Tournament

TOURNAMENT DETAILS

IMPORTANT DATES

• Coaches Meeting: TBA
• School Registration Deadline: TBA
• Tournament Team Registration Deadline: TBA
• Tournament Team Composition Deadline: TBA
• Tournament: TBA

SCHOOL REQUIREMENTS/ REGISTRATION

• Schools may send multiple teams depending on registration numbers and director approval, regardless of division, to the Area-Wide Tournament.
• All teams must have a Coach and a school staff member (Team Administrator) who oversees and administers the club (this may be the same person).
• The Team Administrator and/ or the Coach must attend a SALT Coaches Meeting.(see important dates section)
• The Team Administrator must complete and return the School Registration. (see important dates section)
• The Team Administrator must complete and return the Team Registration. (see important dates section)
• The Team Administrator, Coach, and Team Members must sign and return the Team Contract acknowledging they have read the Policy Handbook with their team and are aware of the rules and expectations. This is due with the Team Registration. (see important dates section)

GRADE DIVISIONS

• Teams will compete in the Grade Division determined by the student in the highest grade level participating on the team. 3rd and 4th graders may participate on a 5th-6th Grade Division team, but 5th and 6th graders may NOT participate on a 3rd-4th Grade Division team.
• 3rd-4th Grade Division will be questioned over 12 books.
• 5th-6th Grade Division will be questioned over 16 books.

TEAM FORMATION

• The students must be in grades 3-6 for the current school year.
• The team may be made up of five team members. The team may have less than five team members but not more.
• Cut-off date for team member changes TBA. (see important dates section)

CONTENT OF TOURNAMENT QUESTIONS

• All Divisions will have 18 questions per round of competition (8 In Which Book, 8 Content, and 2 Bible).
• Multiple questions may be asked about some books while others may not be asked about at all.
• Questions may address any information given in the content of the book, but not any preface, forward, synopsis or appendix.
• The questions may address the name of any illustrator.
• Spokespersons must make every effort to pronounce the name of the authors correctly. The answer, including the name of an author, will be considered correct as long as the Moderator can discern that the name could possibly be pronounced in that way.

SCHOOL COMPETITION

• Teams must participate in some version of a School Competition before the Area-Wide Tournament in the spring (see important dates section). We realize some schools may need to be creative to accomplish this as they will only have one team in each division.
• School Competition date, time, and location will be determined at the school level.
• Any number of teams may participate at the School Competition level.
• It is not mandatory for the School Competition to have an audience, but it is recommended.
• Tournament Rules and Procedures will apply at the School Competition level.
• School Competition questions will NOT be provided.
• Moderator training will be provided upon request.

TOURNAMENT RULES AND PROCEDURES

• Use of electronics during a round of competition are not permitted. No videotaping of competition is allowed except by SALT for instructional and/or promotional purposes.
• Title/ author lists and/or notes of any kind or not allowed in the competition rooms.
• Competition begins with round-robin play. Two teams compete during a single round of competition. Top scoring teams move into single-elimination rounds. Each team is guaranteed 3 rounds of competition.
• One team member will act as an alternate during each round of competition. The Alternate may change between rounds but not during a round. The Alternates for each team will sit by the Moderator in front of the opposing team, to assist the Moderator, if requested. They are not to give any verbal or non-verbal clues to their teammates during competition or their team will forfeit any points for that question.
• Coaches will sit by the Moderator in front of the opposing team to help manage audience/ team behavior and provide assistance to the Moderator if requested.
• The Moderator will review the Rules and Procedures with the teams and audience before the competition begins and any questions will be answered at that time.
• The winning team of a game of chance will decide if they want to go first or second. The team that goes first will be given the first opportunity to answer odd-numbered questions, the team that goes second will be given the first opportunity to answer even-numbered questions.
• There will be one Spokesperson per team per round of competition. The Spokesperson may change between rounds but not during a round. The Spokesperson will be identified as such before a round of competition begins. If a team member other than the Spokesperson answers, the team will forfeit any points for that question.
• In Which Book questions are 1-8, Content questions are 9-16 and Bible questions are 17-18.
• In Which Book questions are read first and are worth 5 points. In Which Book questions will be scored with 3 points for the first correct answer (title OR author) and 2 points for the second correct answer given. Book titles and authors must be stated as provided in the SALT reading list. When a book is part of a series, the series name does NOT have to be provided, if provided it must be correct or points will not be awarded for a correct answer. Content and Bible questions are worth 5 points. Two-part questions will be scored with 3 points for the first correct answer and 2 points for the second correct answer given. Partial scores are only given for designated two-part questions.
• The Moderator will preface questions with the name of the team it is directed to: Team 1 or Team 2. If the wrong team answers the question, the answer will be ignored, and the correct team given the opportunity to respond within the time limits. If a question is being read and a team member interrupts the Moderator, the Spokesperson must answer the question immediately.
• Teams have 15 seconds after the question is read to discuss the answer (both teams may use this time to quietly discuss). Once time is called, discussion must end immediately, and the Spokesperson must begin their answer. If discussion continues, or the Spokesperson does not immediately begin their answer the team will forfeit any points for that question.
• A team may request a repeat of the question, but it will take place during their 15 second discussion time. It does not restart or delay the 15 second discussion time.
• Only the first answer given by the Spokesperson is accepted, they are not allowed to modify their answer or use their remaining time to guess again.
• An answer is considered correct, even if pronounced incorrectly, as long as the Moderator can discern what was intended.
• If a team answers a question incorrectly, the question is repeated in its entirety to the second team with another 15 seconds to discuss. If the first team to answer a question has scored partial points, the correct portion of the answer will be confirmed before giving the question to the second team. The second team can only score the points not credited to the first team. If the second team does not get the answer correct the question does NOT pass back to the first team. In the event neither team answers correctly, the Moderator will provide the correct answer.
• Regardless of who scored on the previous question, odd numbered questions will be read to team number one and even numbered questions will be read to team number two.
• If the Moderator makes a mistake while reading the question (such as giving the answer or providing a clue to the answer), the question is to be thrown out and replaced. If the Moderator’s error was made while presenting the question to an acquiring team the new question must be read to the team that received the question first.
• The Moderator should decide whether an answer given is correct based on the response given. It is at the Moderator’s discretion to ask for clarification. This should be done without prompting the Spokesperson toward a correct response or asking for additional information.
• The Moderator may ask the Alternates and/ or Coaches for input on their interpretation of the answer given to any question.
• It is ultimately up to the Moderator’s discretion whether an answer is to be considered correct. The Moderator may NOT break a one-part question into a two-part question.
• Teams are allowed to challenge one question per round of competition. The challenge must be for a question the challenging team was asked and answered incorrectly. Challenges must be issued immediately after the team is told their answer was incorrect and the following guidelines are to be followed:

1. The Moderator will make note of the answer given.
2. If both teams have not yet had a chance to answer the question, they will be allowed to at this time following the Rules and Procedures. The Moderator will make note of the second team’s answer but not address whether it is correct or incorrect.
3. The Moderator will provide the challenging team with both copies of the appropriate book provided by the Coaches.
4. The Moderator will read the question in its entirety before time begins.
5. The Moderator will NOT provide the page number as given on the question card.
6. The team has 2 minutes to find the appropriate passage in the book to confirm their answer is correct.
7. The other team, Coaches and audience are to remain quiet during the challenge.
8. The Timekeeper will announce the end of the two-minute time period and discussion must end immediately.
9. The challenging team’s Spokesperson will show the Moderator the wording that supports their answer. A short explanation may be given by the Spokesperson.
10. The Moderator, with the aid of the Alternates and/ or Coaches if requested, will determine if the challenge was successful.
11. If the challenge was successful, the challenging team will receive the points and the other team’s answer is disregarded.
12. If the challenge was unsuccessful, the Moderator will return to the other team’s answer and advise whether it was correct or incorrect and points awarded if necessary.

• At the round-robin level of competition, a tie will stand. In single elimination rounds a tie breaker round will be used to determine the winner. A tie breaker follows the Tournament Rules and Procedures, with two In Which Book questions, two Content questions and two Bible questions. If the teams are still tied at the end of the six questions, the process is repeated until a winner is determined.
• Once a round of competition is completed the score will be tallied, and the winner announced. Spokespersons from both teams must sign the score sheet that is submitted to the SALT Director.

CODE OF CONDUCT

Colossians 3:23-24 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

• All team members, parents, Coaches, Team Administrators, volunteers, and spectators must behave in a Christ-like manner and show respect toward others at all times.
• Team members must be responsible for themselves and to their team.

1. Be respectful.
2. Practice good sportsmanship.
3. Follow any timelines set forth by your Coach for reading and/or writing practice questions.

DIRECTOR RIGHTS

• In the event of an unforeseen issue not specifically addressed in the Policy Handbook, the Director will be called to make a determination.
• The Director has the authority to disqualify a team in the event of unsportsmanlike conduct or other extenuating circumstances.