing an experienced judge, so don’t feel intimidated.
Reach out to joey@brooklyndebateleague.org with any questions.
Parent Kickoff meetings Two dates, same content — pick whichever works
Bring your questions for the start of the season. Both sessions cover the same material, so you only need to attend one.
- Tuesday, September 15, 2026 · 6:30–7:30 PM
Online — tinyurl.com/BDLzoomroom - Thursday, September 24, 2026 · 6:30–7:30 PM
Online — tinyurl.com/BDLzoomroom
What we’re debating this season 2026–27 topics in the topic generator
Curious what your debater is arguing about? Our topic generator lists the season’s resolutions and prompts.
Open the topic generator — then look for the 2026–27 Season filter.
Scholarship & enrichment opportunities 1 open now · Kenyon College fly-in, Oct 25–26
Kenyon College Connections fly-in program
In this overnight experience, students will be fully immersed in Kenyon’s campus community for two days of panels, tours, class visits, workshops and student organization hangouts.
Workshops & camps Nothing open right now
There are no workshops or camps open for registration at the moment. When registration opens, it will be posted here and on our workshops page.
Contact us & anonymous feedback Reach the BDL staff, or tell us something without your name on it
Questions, concerns or something you’d rather we knew? Email any of us — your school’s BDL coach is always a good first stop, but you can reach any of the staff below directly.
- dico@brooklyndebateleague.org
- joey@brooklyndebateleague.org
- jonathan@brooklyndebateleague.org
- brendan@brooklyndebateleague.org
Anonymous suggestion box
If you’d rather not attach your name to it, use the anonymous form. We read everything that comes in.
Waivers and health management Liability form, and how we handle illness and medical needs on trips
Liability form. Every participating student needs a liability form on file before competing or traveling with BDL.
Health management plan. Our health management plan covers how we handle illness, medications, allergies and medical needs at practices, competitions and on overnight trips.
Competition and Event Calendar
Filter any column · tentative and subject to change| Tentative date | Day | Competition/Event | Location | Who is eligible? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Before you read the calendar
- This is BDL’s schedule, but different schools may choose not to attend every tournament, at the discretion of the school coach. Ask your coach if you’re not sure whether your school is going.
- The New York Catholic Forensic League will add several tournaments in Manhattan and the Bronx soon.
- Individual schools must provide or hire the required number of trained adult judges — typically 1 judge per 5 students — at all in-person tournaments listed.
- This schedule is subject to change based on school, BDL and league updates. We’ll communicate changes as soon as we can.
- You must register for tournaments in advance to attend. Your coach will tell you when the registration deadline is.
Practice schedule
Practice schedules will be set school-by-school. Students are generally expected to practice 2–3 times a week including a scrimmage session. Contact your coach for more details.
Season expectations
From the 2026–27 expectations letterDear debaters and families — welcome to Brooklyn Debate League! As a member of your debate team and the BDL community, you should be proud to be a leader in your school, and more broadly a leader in your generation. But as Spider-Man would say, with great power comes great responsibility. The sections below clarify your responsibilities as a member of BDL. We have every confidence that you’re going to meet the bar and have an incredible season.
1. Meet general attendance expectations Three checkpoints: November 1, December break, February break
Just like any team, you have to make a commitment to show up. Attendance is tracked in three checkpoints throughout the year. Students not on track to meet these benchmarks will be notified and will need to correct course to remain on the team and be eligible for the State Championship.
| Checkpoint | Tournaments / scrimmages | Practices |
|---|---|---|
| By November 1 | Attend at least one online scrimmage session (either one round on a Thursday or both rounds on a Friday) | Each week, attend school practice(s) — or the online league practice make-up on Tuesday evenings, 6:30–8 PM. One unexcused absence allowed before November 1. |
| By December break | Attend at least two in-person Congress/Extemp tournaments and four total online scrimmage sessions | Each week, attend school practice(s) — or the online league practice make-up on Tuesday evenings, 6:30–8 PM. Two total unexcused absences allowed by December break. |
| By February break | Attend at least three in-person Congress/Extemp tournaments and seven total scrimmage sessions | Each week, attend school practice(s) — or the online league practice make-up on Tuesday evenings, 6:30–8 PM. Three total unexcused absences allowed by February break. |
School coaches and BDL advisors have discretion to excuse absences and to determine how much credit a student receives for attendance (for example, arriving late, leaving early, missing pre-work, or not being engaged). If the school coach and the BDL advisor disagree about whether an absence is excused, the BDL Director of Programming makes the final decision.
2. Meet circuit-specific commitments Requirements depend on which tournament circuit you’re on
| Tournament | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Big Bronx | Coach’s discretion |
| Villiger | Attend two of three October scrimmage sessions; attend at least one in-person October tournament |
| UPenn | Attend at least three in-person tournaments and six total scrimmage sessions |
| Coolidge Track | School coach’s and BDL coach’s discretion |
3. Stay on top of your classes Teachers sign off every time you travel with BDL
Your teachers will need to sign off every time you travel with BDL (since you’ll be missing class), so you’ll need to stay on top of your academic performance and behavior in class. If you are failing a class or are misbehaving in class, your coaches (BDL and/or school) may temporarily or permanently suspend you from the team.
4. Be a model student at your school Serious incidents are grounds for suspension from the team
Serious incidents — including but not limited to chronic absence or lateness, substance abuse, possession of weapons, bullying, or violence — are grounds for temporary or permanent suspension from the team.
Coolidge Track A supplementary track for second-year and returning debaters — all costs covered
A supplementary track is available covering Coolidge Debate for all students in at least their second year of debating with Brooklyn Debate League. No judges are required at Coolidge tournaments. All costs for the following activities are covered for participating students:
- Weekly online practice sessions on Tuesdays, 6–8:30 PM, from October through mid-December
- Weekly online scrimmage opportunities from October through mid-December
- In-person opportunities to compete at:
- NYC Open — DREAM, 10/10/26
- Presidents’ Cup — Georgetown University, tentatively 11/13–11/15/26
- Connecticut Open — Yale University, tentatively 12/11–12/12/26
- Coolidge Cup — Plymouth Notch, Vermont, tentatively 7/1–7/5/27
FAQ Tournaments, absences, costs and independent entries
My team normally competes Thursday afternoons, but it got cancelled. Am I expected to make the Friday scrimmage?
In general, yes — but reach out to us if that happens and we’ll figure it out together.
If my team isn’t competing at a local tournament, does my absence count against me? Could I go if I wanted to?
No — if your school isn’t competing at a Saturday local tournament, your absence doesn’t count against you. Whether you’re allowed to compete on your own varies by school and league policy (BQCFL and NYCFL have different rules about this), so reach out to us if that’s the case.
To attend the tournaments above, do I need to pay anything?
If you attend a Title I school, nope — everything is covered, including meals, transportation, hotels and registration fees. If you do not attend a Title I school, you are responsible for covering your registration fees and meals at local tournaments, and anyone who needs financial assistance can apply for financial aid. Ask your coach if you’re not sure whether you attend a Title I school.
What if my school wants to attend a tournament not listed above?
While we’re offering a lot of tournaments this year, there are always more. If you want to attend one not listed, talk to your school coach. BDL will never stand in the way of a school going to more tournaments, but the school is responsible for handling the costs, chaperones and judges.
What if my school says no? Can I sign myself up as an independent entry and pay for it myself?
For most tournaments, the answer is no. Most major governing bodies in high school debate, including the National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA) and the National Catholic Forensic League (NCFL), have restricted independent entries at their tournaments, and most national circuit tournaments do not allow students to register independently (including Yale, Princeton, Glenbrooks and UPenn). Even the tournaments that do allow independent entries (for example Coolidge tournaments and Harvard) only allow it if your school is not attending, or if your school does not object. In other words:
- If your school is going to Harvard and you didn’t get picked to go, you can’t go by yourself — even if you can pay for it.
- If your school isn’t going to Harvard and you want to go by yourself (and pay for it), you can do so only with your school’s approval.
Sounds like I can’t go to many tournaments on my own. Are there any I can go to?
Yes! In the age of online tournaments, there are many opportunities to enter as an independent entry. BDL students may register as independent entries at online tournaments that do not require an adult chaperone and/or judge, and that do not have a registration fee (or that waive fees for students who cannot afford them). For example, you are allowed to register as an independent entry at Equality in Forensics tournaments. If you do so, you must notify your BDL and school coaches via email.
What about tournaments that have a fee or require a judge? I don’t mind paying and my parents are happy to come judge.
BDL students are strongly discouraged from registering independently at other debate tournaments that require a registration fee or a judge. This is for equity reasons — not all students are able to afford the fee or provide a judge, and letting kids who can “pay to play” do so doesn’t align with our values or mission. While we can’t stop you from signing up for these, we recommend you spend that time practicing with your teammates rather than chasing individual glory. If you do participate, you must notify your BDL and school coaches via email.
What counts as missing practice or a tournament “for a good reason”?
It is ultimately up to your coach to decide if your absence is excused, but good examples of excused absences include being out sick or a family emergency. You must email your school coach and cc your BDL coach to let them know you won’t be there and to explain why.
What are some examples of what wouldn’t count as an excused absence?
Just like with any team, being on the debate team is a commitment, which means you should have a really good reason if you can’t make it. Examples that would not count as excused: you have to go to basketball practice, you have too much homework that day, or you’re in a different club that meets at the same time.
What if I come late to practice or have to leave early?
It’s ultimately up to your school coach and BDL advisor whether you get credit for practice if you come late or leave early. Just like in your classes, you’re expected to be on time. If you have a good reason, notify your coach and BDL coach via email and they’ll let you know if it counts as excused.
I have a one-off conflict (like a basketball game) during practice next week. Is that excused?
If you anticipate needing to miss any practices, you’re expected to communicate that absence via email to your school coach and BDL coach as soon as you know about the conflict. For example, if you know you’ll have a basketball game during practice on December 13, you should notify your coaches weeks in advance. Whether it counts as excused will be up to your coaches.
If I stop coming to practice, can I come back at some point?
It isn’t personal. Come back and say hi. Depending on the size of the team and how long you’ve been gone, your coach might either invite you back or tell you to reapply at the next tryouts.
Do you want to try judging?
By the way, this bill was debated in elimination rounds at the New York State Championship…and was written by BDL camp coach Louis of Stuyvesant HS!