September 21st, 2024 | Grayslake North High School

ICDA's first tournament of the year, hosted by Grayslake North High School, offers multiple opportunities for novice debaters and new judges to prepare for the upcoming season.

Besides the actual varsity tournament, ICDA 1 also hosts the organization's annual novice workshop. This workshop, which only novice debaters participate in, teaches them the fundamentals of Congressional Debate and how chambers operate. They receive important instructions and recommendations from judges, learn about motions and other procedures used during debate, and observe an actual varsity chamber debate during the first session.

During the second and third sessions, novice debaters are allowed the opportunity to actually debate. These two sessions are not unlike their varsity counterparts, the only major difference being that they are presided over by volunteer varsity debaters rather than elected presiding officers.

This tournament also hosts a training session for new judges and the first captain's meeting, during which the captain of captains is elected.