State Points Ranking

FFL Varsity State Qualifiers 

The FFL will pilot a new qualifying method for the state tournament. The qualifying method will include 2 ways to qualify for the state tournament. 

Process 1: Member schools may attend their FFL regional qualifier and adhere to the usual qualification process. Each region will be allotted a number of slots based on previous entries as per our FFL Bylaws. 36 spots are still allocated. 

Process 2 (New): Entries attending FFL Sanctioned local competitions during the year may accrue points for final placement. The FFL will invite the top 6-point earners in each event to compete at the FFL Varsity State tournament prior to the FFL Regional Qualifier.  

Points Process:  

1. Tournament Directors will submit the results of their FFL-sanctioned tournament to the VP of Communications within 6 days of the conclusion of their tournament. 

2. The VP of Communications will tally and publish point standings for each event every other week. The last opportunity to earn points will be on January 21, 2024.  

3. Beginning January 22 and no later than January 27, EBoard will send out official invitations to the top 6 entries in each event. Entries must accept their invitation by January 26.  

4. Invitation acceptance means the entry is ineligible for the FFL Regional tournament. (Note: this means entry, not student. For example, if a student is in the top 6 of OO but would like also to attend in INFO, they would go through the Regional Qualifying process) 

5. All State tournament double entry guidelines apply to top 6 invitations. And points accrued in partner events must be the same partners that accept the Top 6 invitation. 

6. If points are earned by a non-member FFL school/entry, the points will be vacated before logging points on the FFL State Point Rankings.  

7. If a student is in the top 6 of more than 2 events, the coach of record will notify by the deadline which entries the student is vacating.  

8. In the event that an entry is vacated before the FFL Regional Qualifier, the EBoard will send an invitation to the next highest-rank entry. 

Points breakdown:  

Single day tournaments have the below tournaments, 2+ day tournaments will double the below points. (For example, a 2-day tournament means that 4th place would be worth 6 instead of 3). 

In the case that events are combined (Dramatic Performance) or Mixed Extemporaneous Speaking, the VP of Communications will reach out to the school to ensure points are allocated correctly.  

Debate (LD, PF, CX, World Schools) 

Non-advancing Octofinals (8): 1 

Non-advancing Quarterfinalists (4): 2 

Non-advancing Semi-Finalists (2): 4 

Finalist, Runner-Up (1): 5 

Finalist, State Champion (1): 6 

Student Congress/Speech 

Non-Advancing Semi-finalists 1 

Non-placing Finalists (6): 1 

6th place (4): 2 

5th place (4): 2 

4th place (4): 3 

3rd place (4): 4 

Finalist, Runner-Up (1): 5 

Finalist, State Champion (1): 6

FFL Sanctioning Tournament Process  

1. Tournament directors may apply to be sanctioned as an FFL tournament, and have points qualify towards standing. They must apply at least 4 weeks prior to their tournament. Once granted as a sanctioned tournament, they do not need to reapply each year.  

2. The EBoard will evaluate applications and vote on what regional tournaments will be sanctioned as an FFL tournament throughout the year. 

3. Criteria to be granted FFL Sanctions 

a. Tournament must have at least 4 rounds in Debate/Speech events and at least 2 rounds in Student Congress.  

b. Tournament must have at least 3 schools in attendance,  

c. The tournament must be open to anyone in Florida to attend/register for. (aka, you cannot have a specific club tournament that bans people from entry if they are not part of a specific club). Round robins, NSDA District tournaments, virtual tournaments, or After School tournaments do not count. CFL tournaments can count if the appropriate policies are followed.  

d. Tournaments must not allow schools to compete against one another or schools judges to judge their own teams.