Coolidge Resources
How can I find what room I’m in or what side I’m on, or whether I’m flight A or B?
All of that info is available on what’s called “the schematic.” You can find the schematic by finding the tournament on tabroom.com (see the button on the left hand side).
On tabroom, click Pairings to see everything you need. Use the dropdown menu on the right to see pick which round you want to view.
What is double flighting?
Double flighting means that Round 1 is split into two parts: Flight A and Flight B. Flight A debates first, and as soon as they are finished, Flight B debates.
For example:
Round 1 8am
Flight A: Mickey and Donald vs. LeBron and Shaq
Flight B: Beyonce and Taylor Swift vs Bert and Ernie
That means that Mickey, Donald, LeBron and Shaq would all debate at 8am, and then Beyonce, Taylor, Bert and Ernie would head to that room about 15 minutes before the round ends and sit outside (quietly) and wait for the round to finish. Then they would debate when the judges calls them in.
Presidents’ Cup
November 14-16, 2025
Washington DC
By invitation only
NCFL National Championship
May 22-25, 2026
Washington DC
By qualification only
(at Grands)
Coolidge Yale Open
December 5-6
New Haven, CT
By invitation only
NSDA National Championship
June 14-19, 2026
Richmond, VA
By qualification only
(at Districts)
State Championship
April 17-19
Bronx Science
By qualification only
Coolidge Cup
July 1-5, 2026
Plymouth Notch, VT
Qualified
Pace: David
TBLS: Sarah, Enzo, Jarvis
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
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.