Judge Recruitment

Clear and consistent communication is essential to successful judge recruitment and tournament management. This lesson explains how to manage the tournament email, phone, and platform communication, along with key time frames and expectations before, during, and after the tournament.

• Communication Methods

• • Through the Tournament Email
    • Check the tournament email account daily and respond promptly to messages, especially as the tournament approaches.
    • Beginning two days before the tournament, check the account every few hours during the day.
    • Once the tournament begins, the account should be monitored continually throughout each day.
  • By Personal Phone
    • Be prepared to respond to judge inquiries by text or phone call.
    • The JRL’s phone number is listed on all recruiting materials and included in all post-registration system emails.
  • On the Platform
    • See Onsite Communication to Registered Judges - Instructions for detailed guidance

• Communication Time Frames

• • As soon as email is assigned
    • If you receive the tournament email login info more than 8 weeks before the tournament, check to see if any judge requests or questions have already been forwarded by the RC.
  • Before & During Tournament
  • Registered Judges
    • Judges may contact the JRL to request changes to their scheduled rounds.
      • These changes can be made in the NCFCA staff dashboard (directions TBD)
      • After making any changes, reply to the judge to confirm that the change has been completed.  
    • Changes or round assignments can only be made after the judge has created an NCFCA account.  
    • Never create an account for a community judge. Each judge must personally complete the required safety acknowledgments during registration. 
  • Debate Finals
    • The JRL will communicate with potential final round judges as well once the panel is confirmed. 
      • See “Organizing Debate Finals” for more details
  • Clubs & Families
    • In the weeks leading up to the tournament, the JRL may need to email club leaders and families to share recruiting updates and reminders.
    • At times, the JRL may need to remove a designated adult from the schedule and send them a notification email. Confirm with your RJRC what the policy is for removing designated adults at your tournament.
  • At least 1 week post-tournament
    • While the NCFCA will send out thank-you emails, you may find emails from judges with encouraging words and/or valuable feedback in the week after the tournament. 
    • Let the RJRC know when you stop monitoring the tournament email.

• Preparation for FAQs

• • The best preparation for answering questions is becoming familiar with the Judge Resources at NCFCA.org/judge.
    • Review both Speech and Debate resources.
    • Study the information in the Tournament Technology Guide to confidently address common inquiries.

• Automatic Communications

• Past judges will receive automated emails beginning up to 6 weeks prior to the tournament.
• When a judge registers, they receive two automated emails from the NCFCA Tournament Portal confirming their registration. You may receive copies of these messages. 
  • This post registration email includes:
    • Rounds they have registered for
    • Instructions on how to access judge resources
    • The JRL’s tournament email address
    • *Please note: The automatic registration email also includes the phone number listed in the JRL’s NCFCA profile. Before recruitment begins, the JRL should verify that this number is correct.
  • The final details email sent an est. 3 days prior to the start of the tournament includes additional information like:
    • Campus map and parking information
    • Reminders to review judging resources