The National Catholic Forensic League (NCFL) is a nonprofit speech and debate league that was formed in 1951. It is organized into regions that correspond to Latin 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 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 organization 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.

Richard Gaudette Service Award The Richard Gaudette Service Award was established in 2008 in honor of the NCFL's Executive Secretary and Treasurer of 24 years. The principle which guides this award is service.

​The individual/group nominated must be or have been a member of the NCFL who promoted service as well as "leadership through speech" at either a local, state or national level. The committee of seven which determines the award's recipient will be made up of the NCFL First Vice President and 6 others selected by the NCFL President. Nominations will be accepted until January 10, with the award/s being presented at the NCFL Grand National Tournament Award Ceremony.

Past recipients include: 2025

CRAWFORD LEAVOY & ANGELIQUE RONALD

Equity Advocates2024 - Champion Host Award

​MICHAEL & BERNADETTE COLLETTI

Archdiocese of Chicago2024

ROBERTA HYLAND

​Diocese of Washington

2023

SARAH DONNELLY

​Diocese of Worcester2021

CHRIS PALMER

​Archdiocese of Boston2021

CHARLES SLOAT

​Archdiocese of New York

2019

STEVE SEXTON

Archdiocese of Milwaukee2018

CATHERINE LUHR

Diocese of Buffalo2017

KATY CECIL

with Garland & Ruth Blair

Archdiocese of Louisville

2017

KIM MATHER

with Garland & Ruth Blair

Archdiocese of Louisville2016

"GRANDMA" JULIA STANZIONE

Archdiocese of New York2015

MICHAEL NAILOR

Diocese of Scranton

2014

MICHAEL COLLETTI

Archdiocese of Chicago2013

BARBARA FONTENOT

Archdiocese of New Orleans2013

R. SCOTT WALDROP

Diocese of Biloxi

2012

BROTHER GEORGE ZEHNLE

Diocese of Rockville Center2011

DEBBIE SIMON

Archdiocese of Boston2010

ROLAND BURDETT, III

Diocese of Arlington

2009

RON STEINHORST

Diocese of Green Bay2009

BROTHER RENE STERNER

​Archdiocese of Philadelphia2008

RICHARD GAUDETTE

Diocese of Worcester

Events Dramatic Performance – A ten-minute memorized performance of a dramatic or humorous selection of literature. Duo Interpretation of Literature – A ten-minute memorized performance of a dialogue, story, or script by two performers, who are required to maintain off-stage focus and to not look at or touch each other. Oral Interpretation of Literature – A ten-minute reading event, alternating between Prose and Poetry each round. Extemporaneous Speaking – A seven-minute analytical / persuasive speech on a question of current events, given with only 30 minutes' prior notice. Oratorical Declamation – A ten-minute memorized performance of a historical speech, commencement address or former competition speech to be delivered as if it were the speaker's own address. Limited to freshmen and sophomores. Original Oratory – A ten-minute memorized original speech delivered to inspire or persuade the audience. Lincoln-Douglas Debate – 1v1 Value debate on a topic chosen by the NCFL specifically for the Grand National Tournament. Four Minutes of preparation time is allotted to each debater per debate. The focus of the debate is on the philosophical ramifications of affirming or negating the resolution. Policy Debate – Two-person, switch-side, cross-examination debate, with five minutes of preparation time per team, on the national topic. Public Forum Debate – A team event that advocates or rejects a position posed by the resolution. The focus of the debate is a clash of ideas in a persuasive manner that can be understood by a "lay" judge. Side and speaking order are assigned to each team every round in order to ensure students have the opportunity to debate both sides of a topic. Student Congress – Mock legislative sessions where students debate bills and resolutions submitted by schools from participating dioceses.

National tournament sites

1952 Brooklyn, New York 1953 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 1954 Cleveland, Ohio 1955 Brooklyn, New York 1956 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 1957 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1958 Chicago, Illinois 1959 Washington, District of Columbia 1960 New York, New York 1961 Baltimore, Maryland 1962 Miami, Florida 1963 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 1964 Denver, Colorado 1965 Brooklyn, New York 1966 Miami, Florida 1967 Camden, New Jersey 1968 Chicago, Illinois 1969 Washington, District of Columbia 1970 Miami, Florida 1971 New Orleans, Louisiana 1972 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 1973 Chicago, Illinois 1974 New Orleans, Louisiana 1975 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1976 Detroit, Michigan 1977 Milwaukee, Wisconsin 1978 Washington, District of Columbia 1979 Milwaukee, Wisconsin 1980 Boston/Worcester, Massachusetts 1981 New York, New York 1982 Detroit, Michigan 1983 Chicago, Illinois 1984 Cincinnati, Ohio 1985 Miami, Florida 1986 Baltimore, Maryland 1987 Buffalo, New York 1988 New Orleans, Louisiana 1989 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1990 Chicago, Illinois 1991 New York City, New York 1992 Arlington, Virginia 1993 Boca Raton, Florida 1994 Oshkosh, Wisconsin 1995 Chicago, Illinois 1996 Topeka, Kansas 1997 Baltimore, Maryland 1998 Detroit, Michigan 1999 Chicago, Illinois 2000 Rochester, New York 2001 New York City, New York 2002 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 2003 Arlington, Virginia 2004 Boston, Massachusetts 2005 Milwaukee, Wisconsin 2006 Chicago, Illinois 2007 Houston, Texas 2008 Appleton, Wisconsin 2009 Albany, New York 2010 Omaha, Nebraska 2011 Washington, D.C. 2012 Baltimore, Maryland 2013 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 2014 Chicago, Illinois 2015 Fort Lauderdale, Florida 2016 Sacramento, California 2017 Louisville, Kentucky 2018 Washington, D.C. 2019 Milwaukee, Wisconsin 2020 Chicago, Illinois 2021 Online 2022 Washington, D.C. 2023 Louisville, Kentucky 2024 Chicago, Illinois 2025 Chicago, Illinois 2026 Washington, D.C. 2027 Minneapolis, Minnesota 2028 Lafayette, Louisiana

National tournament director Past National Tournament Directors DirectorYearsBr. Rene Sterner, F.S.C.1972–1992James Lyness Loyola School

New York, New York1992–2002Ron Steinhorst New London High School

New London, Wisconsin2002–2006Roland Burdett Washington Arlington Catholic Forensic League

Arlington, Virginia2006–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 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 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 2024 — Rhys Adams, Milton Academy, MA 2025 — Solomon Naraine, Rockhurst High School, MO 2026 — Akram Younis, Suncoast Community High School, FL

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 2024 – Anthony Scarmozzino, Chaminade High School, Mineola, NY 2025 – Noah Arthur, Concord-Carlisle High School, Concord, MA 2026 – Brooke Gemechu, Hawken School, Gates Mills, OH

Public Forum Debate 2007 – Dennis Howe and Robert Wyllie, Regis High School, New York, NY 2008- Jonathan Freidman and Jeanine Sinan-Singh, Trinity Preparatory School, Florida 2009 – Danny Welch and Will Miller, Lake Highland Preparatory School, Orlando, Florida 2010 – Bud Peters and Thomas Pigott 2011 – Brian Grumka and Thomas Pigott 2012 - Kyle Newman and Michael Adams, Pinecrest HS, North Carolina 2013 – Cameron Silvergate and Ethan Goldstein 2014 – Tim Perevozchikov and Zach Kirsch, Hawken School, Ohio 2015 – Ben Kessler and Jakob Urda, Stuyvesant HS, New York 2016 - Eitan Ezra and Harrison Hurt, Poly Prep Country Day School, New York City, NY 2017 - Atticus Nelson and Silas Nelson, DeSoto Central High School, Southaven, MS 2018 - Alyson Brusie and Robert Linck, Oxbridge Academy of the Palm Beaches, West Palm Beach, FL 2021 - William Pan and Arvindh Manian, Providence High School, Charlotte NC 2022 - Alex Huang and Michael Hansen, Durham Academy, Durham, NC