2026 Ignite the Spark
TORCH (VA) · Oct 17, 2026
Closed
4:29 AM Eastern
Welcome to Ignite the Spark!
Join us for the premier opening event of our club's tournament Saga.
We are excited to welcome you on Saturday, October 17th, 2026, to a high-quality, debate-only tournament hosted at Capital Baptist Church in Annandale, VA, (Capital Baptist Church, 3504 Gallows Rd, Annandale, VA 22003).
Please note the deadlines below, as they will be strictly enforced to keep our logistics running smoothly:
- Competitor Registration Opens: Friday, September 18, 2026
- Drops Only Phase Begins: Friday, October 02, 2026
- Competitor Registration Closes/ Locks: Friday, Sept. 25, 2026
- After this date, registration is completely locked. Any emergency drops or changes must be requested by emailing the Tournament Director directly at [rsmckennett@gmail.com].
- Meal Pre-Orders Close: Friday, October 09, 2026
Formats Offerd
This is a debate-only tournament. No speech or parliamentary events are available. We are offering:
- Team Policy (TP) Debate
- Lincoln Douglas (LD) Debate
Location & Parking
Capital Baptist Church
3504 Gallows Rd, Annandale, VA 22003
The facility is located easily off the Capital Beltway (I-495) at Exit 51. Ample parking is available on-site
3504 Gallows Rd, Annandale, VA 22003
The facility is located easily off the Capital Beltway (I-495) at Exit 51. Ample parking is available on-site
Rules & Dress Code
- Stoa Alignment: This tournament is modeled directly on Stoa guidelines. Stoa rules for tournament eligibility, time limits, and event structures will be strictly applied.
- Dress Code: Full tournament attire is mandatory for all competitors throughout the day.
Mandatory Parent Judging
To fit multiple preliminary rounds into a tight, one-day schedule, every registered family must provide a parent judge who is trained and ready to judge 3–4 rounds over the course of Saturday. Complimentary food and refreshments will be provided in our Judge Hospitality room to keep you energized!
Meals
Meal pre-orders will close strictly on October 9th. You may order Meals directly on stoa hub. We ask that beacuse of the compressed schdule you either order with the tournament or pack your own lunch. We would appritciate if you didn't leave campus to ensure the tournament doesn't run late.
Sincerly:
The Torchlighter (Tournament Director, Rayel McKennett)
Tournament Events
Team Policy/Lincoln Douglas
- Lincoln Douglas Qual
- Team Policy Qual
Lincoln Douglas
Tournament Timetable
- Community Judge registration will open at 11:25 am Thu 09/10/2026 (Eastern)
- Tournament Status will update to Open at 8:00 am Fri 09/18/2026 (Eastern)
- Tournament Status will update to Closed at 11:58 pm Thu 09/24/2026 (Eastern)
- Tournament Status will update to Drops only at 11:55 pm Fri 10/02/2026 (Eastern)
- Late fee will be applied at 12:00 pm Sat 10/17/2026 (Eastern)
- Community Judge registration will close at 11:55 pm Sat 10/17/2026 (Eastern)
What the statuses mean
- Setup
- The tournament is still being set up.
- Open
- Registration is open — families can register for the tournament.
- Drops Only
- No new entries are allowed, but families can drop existing ones.
- Closed
- Registration is closed — no adds or drops. Contact the tournament director with questions.
- Completed
- The tournament is finished.