The first time the author of this article went to NSDA Nationals, she got so nervous she forgot to drink water and promptly got heat exhaustion from the Arizona sun. This, shockingly, was avoidable. The main challenge of NSDA isn’t the tournament itself, but rather how imposing it can feel to first-timers and returning competitors alike. What follows is (sometimes literally) a comprehensive NSDA survival guide.
What to Expect
For a finalist, NSDA is a 13-round tournament spread out over 4 days of competition and 5 days total. Within this framework, there are a few things that make NSDA unique: finalists get Thursday off to prepare for finals on Friday, there are 6 prelims, and all elimination rounds are double. For example, if a competitor advances to octafinals, they compete in two octas rounds before the next set of breaks. What makes NSDA extra unique is that it may really be the strictest tournament on the circuit. Flows are not allowed outside of the prep room (they will check you at the door), and charging isn’t either. Be prepared to be on your best behavior. The first 4 prelims are on Monday, the second two and octas are on Tuesday and quarters and semis are on Thursday. The break is usually about 260 to 60, and the entire tournament is cumulative.
Tips and Tricks
Above all else, NSDA is a marathon and not a sprint, which can be an unfamiliar experience for new competitors. Even if you drop in prelims, you will still have 2 back to back 7 am days. For the most successful competitors, that means 3 back to back days of 4 rounds. Beyond that, the rounds are fairly close together. This means one of the most important skills you can practice for NSDA is stamina. Starting ahead of time, practice giving a few speeches a day several days in a row. This can stave off the exhaustion that ultimately comes for most extempers. Beyond that, because of the sheer amount of questions NSDA has to write and how far ahead of time they write them, the questions are often wide ranging and broad. Prep for everything.
Most importantly, have fun. The NSDA expends a huge amount of time and effort on making NSDA Nationals feel like a big, important deal. Go to the expo on Sunday. Walk around Richmond. Watch a final you wouldn’t otherwise watch. NSDA is as much an experience as it is a tournament. Don’t be afraid to take advantage of the best of both worlds.