ChairAdministrative Responsibilities

In addition to judging, the Chair is responsible for monitoring the wellbeing of everyone in the room and ensuring all rules are followed.

• Time Management (WSDC guidance): Enforce prep and speech times equitably. If a substantive speech exceeds 8:15, the Chair must visibly stop flowing and clap twice. At 8:30, they verbally interrupt, and if ignored, clap continuously until the speaker stops. These are WSDC substantive-speech thresholds, not BP timings.
• Conduct (WSDC guidance): Dissuade and penalise any communication (verbal or non-verbal) by a speaker with their coach or non-speaking team members during a speech, as it is an equity violation.