2025 Cactus Clash

Mars Hill Speech & Debate (AZ) - Oct 23-25, 2025 | Status: Closed | 3:57 PM Mountain

Tournament Time
3:57 PM Mountain

WELCOME Cactus Clash Judges!

Decision in Room Process

The START of the round:

The round will commence as per STOA rules. The competitors from each side will introduce themselves and ask the judge to provide their judging philosophy. Once this has been completed they will begin the round. Once again the round will be executed per STOA rules

AFTER the round:

When the round has come to a completion, the competitors will exit the room and wait outside the door. The competitors will not pack their items at this time, they will wait to pack up their items after the decision and feedback have been shared.

You have a couple of resources to help you formulate your decision on the judges table, including:

A summary from the live training
Judge feedback form

10 minutes for Judge Deliberation:

Set your timer for 10 minutes.
Decide the winning team and circle your decision on the ballot.
Circle the speaker points and total the points for each debater.
Text a picture of the front of your ballot to the number provided by the tournament. Logistics Staff will be in the hall outside your door to help with any questions you may have.
After the picture is texted, invite the students back into the room to give them your immediate feedback.

15 minutes for Verbal Feedback to Debaters in the Debate Room:

Set your timer for 15 minutes.
Tell the debaters who won and give the reason for your decision.
Tell debaters any feedback about the debate that will help them become better communicators.
Answer questions of the debaters.
After timer goes off, please dismiss the competitors so they can go to their next event.

Notes:

If you ask for evidence to review, please take that into account and reduce your decision time or the feedback time for students.
The total time for decision and feedback is 25 minutes for all debate events. You will have an additional 20 minutes after giving the decision to make additional notes to the students, either on the feedback sheet or on the back of the ballot.
Once you complete any additional notes. Please return your ballot and any notes you wish to give the students to ballot collect.

Host Housing

We realize that many families would not choose to travel and compete without this option. We are pleased to offer limited host housing, available on a first-come, first-served basis, for those families who are traveling. However, host family preferences (i.e. “available space”) and other special factors (i.e. guest “allergies”, etc.) are taken into consideration to make a good match.. We will not be able to accommodate all requests. Please consider the following general guidelines before seeking host housing.

We require every family at the tournament to have a parent in attendance and judging each day. Please only request housing for yourself and your own children.

If you desire to be considered for host housing, please request ASAP. Requests will no longer be accepted after October 11 or when available housing is full whichever comes first.

What you can expect from your host home:
• A place to sleep
(maybe a bed, sofa, or room on the floor for your sleeping bags)
• A bathroom to shower and get ready for tournament

What your host can expect from you:
• A thankful heart and Christ-like attitude
• Carefully supervised children at ALL times regardless of age
• NO smoking in or near host homes

Our hosts open their homes out of generosity, kindness, and support for the activity of speech and debate. In order for us to keep host families year after year, we wish for them to have a great experience with their guests. If you cannot abide by the above guidelines, it is best to choose other lodging arrangements. However, if this sounds like a BLESSING for your situation, please contact our Host Housing Coordinator. Please provide the following information via email to hosthousingmhsd@gmail.com

Please type the following in the subject line: "Cactus Clash Host Housing Request - Your Family's Last Name"

Copy and paste the following questions in your e-mail and answer completely before sending your request.

How many people total need housing?
Do you need housing for a married couple?
Name and gender for each adult.
Home address, phone number, and email address for each adult.
How many competing students are there?
Name, age, and gender for each competitor.
How many non-competing children are there?
Name, age, and gender for each non-competing child.
Estimated arrival and departure day/time.
Any special needs or limitations the host family may need to be aware of?
Any allergies?
Name of speech & debate club.

PLEASE READ To help better serve our STOA family, please notify your Host Housing Coordinator if you have found a place to stay and no longer need them to keep searching for you. Please note if the Host Housing Coordinator makes two attempts to contact you about hosting housing and you do not return their messages, you will be dropped from the Hosting Housing search list. Thank you for understanding.

We are very excited to be offering a Juniors Tournament. This will be for students ages 8-11 only as of October 1, 2025.

Students may register for up to two different events. $15 per event.

Events Offered:

Junior Apologetics
Junior Storytelling
Junior Impromtu

Judges: Our elder competitors will be serving as judges for the Junior's Tournament. In order to judge Juniors, competitors must be 14 years or older, and have one or more prior years of competition experience.

Script Submission: While no script submission is required, junior competitors are still required to cite authors, sources, and copyright dates in their pieces.

Attire: Tournament attire is Sunday best.

Awards: All competitors will be acknowledged at the award ceremony! Remember to be dressed in your Sunday best.

Event Details: Junior Impromptu

Time Limits: Impromptu is five minutes (no penalty for going over).

Impromtu prompts that will be used at the tournament

Round 1

What is your favorite fall family tradition?
Do you prefer apple picking or pumpkin patch visits?
What’s the best fall festival or harvest celebration you’ve ever attended?
Do you have a favorite fall beverage drink? Apple cider or hot chocolate?
Do you prefer apple pie or pumpkin pie?

Round 2

Park
Zoo
Theme Park
Beach
Campground

Event Details: Juniors Apologetic

Time Limits: Apologetics is five minutes (no penalty for going over) with three minutes of prep.

Story Telling is five minutes
Impromptu is five minutes

Questions

Is there more than one way to heaven?
What is the importance of prayer
What does it mean that God is immutable? Why is this important?
What does the inspiration of Scripture mean? Why is this important?
What does it mean that Jesus Christ is the Messiah? Why is this important?

Event Details: Junior Storytelling

Time Limits: Story Telling is five minutes (no penalty for going over).

Rules:

Students must bring and use their own children's storybook in this event.
Students will bring the book and characters to life.
Students will introduce the Title and Author before beginning to read.
Students will hold the book as they read.
Students may skip pages, paragraphs, etc. to trim a story down to the five-minute time limit.
Students should NOT memorize the piece but are encouraged to practice expressive reading, using their voice and face to convey the message.
Students may sit or stand to deliver their story.
Does not need to be a picture book, although picture books are highly recommended.

Storytelling Ballot Items:

Introduction

Captures your attention; teasers permitted
Cites title and author of piece
Establishes context/background of piece

Literary Selection/Analysis

Quality literature with universal appeal
Selects literature that merits performance and entertains or delights
Interpretation honors author’s intent
If applicable, transitions clearly between scenes and characters

Physical Delivery

Uses appropriate eye contact and facial expressions
Exhibits appropriate energy, passion, and posture relative to the story being read

Vocal Delivery

Utilizes variety of pitch, rate, volume, rhythm and inflection
Has clear enunciation and accurate pronunciation
Portrays well-defined, vocally distinct character(s) and narrator
Speaks conversationally, sincerely, and with confidence

Overall Effective Reading:

Brings literature to life
Captures, engages and draws you into the story and/or establishes connection with characters
Entertains and/or delights

The leadership of this tournament recognizes the many benefits of competitive speech and debate. Public speaking, critical thinking, research skills, writing skills, and community service top the list, and the impact of these things toward the growth and training of young minds is undeniable.

However, we also recognize the temptations that a competitive environment can create. Without a Christian focus, competition often breeds prideful arrogance that can result in a competitor's willingness to "bend the rules" for competitive advantage. The Stoa League believes that written rules should be kept to a minimum to avoid an overly legalistic approach. We agree with Stoa’s position but this tournament also recognizes the need to support and uphold Christian integrity in this competitive environment.

We therefore ask all competitors to carefully review and consider the content of their speeches and debate cases well in advance. Ask yourselves if your content is above reproach. If you find any part of your speech or debate case might be seen as grounds for adjudication then it is probably not above reproach and should be corrected. To be “above reproach” your speeches and cases should avoid any appearance of an intent to bend or break the rules for competitive advantage.

The adjudication team at this tournament has the authority to disqualify any individual or team not only due to rule violations, but also based on the appearance of a lack of integrity. The adjudication team is committed to using this authority with great restraint and considerable prayer, but our greatest prayer is that it will not be needed at all because students, parents and coaches will apply the following Bible verses to their speeches and cases well in advance of the tournament:

Proverbs 12:22
The LORD detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy.

Proverbs 21:3
To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.

1 Peter 3:16
keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

2 Corinthians 8:21
For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man.

Hebrews 13:18
Pray for us. We are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way.

Psalm 41:12
Because of my integrity you uphold me and set me in your presence forever.

Philippians 4:8
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Welcome to the 2025 Cactus Clash!

DECISION-IN-ROOM tournament

This is a qualifying Stoa Tournament hosted by Mars Hill Speech & Debate Club. All participants must be members of Stoa.

Dates: October 23-25, 2025 (Thursday, Friday and Saturday)

Location:

Cornerstone Family Church
10215 N Saquaro Blvd, Fountain Hills, AZ 85268

Events:

Debate: LD, TP, and Parli
Limited Prep Speech: Apologetics, Extemporaneous, Impromptu, Mars Hill, and Slam Poetry
Extra: Novice Apologetics (For Stoa Competitors in their First Year
Juniors Tournament Events: Apologetics, Story Telling, Impromptu

Registration

Registration Opens: September 19, 2025 8:00 AM Mountain Standard Time (Note: This is 8:00 AM Arizona Time)
Closes: September 24, 2025 11:59 PM Mountain Standard Time

Script Submission will open for a short window beginnig Wednesday, October 1st and ending Saturday, October 4th. Please read the Script Submission Link within our tournament homepage for more information.

Stoa Membership is required in order to participate. You will need to register with Stoa on StoaHub before you can register for Cactus Clash.

Parent creates a family profile on StoaHub
Parent adds students to the family profile
Request and be granted membership into an official Stoa club
Pay for the family Stoa annual registration

Speech Note: Competitors may select a maximum of 3 speech events.

Debate Note: All 3 debates will have 6 prelim rounds, semi finals, and finals. Power matching will begin with Round 2.

Junior Note: Competitors may select a maximum of 2 speech events.

Fees:

Debate - $45 per competitor per debate type
Speech Events - $30 per competitor per speech type ; or sign up for 3 speech events for $25 each (save $5 per speech event)
Junior Speech Events - $15 per junior event

Payment: Registration is not complete until your fees have been paid! We use Stripe to process payments. A small surcharge will be added to cover Stripe fees. If fees are not paid at the close of registration, unpaid events will be dropped.

No refunds will be given for drops after registration closes.

Meals: Lunch and dinner breaks must be kept to the time alloted by the tournament schedule only. We recommend you pre-purchase your meals or bring your own as there will not be time available to go out between rounds. Meals may be paid for during registration or added up until October 17, 2025 noon MST.

Refund and Drop Fees:
Drop Fees are standard practice at many tournaments. Drop Fees are utilized to discourage late drops to events. Late drops negatively impact the tournament in a number of ways. Please double-check your events prior to September 24th. If you decide to drop any events, please log into your StoaHub account and make those adjustments. In order to be eligible to compete, drop fees must be paid prior to the tournament.

September 19 - September 24 ~ Refunds available.
September 25 - October 7 ~ No Refunds.
October 8 - October 22 ~ Drop Fee of $20 per event.
October 23 (On Site) ~ "Ouch" Drop Fee of $25 per event.

In order to be eligible to compete in your other events, drop fees must be paid by Stripe prior to the tournament. There will be a $25 fee for any event that is dropped at on-site student check-in. In order to be eligible to compete in your other events, this fee must be paid at student check-in before the tournament begins.

Waitlists

During registration, some events might show that only a waitlist is available. If you desire that event, add yourself to the waitlist. We will let you know if space becomes available. Watch your email for notification of being cleared from a waitlist OR log back into your registration to check.

DECISION-IN-ROUND - What does this mean?

Within fifteen minutes of the round ending, the competitors will come back in the room and hear from their judge what side they voted for and why. They will be able to ask the judge questions. Why is this important? It provides an opportunity for the debaters to adjust their style and case between rounds.

Judge Orientation:

All judge orientation will be online for Cactus Clash.

Debate judges will receive advanced debate training with world renowned coach Miha Andric.

Speech judges will receive .........

Debate Note:

Team Policy and Lincoln Douglas will have 6 rounds with Semi Finals and Finals.
Parliamentary will have 6 rounds with Semi Finals and Finals. Full internet and print resources allowed and outside assistance.

Parent or Chaperone Judges

Each registered competitor needs to have at least one of their own parents judging for them every day of the tournament. Students will need to have their parent physically with them at check in.

Thank you for your assistance to keep our tournament running on time. Please plan on judging every other round. Check with the ballot push table 45-30 minutes before each round to see what the judging needs are for the upcoming round. The Ballot Push Team will be happy to see you!

A special note to local families -- please consider having family/alumni/friends come and judge a round or two. We will have training available online a week before the tournament. An email with a link to the training will be sent to all registered judges.

Dress: All competitors are required to follow the Stoa Dress Code found Here. (Click "Dress Code" under the photo). Students not in compliance with the dress code may be disqualified from competition.

More Information: For questions, please email MarsHillTournaments@gmail.com