A Contest Planning Conference Call:
Wednesday February 8th and Thursday February 9th between 9:00 - 10:00 PM.
• Dial-in Number: (319) 632-1100 • Access code: 307102#

The Agenda

  1. Roles and Responsibilities for Area/Division Contests
    • Contest Chair (can be same as Contestmaster or Chief Judge)
      • Arrange time/location of contest and refreshments
      • Publish agenda (do not list speech title or club/area affiliation of speakers)
      • Procure necessary materials from attached list.
      • After contest deliver contestant forms to the Chief Judge at next level
    • Contestmaster (cannot be same as Chief Judge)
      • Brief Contestants (with Chief Judge)
      • Draw for Speaking Order
      • Coordinate speaker props/special needs/timing
      • Preside over Contest
      • Interview Contestants
      • Fill out Participation forms in advance
      • Announce Winners
    • Chief Judge
      • Appoint and brief Judges and Tie-Breaking Judge
      • Appoint and brief Counters/Timers
      • Brief Contestants (with Contestmaster)
      • Verify eligibility/originality forms
      • Explain rules at start of contest
      • Verify counting/timing/ballot-collection at end of contest
      • Deliver Announcement-of-Winners form to Contestmaster
      • Fill out Winner/Runner-up Certificates
      • Supervise resolution of all disputes and protests
  2. Materials and Equipment Required to Conduct a Quality Contest
    • Speech Contest Rulebook
    • Speech Contest Manual
    • Speakerís Certification of Eligibility and Originality, for each contestant
    • Speech Contestant Biographical Information, for each contestant
    • Speech Contest Time Record Sheet and Instructions for Timers
    • Counter's Tally Sheet
    • Contest Results Form
    • Notification of Contest Winner
    • Judge's Guide and Ballot for each judge
    • Tie breaking Judgeís Guide and Ballot
    • Certificates of Participation, for each contestant
    • Certificates for First, Second and Third Place winners
    • Equipment in good working order:
      • Timing lights
      • Stop watch
      • Lectern
      • Gavel
      • Colored timing cards
    • Numbered lots for drawing speaking order of contestants
    • Trophies for winners (optional)
    • Pen for marking names on certificates
  3. Contest Tips for Area/Division Governors
    The rules aren't that hard to follow. The most important thing is to KEEP THE CONTEST FAIR! In order to do that, follow these tips:
    1. When a contestant is late:
      • Before the contest, draw a position for every contestant, whether they are present or not. When they show up, they will take that position, whether itís first, last or in the middle. However, when the Contestmaster officially starts the contest, anyone not yet present is disqualified.
      • If all of your International contestants are present, but one of your Tall Tales contestants haven't shown up, you may conduct the International contest first, even if you had planned to do Tall Tales first. Discuss this at the briefing.
    2. Choose your judges fairly:
      • Get two judges from each club who is fielding a contestant. If you can't, use one per club, along with judges from other clubs and visiting dignitaries. Make one of them the tie-breaking judge.
      • Choose judges who have been in Toastmasters at least 5 months and have judged at the club level, if at all possible. Otherwise, give them a special detailed briefing.
      • Instruct your counters to check that all ballots are signed as they pick them up. If not signed, give them back immediately to be signed. If an unsigned ballot is brought into the counting room, it must be discarded.
    3. Keep the timing fair:
      • Your second timer should not only keep time; he/she should also make sure your first timer turns the flags/lights/cards as required. At the club level, the Chief Judge can act as the second timer and second counter, if necessary.
    4. Do those interviews:
      • Always do the interviews, even at the club level. Explain why we interview contestants after contest, and how we keep them anonymous before the contest.
      • Do all your interviews (and all your counting) after both contests. Some people are in both contests, so they can't be interviewed halfway through the evening.
    5. Allow people plenty of time to eat and socialize before the contests begin. Keep the break between the contests short (10 minutes).
  4. "No one in my club wants to do a contest!"
    That is, except you. You know that contests bring out the best in everyone. Excellence But how are you going to conduct a contest with one person? The deadline for club contests is in 20 days. Your meeting is tomorrow night. To be attended by the same seven faithful. And you.
    Let's see, you need judges, contestants, a Tiebreaking Judge, two Counters, two Timers, a Chief Judge, Contestmaster, Contest Chair. . .
    Okay, you're the Contest Chair and Chief Judge. . .
    Who in your club has given good speeches recently? International ones? Heck, most good speeches have some humor in them, along with a range of emotions. That's why they're good speeches. Ask at least two people to take their last good speech and polish it up for the International Speech contest. Whether or not they agree, announce the contest at the next meeting; everyone gets a chance to compete, if they want.
    Now you've got two or three willing contestants. The hard part is over. Your newest member can be timer/counter. Yes, the counter job begins when the timer job ends. You can be the second. But use your own timing sheet and counting sheet.
    Everyone else is a judge or tiebreaking judge. Except for one member, who's been Toastmaster of the meeting four times. She's your Contestmaster. How does she know what to do? Give her a script. The Contestmaster doesn't need to improvise, except on the interviews (Yes, you should conduct interviews). See the sample script below.
    About the Tall Tales Contest. Get two or three entrants for that too. They don't have to be the same as your International contestants. Someone can judge one contest and compete in another.
    All the forms you need are in your Contest Planning Guide (from TLI) or contact me at jtg145@yahoo.com. Except for certificates. Have someone make some up with Powerpoint and Clipart. Or something like that.

Sample Contestmaster Script

Good evening, Fellow Toastmasters and Distinguished Guests, Welcome to the Cedar Hill Toastmasters Spring Contest.

We have two contests tonight: the Tall Tales Contest and the International Speech contest. We will start the International Speech Contest immediately after the Tall Tales Contest. Here to explain the rules of the Tall Tales Contest is our Chief Judge Joel Garcia.

The order of the contestants has been selected in advance and reads as follows: ______________, _______________, _____________, ____________.

Our first contestant tonight _________________ Speech entitled ________________________________ (Repeat Speech Title) (Repeat Contestant Name) (After speech): Could we have a minute of silence for the judges to fill out their ballots? (After one minute) Do any of our judges need more time? (wait until all judges have finished)

Our next contestant _________________ Speech entitled ________________________________ (Repeat Speech Title) (Repeat Contestant Name)

Our next contestant _________________ Speech entitled ________________________________ (Repeat Speech Title) (Repeat Contestant Name)

(And so on. . . ) (After last speech): Could we have a minute of silence for the judges to fill out their ballots? (After one minute) Would the judges please tear off the bottom portion of their ballots, sign them, and hold them up for the counters? Thank you.

We will now continue with the International Speech Contest. Here to explain the rules is our Chief Judge, Joel Garcia.

Our first contestant tonight _________________ Speech entitled ________________________________ (Repeat Speech Title) (Repeat Contestant Name) (After speech): Could we have a minute of silence for the judges to fill out their ballots? (After one minute) Do any of our judges need more time? (wait until all judges have finished)

Our next contestant _________________ Speech entitled ________________________________ (Repeat Speech Title) (Repeat Contestant Name) Our next contestant _________________ Speech entitled ________________________________ (Repeat Speech Title) (Repeat Contestant Name)

(After last speech): Could we have a minute of silence for the judges to fill out their ballots? (After one minute) Would the judges please tear off the bottom portion of their ballots, sign them, and hold them up for the counters?

Now that the contests are over, letÌs take some time to meet the contestants. Our first contestant _____________________________ What club are you from? How did you come up with your speech topic? (Whatever other questions you wish, for one to two minutes)

(After all the interviews are done) I'd now like to bring up the Chief Judge with the Contest Results.

Our Runner-Up in the Tall Tales Contest____________________________
The Winner of the Tall Tales Contest _______________________________

Our Runner-Up in the International Speech Contest__________________________
The Winner of the International Speech Contest _____________________________

The Area Contest will be on _________________ in ________. Please pick up a flyer and directions. Thank you and good night.

Contact the Chief Judge, Joel Garcia < jtg145 (at) yahoo (dot) com >
or LGET John Lynch < johnl53 (at) cox (dot) net >