National Catholic Forensic League

Last updated
National Catholic Forensic League
Company type Non Profit Organization
Founded1951
Key people
Susan Peebles President
Ann Marie Duffy, First Vice President
Thomas Beck, Second Vice President
Michael Colletti, Executive Secretary – Treasurer
Katy Cecil, Publicity Director / Recording Secretary
Roland Burdett, National Tournament Director
Website http://ncfl.org

The National Catholic Forensic League (NCFL) is a speech and debate league that was formed in 1951. It is organized into regions that correspond to Roman Catholic dioceses. Member schools include both public and parochial high schools. The NCFL recruits member schools in both the United States and Canada. As of January, 2011, there were 65 active dioceses with NCFL leagues. The IRS recognizes the NCFL as an organization eligible to receive tax-deductible charitable donations. [1]

Contents

The NCFL sponsors the Grand National Speech and Debate Tournament held each year over Memorial Day weekend. It offers an array of events similar, but not identical, to those of the National Speech and Debate Association.

NCFL Tournament

Due to the Coronavirus, the organisation was forced to not host their national tournament. This was incredibly historic as it was the first time in history the NCFL was unable to do so. After virtually hosting the tournament online in 2021, normal operation procedures followed in the time since then, as of March 2024. [2]

Events

National tournament sites

National tournament director

Past National Tournament Directors

DirectorYears
Br. Rene Sterner, F.S.C.1972–1992
James Lyness

Loyola School

New York, New York

1992–2002
Ron Steinhorst

New London High School

New London, Wisconsin

2002–2006
Roland Burdett

Washington Arlington Catholic Forensic League

Arlington, Virginia

2006–present

Past NCFL National Champions

Congressional Debate

  • 1992 — J. Matthew Knight, Lake Highland Preparatory School, FL
  • 1994 — Chris Dorworth, Colonial High School, FL
  • 1995 – Bill Gallagher, Xavier High School, NY
  • 1996 – Duarte Gerladino, Brooklyn Technical High School, NY
  • 1997 – Sean Carmody, Pleasantville High School, NY
  • 1998 – Seth Green, Taravella High School, FL
  • 1999 – Matt Brennan, Iona Preparatory, NY
  • 2000 – Ian Amelkin, Stoneman Douglas High School
  • 2001 – Matt Spritz, Nova High School, FL
  • 2002 – Scott Jacobsin, Nova High School, FL
  • 2003 – Daniel Chapanian, Shrewsbury High School, MA
  • 2004 – Matt Turetzky, Nova High School, FL
  • 2005 – Results unavailable[ why? ]
  • 2006 – Colin Outerbridge, Trinity Preparatory, FL
  • 2007 – Sundeep Iyer, Ridge High School, NJ
  • 2008 – Ben Berkman, Nova High School
  • 2009 – Harlan Downs Tepper, Stuyvesant High School, NY
  • 2010 – Alex Smyk, Ridge High School, NJ
  • 2011 – Morgan Baskin, American Heritage, FL
  • 2012 – Results unavailable[ why? ]
  • 2013 – Michael Cervino, Ridge High School, NJ
  • 2014 – Nic Gerard, Shrewsbury High School, MA
  • 2015 – Carla Troconis, East Chapel Hill, NC
  • 2016 - Katherine Klienle, Ridge High School, NJ
  • 2017 - Muhammad Naeen, Western High School, FL
  • 2018 - Gabrielle Cabeza, Western High School, FL
  • 2019 - Nathan Felmus, Bronx High School of Science, NY
  • 2021 - Olivia Pasquerella, Loyola School, NY
  • 2022 - Ben Bressette, Broad Run High School, VA
  • 2023 - Kadin Collier, Oak Grove High School, MS

Lincoln-Douglas Debate

  • 1988 – Lisa Nass, Miami Beach High School, Miami Beach, FL
  • 1989 – David Kennedy, Regis High School, New York, NY
  • 1990 – Jeremi Suri, Stuyvesant High School, New York, NY
  • 1991 – Mark Wunderlich, Walter Johnson High School, Bethesda, MD
  • 1992 – Jerry Vildostegui, Miami Beach High School, Miami Beach, FL
  • 1993 – Christopher J. Regan, Bishop Kearney High School, Irondequoit, NY
  • 1994 – Elizabeth Rogers, Shenendehowa High School, Clifton Park, NY
  • 1995 – Derek D. Smith, Winston Churchill High School, Potomac, MD
  • 1996 – Randall Martinez, Christopher Columbus High School, Miami, Florida
  • 1997 – Mac Hawkins, Lagrange High School, Lake Charles, LA
  • 1998 – Chetan Hertzig, Lexington High School, Lexington, MA
  • 1999 – Elizabeth O'Connor, Hunter College High School, New York, NY
  • 2000 – Kevin Farrell, Elk Grove High School, Chicago, Illinois
  • 2001 – Benjamin Rothstein, Milton Academy, Boston, MA
  • 2002 – Duncan Cooper, St. John’s Preparatory School, Boston, MA
  • 2003 – Nina Thanawala, Ridge High School, Basking Ridge, NJ
  • 2004 – Tara Tedrow, Celebration High School, Orlando, FL
  • 2005 – Tara Tedrow, Celebration High School, Orlando, FL
  • 2006 – Caitlin Halpern, W.T. Woodson High School, Arlington, VA
  • 2007 – Ryan Zehner, Saint Joseph's Preparatory School, Philadelphia, PA
  • 2008 – Ellen Noble, Walt Whitman High School, Bethesda, MD
  • 2009 – Karlyn Gorski, Perkioman Valley High School, Philadelphia, PA
  • 2010 – Stephanie Franklin, Walt Whitman High School, Bethesda, MD
  • 2011 – Allison Douglis, Ridge High School, Basking Ridge, NJ
  • 2012 – Katelyn Sheehan, Lake Braddock Secondary School, Arlington, VA
  • 2013 – Austin Cohen, Elk Lake High School, Dimock, PA
  • 2014 – Danny DeBois, Harrison High School, Harrison, NY
  • 2015 – Joey Schnide, Evanston Township High School, Evanston, IL
  • 2016 – Nicole Kastelic, Hawken School, Gates Mills, OH
  • 2017 – Maya Arora, Cape Fear Academy, Wilmington, NC
  • 2018 – Eva Lamberson, Canfield High School, Canfield, OH
  • 2019 – Maya Arora, Cape Fear Academy, Wilmington, NC
  • 2021 – Elias Altman, Myers Park High School, Charlotte, NC
  • 2022 – Ryan Si, Hawken School, Gates Mills, OH
  • 2023 – Robert Liu, Durham Academy, Durham, NC

Public Forum Debate

Policy Debate

See also

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References

  1. "Exempt Organizations Select Check" . Retrieved 2015-07-27.
  2. "Welcome to NCFL". www.ncfl.org. Retrieved 2020-03-23.