How To Organize A Club Contest

How to
Organize a Club Contest

(and not lose your mind or your cool!)
Confidently Speaking Toastmasters

Club 5456
About this Guide

One of us wanted to do a High Performance Leadership (HPL) project. Thus a
spark of an idea was born. Name the Contest position, and at least one of us had
done it. Many times over. Some of us even got pretty good at it. Eureka! Lets
develop a guide for others to use. It would incorporate all of our collective
wisdom. It would guide the reader through the entire process. It would be
chock-o-block full of the lessons we learned along the way. And prior to final
release, would be tested and followed, to ensure it all makes sense and works.
And that, gentle reader, is how this guide came to be. We have one single
purpose: to help you be successful and stress free in organizing your Club
Contest. Seven of us have put our thoughts to paper. We have tried to keep this
an easy and light read. Throughout, we have sprinkled all the tips and tricks we
used.
We must impress upon you two huge caveats. First, this document is not an
official Toastmasters publication. Nothing in here has been sanctioned by
Toastmasters International. Second, Toastmasters around the world are a
generous bunch. Over the years, we have freely pulled information from several
clubs and many web-sites and amended it all to suit our own purpose. In
compiling this guide, we culled our personal files. We hope that if Toastmasters
see their own words or ideas reflected on these pages, they will be flattered and
completely understand how we found ourselves in the awkward position of not
being able to cite the original source.
This guide will help you step by step through the entire process. It is arranged in
two parts. The first part is everything YOU need to know about organizing the
Contest. It starts with showing you how to get the message out and find the
players. Then it outlines for you how to determine what needs to be done and
when. Finally, it guides you in pulling it all together. The second part is
Appendices highlighting the major roles and functions. Contained therein are
handy tips, sample scripts and sections on protocols and forms. We suggest you
read this cover to cover to familiarize yourself with the entire process. Give a
copy of the appropriate appendix to your Support Team members. And then
concentrate your own efforts on the first section only.
Each year, Toastmasters International releases a new rule book. Generally there
are no changes, but every once in a while, adjustments are made. We used the
2012 rule book. For your own Contest, kindly review the latest rule book just in
case changes were made.
We, the authors, have all been there, done that and got the Contest t-shirt
many, many times over. We want you to learn from our mistakes! Relax and
enjoy the experience. Use our collective wisdom. Then when your Contest is
finally over, please add your own notes and wisdom for your next Club Contest
Organizer.
Ryan Belluz, Al Brown, Rebecca Castelino, Doug Downey,

Charlene Norman, Brian Patton, and Anne Varghese
October 24, 2012
How to Organize a Club Contest

(and not lose your mind or your cool!)
Table of Contents
Congratulations!
First things First
Gathering Your Support Team
Coordinating, Timing & Deadlines
Planning, Preparing & Publishing the Program
Contest Day: Your SOS Tool Kit
When Murphy Strikes
Page
1
2
3-5
6-9
10 - 14
15 - 17
18 - 21
Appendices
A
The Chair
B
The Sergeant-at-Arms
C
The Chief Judge
D
The Timers
E
The Ballot Counters
F
Protocol for Introducing Dignitaries
G
The Forms
1 - 12
13 - 17
18 - 30
31 - 32
33 - 34
35 - 36
37 - 38
NOTE: This may look intimidating but it really isnt. As the Organizer, concentrate on pages 1
through 21 and the Forms Appendix. The rest of the appendices are for your Support Team.
Congratulations!
You are the Contest Organizer! Whether you volunteered or were voluntold, this is a fabulous opportunity to organize and run one of the key events in a
Toastmasters year. You are going to learn so much!
Organizing a Contest is actually very easy to do. The majority of your time will be
spent in pre-Contest mode. Once the Contest begins, you can sit back and
enjoy.
Attempting to be both the organizer and the chair for a Contest is a lot of work.
That is why we recommend separating the roles of Contest Organizer and Contest
Chair. Designating 1 key person to organize (thats you) means your Contest
workload and stress level is significantly reduced. It also means there is less
chance for errors. Ultimately your Contest will be professional, enjoyable and
successful!
As the Organizer, you are the go-to person. This little guide will help you
through the entire process. Everyone will be counting on you for guidance,
counsel, direction and assistance. Pass along copies of the respective appendices
to your Support Team. And keep a copy of this guide close until after the Contest
is over.
Above all else, enjoy the experience! Your Contest WILL be amazing.
Page 1
First Things First

In order to be successful, you need a sense of humour and some persistence. We
assume you already have these qualities. You also need to be a good
communicator and have a system. This Guide gives you the ideas for your
communication efforts and shows you the system
To pull off a Contest, first and foremost you need
Contestants! After all, we cant have a Contest without the
star attractions! The type of Contest will determine how
many Contestants will compete. Typically Table Topics and
Humourous Speech Contests bring out lots of competitors
while the Evaluation and International Speeches bring out
less.
Handy Tip!
Avoid last minute
scrambling.
Start promoting
your Contest two
months before
the big day!
In order to run the Contest, there are between 12 - 16 roles which need to be
filled. Specifically you will want a volunteer for .
One Chair for each Contest

One Chief Judge
3 5 Judges
One Tie Breaking Judge
One or Two Sergeant at Arms
Two Timers
Two or Three Ballot Counters
You will also need ..

A venue (if it is not your regular club meeting place)
A Program
Official Contest Forms
Page 2
Gathering Your Support Team

When to Start
Your Club Executive will have decided on the Contest dates in July or August.
About two months before the actual Contest, the VPEd and/or President will
begin the promo campaign. After all, the Contestants need time to prepare and
rehearse those award winning speeches. The call for participants is usually
repeated at each meeting for four to six consecutive meetings.
The most important thing you need to know at this stage is this: organizing a club
Contest is just like organizing a big party. There are lots of lists and lots of details.
When the Contest is announced, you want to grab a
copy of your clubs roster and begin the preparation
work. On a spreadsheet, list each one of the roles
needed to be filled. Include a list for the Contestants.
Beside each role, put down who YOU think might be
great for each.
Handy Tip!
Everyone likes to feel
special and important.
When you want people
to join with you, the
most effective way to
gather support is oneon-one, face-to-face!
In our experience, newer members gravitate towards

the roles of Timer and Ballot Counter, while the veterans seem to prefer Judging.
Your Chair candidates should be those persons who need a Competent
Leadership (CL) credit. (The VP of Education will have this information). The Chief
Judge role is generally filled by either a senior member or someone who is a
stickler for detail and protocol. Your SAAs will likely be a combination of the
current or past club incumbents. Your Area Governor will want to attend, so
invite him/her to be the Tie Breaking Judge.
The Contestants will be a mixture of new and veteran members. Not everyone
has an interest in competing. Ask your VP of Education and/or President for the
names of members who have competed before. Watch the newer members and
see if they have some passion and interest.
Page 3
Gathering Your Support Team (continued)

How to Get Commitment
Finding the volunteers can feel very daunting - especially when you look at your
blank list. Here is the secret to getting high participation. Realize that everyone
likes to feel special. Ask each person face-to-face and be sincere in your request.
Be prepared to tell them whats in it for them. Since not all roles are eligible for
credits, this means you must sell them on the benefits they will get for agreeing
to commit themselves. As an example, the Timer role is extremely important, a
great way to watch how a Contest works and is well suited to someone with
meticulous attention to detail. The Ballot Counter gets to work with the Chief
Judge, understand how the counting works and will be in the know about the
winners before anyone else. The SAA not only plays a crucial role but his/her
exuberance will single handedly build the necessary energy and excitement at the
beginning of the Contest.
Handy Tip!
Have at least 1-2
members as back-up.
Senior members are
good choices, because
they can generally step
into any role with little
or no notice.
If you cannot get to everyone personally, use email

judiciously. Email blasts to the whole club are not nearly
as effective as a simple email to one person at a time.
Something as simple as Would you consider being a (role)
for our upcoming Contest on (date)? If you can make it, I
would be most grateful will generally do the trick. And
dont forget to immediately thank the person when s/he
says yes.
Keep track of who you have asked, who declined and who agreed to help and in
what capacity. That list of players will be used in the Program preparation, and
will be given to your Chairs and Chief Judge.
Page 4
Gathering Your Support Team (continued)

A Note about Judges
It is always better to err on the side of more not less Judges. However,
sometimes you will have difficulty finding Judges because it seems everyone
wants to compete. In that case, consider having the entire audience be a Judge.
Each and every audience member has a ballot on their seat. Allow the Chief Judge
extra time to invite participation and instruct how to use the ballot form. This is
an easy way to teach all members about judging and allows greater participation.
It also puts pressure on the Chief Judge to sift through the ballots and ensure
he/she uses the ballots of the club members and discards those of the guests.
Page 5
Coordinating, Timing & Deadlines

In the beginning, your workload is fairly light. The date for the Contest should be
announced to the club at least 1 month before the Contest takes place. You are
simply responsible for finding and tracking all your participants, and confirming
the set-up of the facility or venue in which the Contest will take place.
In the 2 weeks leading up to the Contest, your workload will increase. Here is a
quick snapshot of what the time frame might look like.
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
03-Oct
04-Oct
05-Oct
06-Oct
07-Oct
08-Oct
09-Oct
14-Oct
15-Oct
16-Oct
one last meeting
conference call
Face to Face Planning Meeting

10-Oct
11-Oct
12-Oct
13-Oct
Chair Scripts Developed

Certificates printed
Final Program Changes
17-Oct
18-Oct
19-Oct
20-Oct
Print out all forms.

Assemble File Folders
Program Printed
CONTEST
Forms to AG
During this two week time frame, you want to accomplish five main things:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
Have a Face-to-Face Planning meeting

Walk-through the Contest Program
Confirm who is printing and publishing
Coordinate with the Chief Judge
Communicate with all Participants
Page 6
Coordinating, Timing & Deadlines (continued)

1) Face-to-Face Planning Meeting
The purpose of the Face-to-Face Planning Meeting is to ensure all the roles are
understood, each participant has his/her complete role description, all last
minute issues are addressed and ironed out, and the final list of Contestants is
nailed down. Typically, you the Organizer, will hold this meeting with the Chairs,
the SAAs and the VP of Education (provided he/she is not competing). The Chief
Judge may also attend. The most successful Chairs and SAAs follow a script so
this meeting will be very helpful to them in developing their Scripts for the event.
2) Walk-through the Contest Program
This is usually done during the Face-to-Face Planning Meeting. A walk-through of
the Program and the timing for each Contest with the Chairs, SAAs and the VP of
Education helps ensure everyone is familiar with how the event will unfold and
the Contests will proceed. It also addresses the last minute questions that pop up
as well as identifies any holes or gaps.
The Table Topics and Evaluation Contests have specific logistical issues which
need to be addressed. (And speaking of the evaluation Contest, you will want to
get a nominal gift for the target speaker. If you are strapped for time or ideas, a
gift card of around $25 is generally sufficient.)
Handy Tip!
3) Confirm who is printing and publishing

Typically, the Chairs will print and sign the participation
certificates. If they are unable to do so, then the
responsibility falls to the Organizer.
You, the Organizer, will provide the winners
certificates, (and clear pre-printed labels for affixing
to), all of the Contest forms, the rule book and the
Contest Program.
If you are lucky enough

to have TOO MANY
VOLUNTEERS, consider
delegating certain tasks
like Preparation of the
Program, Certificates, or
Printing.
Despite best intentions,
someone often has to
back out. Remember
that you, the Contest
Organizer, are the BACKUP PLAN!
Page 7

4) Coordinate with the Chief Judge
Ideally the Chief Judge attends the face to face meeting. However, since the
identity of the Judges must be kept secret, it might be tricky to have a fulsome
discussion. Your main objectives are to confirm there are sufficient Judges in
place, that the Chief Judge understands who all the players are, as well as his/her
responsibilities for briefing the Judges, presenting the Contest Rules on the day,
counting the ballots and finalizing the winners certificates.
Additionally, you must coordinate who will send the Winners Notification Form
and Eligibility Certificates to the Area Governor. If the Area Governor WILL NOT
be in attendance at the Contest, we suggest YOU - the Contest Organizer be
responsible for getting the information released by no later than the 1 business
day after the Contest.
If the Area Governor WILL be in attendance at the Contest, then the Chief Judge
should give the Winners Notification Form and Eligibility Certificates to the Area
Governor at the end of Contest.
5) Communicate with all the Participants
We have found that over-communicating during this period is very, very wise. Do
not concern yourself with being a pest. You are making every effort to ensure the
Contest goes off with maximum impact and minimal problems.
Send out at least 2 email reminders to the participants. We suggest splitting the
correspondence into at least 3 groups:
All Chairs, Contestants, Ballot Counters and Timers
All Judges and the Chief Judge
Target Speaker for the Evaluation Contest
1st E-mail Reminder.. 7 days before the Contest
2nd E-mail Reminder..The day before the Contest
Page 8

Include the date and time you want them to arrive, who they report to, and
what they need to bring. Include your cell phone number and be very specific
that you want to be contacted if they encounter a problem.
If necessary organize one last conference call with the Chairs and SAAs and Chief
Judge in the week before the Contest. And finally, make sure you provide full
directions to the venue for the Target Speaker.
Handy Tip!
Give your Cell-phone Number to the Chairs, Chief
Judge and Target Speaker, and repeatedly urge all
participants to call if they are going to be late or not
attend.
There is nothing worse than not knowing where
your major participants are. Avoid the last minute
panic from possible no-shows!
Be sure your cell phone is fully charged and turned
on the day of the Contest!
Page 9
Planning, Preparing & Publishing

The Program
The timing of a Contest can be tricky, so it is important that you are familiar with
the required timings.
For Speeches
The length of speeches depends on the type of Contest being held. When
planning the program, calculate timings using the following formula:
Contest Speech Timing
+
30 seconds
+
30 seconds
+
1 minute
sub-TOTAL
x number of Speakers
SPEAKING TOTAL
+
1 minute
(maximum speech length)

(allotted overtime for each speaker)
(for a simple Contestant introduction)
(Judges silence between each Contestant)
(per speaker)
(additional Judges silence after last Contestant)
TOTAL SPEAKING TIME

Add up the subtotal and multiply by the number of speakers. Then add one extra
minute of silence because there are two minutes after the last speaker. Then
round up a few minutes again.
Page 10

The Program (continued)
As an example, here is what would happen:
Table Topics
Evaluation
International
Humourous
Contestant Speech Timing

1 - 2 min
2 -3 min
5 -7 min
5 7 min
Maximum Time allowed
2 min, 30 s 3 min, 30 s 7 min, 30 s 7 min, 30 s
Simple Introduction
30 s
30 s
30 s
30 s
Silence 4 Judges
1 min
1 min
1 min
1 min
Sub-Total (per speaker)
4 min
5 min
9 min
9 min
Multiply by # of Speakers (assuming 4 speakers)
Speaking Total
16 min
20 min
36 min
36 min
Plus Additional Silence Time
1 min
1 min
1 min
1 min
for Judges
Target Speaker
8 min
TOTAL SPEAKING TIME
TOTAL + Round Up
17 min
19 min
29 min
31 min
37 min
39 min
37 min
39 min
You must also make time for the other introductions (e.g. SAA, the Chair, the
Chief Judge) and the post-Contest proceedings (e.g. Contestant interviews,
photos). The chart below suggests timing for all other sections in the Contest:
Table Topics
Evaluation
International
Humourous
TOTAL + Round Up
SAA Introduction
Chairs Introduction
Chief Judge: Rules Reading
Contestant Interviews
Two Photo Ops
One Break
19 min
5
5
5
10
5
10
31 min
5
5
5
10
5
10
39 min
5
5
5
10
5
39 min
5
5
5
10
5
TOTAL CONTEST TIME
60 minutes
70 minutes
70 minutes
70 minutes
Page 11

Interviewing the Contestants
The purpose of interviewing the Contestants is to buy some time for the Chief
Judge as he/she tallies the results and prepares the winning certificates. It is also
a great opportunity for everyone to applaud and recognize the speakers for their
participation and a job well done!
The length of time devoted to interviews is dependent on the number of
Contestants. With 4 Contestants, interviews could be 2 to 3 minutes each. With
8 Contestants, interviews will likely need to be 1 minute or less, so the Chair must
be prepared to cut them off politely.
You may have Contestants competing in BOTH Contests. If so, those Contestants
are usually interviewed only once, after the last Contest in which they
participate.
If you are short on time, interviews can be skipped all together. HOWEVER, you
should inform the Chief Judge ahead of the Contest so that s/he is aware of the
time constraints, and you should also advise the Chair so that s/he can announce
the program ahead of time.
Page 12

The Program
The program for the Contest event is typically one page double sided and folded
in half. Be sure you are using the current authorized TI logos.
Inside View:
The most important part of the Program is the inside. Try to make it professional
and allow space for the audience to write in their own rankings.
You can fill in all the times; however we suggest entering only the times of the
opening and ending, to anchor the Program. Remember to fill in the names of
the Participants in the Official column!
Page 13

Outside View:
Everyone likes to be recognized! Remember to highlight the volunteers and

participants who might not be mentioned on the program inside. But NEVER
highlight the JUDGES! The Judges identities must be kept confidential.
Who advances after a Club Contest?
If there are 4 or less clubs in your area, the 1st and 2nd place winners will advance
to the Area Contest. If there are 5 or more clubs in your area, only the 1st place
winner will advance. At the Area Contest, the 1st place winner will advance to the
Division Contest. At the Division Contest, the 1st place winner will advance to the
District Contest.
Page 14
Contest Day: Your SOS Toolkit

It is Contest day! You have corralled all the participants, reminded everyone at
least twice to be on time (e.g. show up 30 - 40 minutes before the start of the
Contest), met with the Chairs, SAAs and Chief Judge, reviewed all possible
outcomes, printed out lots of paper, and done everything you can to ensure the
event goes as well as it can. There are only a few more things to do:
Plan to arrive at the venue at least 40 minutes ahead of the start of the
Contest. You will be armed with this Guide you are reading and three file
folders. Your file folders should contain the following:
File Folder #1: for the Chair of Contest #1
Signed Participation Certificates (if this was your responsibility)
Extra Eligibility Certificates and BIOs
Rule Book
Copy of the printed Program
File Folder #2: for the Chair of Contest #2
Signed Participation Certificates (if this was your responsibility)
Extra Eligibility Certificates and BIOs
Rule Book
Review the contents of the file folder with each Chair and then hand them over.
With the Chief Judge, review your third file folder containing:
Sufficient copies of each of the Judging Ballots
Handy Tip!
If you are
Tie Breaker Ballots and envelopes
running two
Timing Forms
contests, be
The Score Tally Sheets
sure you have
the different
Winner Notification Form
judging ballots.
Chief Judge Script
Rule Book (most current version)
List of all the names of the Judges, Ballot Counters & Timers
Page 15
Contest Day: Your SOS Toolkit (continued)

You will also provide the Chief Judge with the signed Winners Certificates, clear
pre-printed labels for affixing the winning names onto the certificates, or a black
marker. Jointly decide which one of you will give or send Notification of Winners
form to the Area Governor.
Do a double-check of the venue, ensuring it is set-up as planned, with appropriate
seating, lectern, signs, lighting, temperature, and amenities as necessary (e.g.
water, refreshments, washrooms). Ensure a copy of the Program is on each
audience seat.
Now you will play the traffic cop. Be prepared for a lot of last minute
directional questions from everyone else between now and the start of the
Contest. Then, assuming Murphy hasnt struck, just sit back and enjoy the
Contest!
Oh, and one last thing the day after the Contest, send a note of appreciation
to all the participants on your Support Team.
Page 16
When Murphy Strikes!

Pulling off a successful Contest is entirely dependent on two key variables:
people and preparation. Know that Contests rarely go off without a hitch.
Murphys Law
anything that can go wrong, will go wrong
The good news is, when you are well prepared and anticipate the common
mishaps, you can prevent the major disruptions. With some minor adjustments
(or adjustments which are completely invisible to the audience and the
participants), your Contest will still be highly successful. And likely only you will
know what last minute changes were required!
Your biggest challenge is to anticipate the hiccups and have contingency plans
in place. If you have followed our guidance so far, there should not be any huge
issues. If anything happens, do not panic. Trust that your preparation WILL pay
off. Simply take a deep breath, grit your teeth and calmly work through the
issues. Toastmasters is about being flexible, rolling with the punches and turning
a tough situation into something more palatable. You may not realize it at the
time, but you will have honed two highly valuable leadership skills -- contingency
planning and adaptability!
First, lets cover off the minor stuff. The stuff that you have absolutely no control
over. Remember: you cannot control what you cannot control. So dont sweat
any of this.
Your SAA is not energetic
The Chief Judge or Contest Chair loses their place in their scripts
The Ballot Counters are over-zealous and hover in the wrong spot
The Judges decide to sit all together, in a row, at the back of the room
The Chair provides friendly, but lengthy introductions for the Contestants
An audience member has a loud, prolonged coughing spell
There are not enough Certificates because of a last-minute Contestant
entry
Page 17
When Murphy Strikes! (continued)

There are so many things you CAN control. The following areas are what you
want to anticipate and have contingencies ready and available. Ahead of time.
LATE/NO-SHOWS
Contestants:
Contestants can arrive very, very late. In fact, the cut-off time for a
Contestant to be present at the Contest to compete is up until the moment
the Contest Chair is introduced. The Contestant must have all the requisite
paperwork in order and in hand when he/she arrives.
Suggested Solution: During the draw for the speaking order, the Contest
Chair may choose the straw, or card on behalf of the Contestant, provided
they announce the drawing on behalf of the missing Contestant.
You, as the Organizer, should stand at the door of the room and ensure
that when the late Contestant arrives, he/she has the Eligibility forms
completed and signed. If the Contestant shows up after the Contest Chair is
introduced, the Contestant is disqualified, with no exceptions. The Contest
Chair, when announcing the speaking order, must then omit the name of
the disqualified Contestant.
Chairs or Chief Judge:
A Chair or Chief Judge is late or a no-show.
Suggested Solution: Your first choice is your back-up senior member. Your
second choice is to find a senior member in the audience. Give the
substitute this Guide, show them the appropriate Appendix and help them
as much as possible.
Your last option is YOU. As you are so familiar with the roles, you have the
ability to perform your substitute duties quite competently!
Page 18

LATE/NO-SHOWS (contd)
All Other Roles:
A Sergeant-at-Arms, Timer, Ballot Counter is late or a no-show.
Suggested Solution: Choose some extra members in the audience, explain
to them you are in a jam, and ask them to help you. Notify the Chief Judge
of the change in plans. Brief the new players if the Chief Judge is too busy.
MISSING PAPERWORK
Because you have provided extra copies of all paperwork to the Chairs and the
Chief Judge (remember those file folders?) retrieve whatever is necessary or
direct the participant to the appropriate person.
BIOS GET LOST OR MISPLACED

If there is time, have the Contestants fill out a new BIO form. If there is no time,
simply have the Chair ad-lib the questions.
NO LECTERN
Clubs typically have their own lectern; however, if there is a last minute change in
venue, the lectern might be overlooked.
A lectern is very important since the Contest Chairs have a lot of paperwork to
handle. If the room change is within the same building the lectern can simply be
relocated. If the venue change is a different building, other options to consider
are a portable music stand or a portable lectern that can sit on a desk or table.
As a last resort, a table or clipboard can be used.
Page 19

VENUE IS TOO SMALL
This would typically happen if there was a last minute change in the venue and
you end up with a smaller room. There isnt much you can generally do except
make light of the situation. Encourage the audience to become cozy and keep
the Contest as high energy as possible. Standing Room Only means a
successfully attended Contest.
THE VENUE HAS POOR ACOUSTICS

If the venue has machines that hum and the noise is louder than the Speakers,
unplug the machines. If the venue is large and cavernous and you dont have
microphones, you must grin and bear it. And remember microphones for the
next time!
TIMING LIGHTS FAIL

Use the back-up timing light system. (Red, Yellow and Green Paper are handy
substitutes.) The Timers will mark the time sheet with a note that the timing
lights failed. And the Contestant will get an extra 30 seconds added to his/her
time.
DELAYS IN JUDGING (DUE TO TIE-BREAKING , RECOUNTS ETC.)

Make sure that the Chair is prepared for the potential of minor delays. The
sample Chair Scripts contain several suggestions on how to fill the time and keep
it light and entertaining! Often, even an inexperienced Chair will easily be able to
fill an extra five minutes if needed.
A PROTEST IS FILED AGAINST ONE OF THE CONTESTANTS

The Chief Judge is responsible for handling protests. Remember that you
provided the Chief Judge with a copy of the current Rule Book.
Page 20

THE TARGET SPEAKER IS NO WHERE TO BE FOUND AND YOU CAN NOT
CONTACT ON THE CELL
This can spell potential disaster. If you are not bound by a hard exit time in your
venue, delay the Contest for 15 minutes. However, if the venue must be vacated
by a specific time, then do not delay the Contest.
Instead, switch the evaluation Contest to be the 2nd Contest and move the
International Contest to be the first. Be sure to coordinate with the Chairs and
Chief Judge.
You have just given the Target Speaker up to an hour to arrive. If it looks like the
Target Speaker is really a no-show, find a member in the audience who is
comfortable doing a speech on the fly and beg them to help you out. If at all
possible, try to pick someone who is not a member of the club and who has never
spoken at the club before. Your worst case scenario is to use a club member. But
it is a far better solution then cancelling the Contest.
A DIGNITARY IS TOO WORDY/ SPEAKS FOR TOO LONG

This can normally be avoided by meeting and discussing with the Dignitary prior
to the Contest. If this is not possible, or they still continue to speak, get their
attention and use the finger across the throat signal.
If silent signaling does not work, stand up and politely tell them in a humourous
manner with a smile on your face that they are giving away far too much
information right now, and to save some for later. As an experienced
Toastmaster, it is highly likely the Dignitary will get the message, with no hard
feelings.
Page 21
Appendices
Appendix A: The Chair

Congratulations! You are the Contest Chair!
The Contest Chair is the Master of Ceremonies for the Contest. Before the
Contest, you will meet with the Contest Organizer (and Chief Judge and Sergeantat-Arms) at the Face-to-Face Planning Meeting to go over the program.
There are 3 important aspects to your role as Chair:
1) Collecting the Eligibility Certificates and Biographical information
2) The Briefing
3) Running the Contest
1) Collecting the Eligibility Certificates and Biographical Information

Two weeks before the Contest date, you must distribute (or e-mail) blank
Eligibility Certificates to the Contestants for completion and signatures. A
Contestant must submit their Eligibility Certificate and be a Toastmaster member
in good-standing, in order to compete in a Contest.
When you distribute the Eligibility forms, you can also
request Contestants to complete the Biographical
information form. This is a list of general questions
asking about various interests, hobbies, goals, etc.
which can be used in forming your interview questions
during the Contestant Interview session of the Contest.
On Contest Day, you will collect the Signed Eligibility
Certificates from each Contestant, and give them to the
Chief Judge before the Contest starts.
Handy Tip!
At least one week before
the Contest, contact the
Contestants and remind
them to arrive at a specific
time BEFORE the Contest
starts, for the Briefing!
Include your cell-phone
number, so if anyone is
late or cancels, you are
reachable and not caught
unaware!
Plan to arrive at the venue at least 30 minutes before

the official start time. Arriving early at the venue is key to ensuring all briefings
can be completed efficiently and effectively.
Appendix: The Chair
Page 1
2) The Briefing
There are 4 common types of Toastmaster Contests: Table Topics, Evaluation,
Humourous Speech, and International Speech Contest. In the Humourous and
International Speech Contests, the role of the Chair is identical. However, the
logistics for Table Topics and Evaluation Contests vary slightly. First, lets deal
with the anomalies.
The Table Topics Contest

The Table Topics Contest requires a topic, on which the Contestants will speak.
You and the Contest Organizer should discuss in advance who is in charge of
determining the word or phrase for the Contest.
Whether you prepare a topic before the Contest, or allow the Chief Judge to
randomly select one topic out of a number of choices, we suggest a simple word
or phrase. It should be easily understood by all, but complex enough so that the
Contestants can deliver multiple themes or definitions about the word. The word
or phrase should not stump or disadvantage the Contestants. Rather, it should
enable them to make an interesting and concise speech.
The Contestants may not know the Topic prior to the Contest. Usually, the Chair
will announce the topic to the Contestant, when they are escorted into the room
to speak.
Another option is for the SAA to disclose the topic on paper to the Contestant
when they re-enter the room. This method can be particularly helpful to those
Contestants whose English is not their first language. It also avoids the
unfortunate circumstance of the Contestant not hearing the Topic properly, and
thinking it was something different. For this option, you the Chair - will need to
give the Topic on a piece of paper to the SAA before the beginning of the Contest.
Evaluation Contest
Be sure to discuss with the Contest Organizer who will find the Target
Speaker. The objective is to have a speaker who has never been heard by any
member of your club. Your Area Governor can be an excellent resource for
this. The actual identity of the Target Speaker is always kept secret until your
interview.
Appendix: The Chair
Page 2
On the day of the Contest

The Contest Organizer will brief you, and review your
File Folder containing the Participation certificates
(if this was not your responsibility), extra eligibility
and BIO forms and a copy of the printed Program.
Confirm with the Organizer any last minute changes.
Ensure all Contestants and if applicable, the Target
Speaker, are present.
Approximately 20-30 minutes before the Contest
starts, gather together the Sergeant-At-Arms (SAAs)
and all the Contestants for a briefing on the rules and
Contest proceedings.
Handy Tip!
Be prepared for possible
delays in judging/counting.
You may need to fill some
down time while you wait
for the Chief Judge and
counters to return to the
room. How will you fill the
time?
Stories? Jokes?
Impromptu Table topics?
If a Contestant is absent from the briefing, the alternate speaker, if present, may
be included in place of the primary Contestant. Where the primary Contestant
arrives late and presents all the completed, required paperwork, he/she may
speak in the drawn order, but waives the opportunity of a briefing. If a
Contestant is not present when you, the Contest Chair is introduced, the
Contestant is disqualified.
Here is your briefing checklist:
Confirm the proper pronunciation of each Contestants name as well as
their speech title
Collect the Eligibility Certificates from all the Contestants
Confirm all Contestants are members in good standing, of a club in good
standing with Toastmasters International. (This means a member whose
dues have been paid, remitted and received at Toastmasters International.)
Confirm that no Contestant is an Area Governor, Division Governor, or
District Officer, nor have they announced their candidacy for these offices.
(Someone who has announced their candidacy for an AG role is eligible as
this is an appointed position rather than elected.)
Draw numbers for Order of Speaking and Confirm Speaking order
For the Humourous/International Contests, remind Contestants that all
speeches must be original, with any quoted material identified as such
Appendix: The Chair
Page 3
For the International Contest, confirm that each Contestant has completed
a minimum of six (6) speeches from the CC manual.
Review the Timing limits, and the use of Green, Amber and Red lights.
Advise the minimum and maximum disqualification times.
Contest
Table Topics
Evaluation
Humourous
International
Timing
12
min
23
min
57
min
57
min
DNQ
Times
0:30
2:30
1:30
3:30
4:30
7:30
4:30
7:30
Green
Light
1 min
Amber
Light
1:30
Red
Light
2 min
2 min
2:30
3 min
5 min
6 min
7 min
5 min
6 min
7 min
Remind the Contestants that in the event of a timing device failure, the
Contestant will be allowed an extra 30 seconds.
Review the speaking area (test microphone, confirm use of lectern/props,
identify area boundaries)
If applicable to the Contest, review the area/room outside of the Contest
room, in which speakers are to be escorted to by the SAA before competing
Ask Contestants if they wish to remain in the room for the duration of the
Contest or if they wish to be escorted back into the room by the SAA when
it is their turn to speak.
Advise that all Contestants will be introduced as follows:
o Contestant name, Speech title. Speech title, Contestant name.
o Contestant name, Table Topic. Table Topic, Contestant Name.
o Contestant name, Contestant name for Evaluation Contest
Timing will begin with the Contestants first definite verbal or nonverbal
communication with the audience.
There will be one minute of silence between Contestants, during which the
Judges will mark their ballots. Two minutes of silence will be accorded
after the last Contestant.
Appendix: The Chair
Page 4
Only Contestants and Judges may file a protest. Protests are made to
either the Chief Judge or the Chair prior to announcing any winner. (Do not
divulge who the Judges are.)
Video/audio recording is done only at the discretion of the Contest
organizer, or Club President, and if agreeable to Contestants
Announcement of the Contest winners is final unless the list of winners is
announced incorrectly, in which case the Chief Judge, Ballot Counters or
Timers may immediately interrupt to correct the error.
o In Contests with 4 or fewer Contestants ONLY a 2nd and 1st place
winner are announced
o In Contests with 5 or more Contestants ONLY a 3rd, 2nd and 1st place
winner are announced
Tell the Contestants they will be invited back on stage, and if time permits
they will be briefly interviewed. If Contestants are competing in two
Contests, only one interview should be carried out after the second
Contest.
Ask the Contestants if they have any questions have your (current) Rule
Book ready!
Dismiss the Contestants. But dont relax yet . You still have things to do!
Give all the Eligibility Certificates over to the Chief Judge
Coordinate the photo opportunities timing with the photographer
If chairing the Evaluation Contest, arrange with the Target Speaker to sit in
a spot within clear view of where the Contestants will be, and stand every
time a Contestant is introduced (to ensure the Contestant knows where the
Target Speaker is located in the audience)
For the Table Topics and Evaluation Contests, review with the SAAs the
procedures required to escort the Contestants in/out of the Contest room
Review the Contestant Biographical Information forms, to prepare for the
Contestant interviews
You should also review the Program again in detail, especially the TIMING. If
there are any last-minute entrants or drop-outs, you must notify the Organizer
and Chief Judge.
Appendix: The Chair
Page 5
3) Running the Contest

During the Contest, the Chair is responsible for the
following:
Handy Tip!
Be
prepared
for
delays in judging or
ballot counting! You
may need to fill some
silence while you wait
for the results.
Introducing the Contest

Introducing the Chief Judge
Introducing the Contestants (as per the Contest
rules)
Stories? Jokes?
Table Topics?
Announcing the time designated for judging (in
Come prepared!
between each Contestant)
Interviewing the Contestants
Handing out the participation certificates
Coordinating the Contestant photo opportunity
Making any additional announcements regarding changes to the Program
At the end of the Contest, the Contest Chair may also announce and award the
winning Contestants, or if pre-arranged at the planning meeting, assist the Club
President or Area Governor in handing out the winners certificates.
The Script for the Contest Chair

The best Contest Chairs are scripted. And we wish we could give you the perfect
script. We cant. But we have given you great outlines to use as you make your
own script.
Appendix: The Chair
Page 6
Preparing Your Chair Script: Table Topics

Here is an outline you can use to prepare what you will say during the course of
the Table Topics Contest.
Timing
3 - 5 min
Contest Agenda Item

Opening Your objective is to build excitement and anticipation
Welcome everyone! (Welcome and thank any dignitaries in the room -- if not
covered by SAA. See section on protocol for introductions.)
Remind audience why we compete (anecdotes, quotes or the official reason for
5 min
1 min
Allow 2.5
minutes
per
Contestant
and 1
minute for
Judges
Contests from TI Rule book). If there are two Contests, connect with the other
chair in advance to ensure that you are not using the same quotes or reference to
the TI rulebook be original!
Remember to keep the meeting on time and make adjustments if necessary. Be
careful that you as the chair do not take too much time with your comments: the
Contest is about the competitors
Congratulate Contestants for participating
Explain the program; encourage the audience to do their own scoring on the
Programs
Introduce the Contestants Speaking Order
Introduce the Chief Judge
The Chief Judge, reading the abbreviated rules
Listen to ensure completeness
If not complete, ask the Chief Judge specific questions so that he/she can ensure
the main highlights are conveyed.
The Chief Judge will pass control of the lectern back to you
Brief Explanation of Procedure
Describe the speaking area for the audience & Contestants
Explain the Contestants will all leave the room and be called in one at a time; and
the Contestants may stay in the room after competing
This does not apply to Humourous/International Speech Contest, in which
Contestants remain in the Contest room at all times
Have the SAA escort all Contestants from the room and brought in individually
Declare the Contest open!
Remind the audience that after each Contestant, one minute of silence is to be
maintained for the Judges to mark their ballots.
Take the opportunity to build excitement!
Table Topics Contest: As each Contestant is brought into the room, pause for 5
seconds to allow the Contestant to read/hear the Topic
Introduce the Contestant in the format, as signal to proceed to the speaking area:
name table Topic word/phrase or Speech title name
Do NOT give any detail about the speaker at this time.
After each Contestant, instruct Timer to give one minute for judging and 2 minutes
after the final Contestant (or until Judges are ready)
After the last Contestant, instruct Counters to go to back of room and wait for
Judges to raise their ballots.
Appendix: The Chair
Page 7
5-8
minutes
2-3
minutes
5-8
2 min
Interviewing the Contestants:

When the Chief Judge leaves with Ballot Counters, congratulate all the Contestants
and lead applause.
Reveal to the audience if interviews are to take place.
Note: if a Contestant is in both Contests, only the second Contest chair will
interview that Contestant. Know who is interviewing each person if there are two
chairs - and tell the audience who will be interviewed during the second Contest.
Ask all the Contestants to come to the front. Ask them to identify themselves
(name and club) and ask one or two questions each (usually about one minute per
Contestant depending on time availability).
After each person answers, present them with their certificate of participation.
Call for the photographer to take a group shot. Individual shots if desired.
By this point the Chief Judge should be back in the room. If so, then lead the
applause and ask the Contestants to be seated.
If the Chief Judge is not yet in the room, and there is a second Contest, lead the
applause, announce the break and allow the Contestants to go back to their seats
or mingle.
If the Chief Judge is not yet in the room and this is the last Contest of the evening,
lead the applause and ask the Contestants to be seated. Now you have three
options: You can call for the PSA (public service announcement e.g. upcoming
Contest) and use that to fill extra time
OR you can go back to Contestant interviews with additional questions
OR you can be creative with your own comments until you see the Chief Judge
arrive. Then proceed to the PSA.
Public Service Announcement (PSA)
Announce upcoming events (usually the next level of Contests)
The objective is to get the audience excited about the next level of competition and
be there to cheer on their representatives.
The PSA might be delivered by the Area Governor, the President or the Chair
depending on what has been pre-arranged.
Results Presentation
Both Chairs and any Dignitaries pre-arranged are called up to the lectern.
The Chief Judge will provide time disqualifications to the Chair. Announce if there
were any disqualifications but do not announce the names of disqualified
Contestants.
Announce the Contest winners in reverse order, present certificates and ask them
to stand at the front to the side.
If there are less than 4 (non-disqualified) Contestants, only announce first or first
and second place (so no one is identified as the only Contestant who did not
place)
Lead applause, coordinate group and/or individual photo, and advise winners to
be seated.
Close the Contest
Any housekeeping announcements (e.g. help stack chairs, move tables etc.)
One final thank you to Contestants, audience, Judges, counters, Timers etc.
Close the Contest and wish everyone safe travels etc
Appendix: The Chair
Page 8
Preparing Your Chair Script: Evaluation

the Evaluation Contest.
Approx
Timing
3 - 5 min
5 min
1 min
5-7 min
6 min
Allow 3.5
min per
person and
1 min for
Judges
Contest Agenda Items

Welcome everyone. (Welcome any dignitaries -- if not covered by SAA. See
section on protocol for introductions.) If there are dignitaries in the room,
thank them for giving of their time and attending.
Remind audience why we compete anecdotes or quotes and perhaps the
official reason for Contests from TI Rule book. If there are two Contests,
connect with the other chair in advance to ensure that you are not using the
same quotes or reference to the TI rulebook be original!
Remember to keep the meeting on time and make adjustments if necessary.
Also be careful that you as the chair do not take too much time with your
comments the Contest is about the competitors
Explain the program; encourage the audience to do their own scoring
The Chief Judge will read the abbreviated rules. (i.e. highlights) Listen to ensure
completeness. If not complete, ask the Chief Judge specific questions so that he/she
can ensure the main highlights are conveyed.
Instruct Timer on the specific timing for the Target Speaker.
Introduce the target speaker (speakers name, speech title, speech title, speakers
name). Do NOT give any detail about the speaker at this time.
Target Speaker usually but not always a 5-7 minutes speech.
Lead applause and thank Target Speaker. Invite Target Speaker to sit down.
Instruct SAA to escort Contestants from room immediately to write their evaluations.
Instruct SAA to time them for 5 minutes exactly.
Interview the Target Speaker. You have 5 minutes to interview and ask questions.
Keep them open ended to allow the Target Speaker as much leeway as possible.
Always watch for the SAA to come back.
Wrap up the interview, thank the speaker, present gift and invite to sit down.
Remind audience that evaluators will come in one at a time and are allowed to stay
after their evaluation
Declare the Contest open.
Instruct the SAA to bring in Contestants in order drawn
Wait until the Contestant reached the podium before introducing the Contestants
only as persons name; persons name. Do NOT give any detail about the
Appendix: The Chair
Page 9
5-8 minutes
2-3 minutes
5-8
2 min
speaker at this time.

After each Contestant, instruct Timer to give one minute for judging. 2 minutes after
final Contestant or until Judges are ready.
After the last Contestant, instruct Counters to go to back of room and wait for Judges
to raise their ballots.
and lead applause.
Reveal to the audience if interviews are to take place. Note if a Contestant is in
both Contests, normally only the second Contest chair will interview that
Contestant. Know who is interviewing each person if there are two chairs - and tell
the audience who will be interviewed during the second Contest.
Ask all the Contestants to come to the front. Ask them to identify themselves (name
and club) and ask one or two questions each (usually about one minute per
Contestant depending on time availability). After each person answers, present them
with their certificate of participation.
applause, announce the break and allow the Contestants to go back to their seats or
mingle.
options: You can call for the PSA and try to drag that out for a bit. OR you can go
back to the Contestants with additional questions. OR you can be creative with your
own comments until you see the Chief Judge arrive. Then proceed to the PSA.
Public Service announcement about upcoming events (next level of Contest). The
objective is to get the audience excited about the next level of competition and be
there to cheer on their representatives. The PSA might be delivered by the Area
Governor, the President or the Chair depending on what has been pre-arranged.
Both Chairs and any dignitaries pre-arranged are called up to the lectern. The Chief
Judge will provide time disqualifications to the Chair. Announce if there were any
disqualifications but do not announce the names.
Announce the Contest winners in reverse order, present certificates and ask them to
stand at the front to the side. Note that if there are less than 4 still eligible (nondisqualified) Contestants then you will only announce first or first and second place
{no one to be identifiable as only Contestant who did not place.
Lead applause, coordinate group and/or individual photo and then advise winners to
sit down.
This is for any other announcements (like before you leave, stack your chairs, move
tables etc.)
Appendix: The Chair
Page 10
Preparing Your Chair Script: International and Humourous

the International and Humourous Contests.
Approx
Timing
3 - 5 min
5 min
1 min
Allow 7.5
min per
person and
1 min for
Judges
5-8 minutes
Contest Agenda Items

Welcome everyone. (Welcome any dignitaries -- if not covered by SAA. See
section on protocol for introductions.) If there are dignitaries in the room,
thank them for giving of their time and attending.
Remind audience why we compete anecdotes or quotes and perhaps the
official reason for Contests from TI Rule book. If there are two Contests,
connect with the other chair in advance to ensure that you are not using the
same quotes or reference to the TI rulebook be original!
Remember to keep the meeting on time and make adjustments if necessary.
Also be careful that you as the chair do not take too much time with your
comments the Contest is about the competitors
Explain the program; encourage the audience to do their own scoring
The Chief Judge will read the abbreviated rules. (i.e. highlights) Listen to ensure
completeness. If not complete, ask the Chief Judge specific questions so that he/she
can ensure the main highlights are conveyed.
Explain the logistics if not already done by the Chief Judge
Declare the Contest open.
Take the opportunity to again build excitement
Introduce Contestants only as persons name; speech title, speech title,
persons name. Do NOT give any detail about the speaker at this time.
After each Contestant, instruct Timer to give one minute for judging. 2 minutes after
final Contestant or until Judges are ready.
After the last Contestant, instruct Counters to go to back of room and wait for Judges
to raise their ballots.
and lead applause.
Reveal to the audience if interviews are to take place. Note if a Contestant is in
both Contests, normally only the second Contest chair will interview that
Contestant. Know who is interviewing each person if there are two chairs - and tell
the audience who will be interviewed during the second Contest.
Ask all the Contestants to come to the front. Ask them to identify themselves (name
and club) and ask one or two questions each (usually about one minute per
Appendix: The Chair
Page 11
2-3 minutes
5-8
2 min
Contestant depending on time availability). After each person answers, present them
with their certificate of participation.
applause, announce the break and allow the Contestants to go back to their seats or
mingle.
options: You can call for the PSA and try to drag that out for a bit. OR you can go
back to the Contestants with additional questions. OR you can be creative with your
own comments until you see the Chief Judge arrive. Then proceed to the PSA.
Public Service announcement about upcoming events (next level of Contest). The
objective is to get the audience excited about the next level of competition and be
there to cheer on their representatives. The PSA might be delivered by the Area
Governor, the President or the Chair depending on what has been pre-arranged.
Both Chairs and any dignitaries pre-arranged are called up to the lectern. The Chief
Judge will provide time disqualifications to the Chair. Announce if there were any
disqualifications but do not announce the names.
Announce the Contest winners in reverse order, present certificates and ask them to
stand at the front to the side. Note that if there are less than 4 still eligible (nondisqualified) Contestants then you will only announce first or first and second place
{no one to be identifiable as only Contestant who did not place.
Lead applause, coordinate group and/or individual photo and then advise winners to
sit down.
This is for any other announcements (like before you leave, stack your chairs, move
tables etc.)
Appendix: The Chair
Page 12
Appendix B: The Sergeant-At-Arms

Congratulations! You are the Sergeant-At-Arms!
Also known as the SAA, you serve a vital role in the
Contest, working closely with the Contest Chairs. We
recommend 2 SAAs work together for the Table Topics and
Evaluation Contests. Generally, one SAA is enough for the
Humourous and International Speech Contests.
Most of your workload is on the day of the Contest. You
will fulfill three key duties:
Handy Tip!
Pump up your own
energy very high.
The contest is when
you can be funny,
enthusiastic, and very
upbeat.
You establish the
energy level for the
entire event.
1) Ensure the room is appropriately set up

2) Open the Contest and Introducing Chairs/Dignitaries
3) Direct the Contestants
Your Pre-Contest Checklist
Participate in the Face-to-face Planning Meeting with the Contest

Organizer, Contest Chairs and VP Education at least 1-2 weeks prior to
Contest date.
Confirm the venue has been reserved for the date and time required for
the Contest. Make sure the venue has adequate space for the number of
people that plan on attending the Contest. (Note: Contest Organizer may
handle the venue)
Ensure water is available at the venue for the Contestants. If your venue
allows snacks and refreshments, coordinate them as well.
Ensure all necessary equipment is available at the venue to handle the
Contest needs. This includes:
Lectern
Club Banner
Adequate seating and extra chairs if there is an overflow
Projector (if required by a Contestant) and extension cord
Good lighting and climate control
Two stop watches and two coloured timing systems.
Appendix: The SAA
Page 13
Review with the Contest Organizer and Chair the names of any Dignitaries
who may be attending and determine who will do the introductions. Know
who you will be introducing (It is usually the Contest Chair, however you
may also be responsible for introducing the Dignitaries in attendance).
Determine if you are introducing the 1st or 2nd Contest of the evening. This
is important, as the 2nd Contest introduction may not need to be as long
and detailed as the 1st introduction). Plus even more energy and
enthusiasm may be needed to open the second Contest.
Day of the Contest

Arrive at least 30 minutes before the Contest is to begin. Review with the Chair
any changes to the flow of the Contests. Ensure the venue is set up with all the
requisite equipment, water/refreshments, as well as reserved or arranged
seating. Ensure each chair has a Contest Program placed on it.
Identify and prepare areas required during the Contest such as the Ballot
Counting area, or the Contestant holding area (outside the Contest room). These
separate areas/rooms should be appropriate to accommodate the needs
required. (ie. Tables, quiet area for ballots to be counted, or Evaluation
Contestants to complete their evaluations).
Participate in the pre-Contest briefing with the Contest Chair and the Chief Judge
to make sure everyone is on the same page as to your responsibilities and
activities.
Determine if any Contestant or the Target Speaker requires the Speaking
area/stage to be set-up with special requirements, the lectern moved for their
speeches or any props. If required, you are responsible for ensuring the
requested elements are in place prior to the Contestant competing.
Confirm the names of dignitaries in attendance and who will be doing the
introductions and participate in meeting and greeting the guests and dignitaries.
You are the vital link in establishing the atmosphere of the Contest. Meet and
greet members, guests, and dignitaries as they arrive.
Appendix: The SAA
Page 14
During the Contest

If there is more than one SAA participating in the evening, have an SAA sit near
the door to ensure that no one enters/exits during a Contestants speaking time.
The other SAA should sit near the front of the room, closest to the Speaking area,
so they have easy access in moving the lectern, or setting up the stage with any
equipment or props for the participants.
Table Topics Contest:
During the Table Topics Contest one SAA will escort all the Contestants to another
room or somewhere far enough away that they dont get an unfair advantage.
The other SAA will sit by the door to let a table topics speaker in when its their
turn.
Evaluation Contest:
During the Evaluation Contest one SAA will escort all the Contestants out of the
room to an area where they may have time to finalize their evaluation. The SAA
supervises the Contestants for their allotted 5 minutes and then takes the
evaluation notes from each of the Contestants. The SAA will keep the
Contestants in the area/room and escort them to the door one at a time to
deliver their evaluations (and returning to each person their evaluation notes
upon ushering him/her into the Contest room). The other SAA will sit by the door
to let the next Contestant in when its their turn.
Appendix: The SAA
Page 15
Opening the Contest

Preparing a script for your introduction will help you remember what to say
during the Contest. Try and relate your introduction to the type or theme of the
Contest. (For example, if it is the Humourous speech Contest, tell a joke; if it is the
Evaluation Contest, comment on the purpose of feedback). This will help set the
mood for the Contest. Above all else, be upbeat, enthusiastic and welcoming.
See the Sample Script provided for ideas.
Housekeeping Reminders
Remember to include housekeeping reminders in your introduction, to aid guests
and members in promoting a formal Contest atmosphere. These include
reminders such as:
Turn all cell phones off, to silent mode, or to vibrate mode.
Photos are not to be taken during speeches.
You may not enter or exit the room while a speech (or evaluation and table
topics) is in progress.
Welcoming Guests
Make sure you mention if there are guests in the audience to make them feel
welcome. If you are introducing Toastmaster dignitaries, ensure you are using
the appropriate protocol and order (see Appendix F).
Introducing the Contest Chair
Give a concise and interesting introduction. Contact the Contest Chair you will be
introducing prior to the Contest day. Some of the questions you could ask the
Chair and mention in your introduction are:
What are you looking forward to this evening?
How long have you been with the club?
Do you have any designations from Toastmasters International?
What club Executive role do you currently hold and/or have held?
Post-Contest Responsibilities
Typically the SAA handles the clean-up activities. He/she may also invite
everyone to help clean up the Contest venue, or announce an after-contest Social
or event to celebrate the efforts of all participants!
Appendix: The SAA
Page 16
A Sample SAA Script

CLUB CONTEST - HUMOUROUS SPEECH
(Bang the gavel)
Introduction:
Fellow Toastmasters and most welcome guests. My name is XXXXXXX and it is my pleasure to
officially call the 2011 Confidently Speaking Toastmasters Humourous Speech and Table Topics
Contest to order.
Sorry, I just lost my place in the introduction. Let me, just get my spectacles out; these eyes are
not what they were last week.(take out funny looking glasses) There we go (pause for laughs).
Housekeeping Items:
Before we start laughing for the next two hours, I would like to start off with a few
housekeeping items. I would ask that you turn your cell phones off or switch them to silent
mode, if you havent already done so. For the information of our guests, the washrooms are
out the door to your right and at the end of the hall.
Welcoming Guests & Members:
I hope you are prepared for a great Contest tonight and some rousing speeches by our
excellent competitors! Please feel free to show your appreciation at the end of each speech as
a sign of encouragement to everyone involved in this evenings Contest.
Normally we begin our meetings by asking the guests to introduce themselves and say a few
words about what brought them here. Due to the Contest tonight, our guests are off the hook,
and will not be introducing themselves, but we do appreciate them attending.
Introduction of Dignitary:
I would like to turn the lectern over to a funny man in his own right. He is a person who is not
afraid to roast his wifes driving abilities, having done so last week. Dont worry, none of us will
tell her. This person has completed his ACB 1 and is working towards his CL. He is also our
current club President. Please help me welcome XXXXXX.
Introduction of Chair:
I can see a few of you are already falling asleep, so Ill get right into our Humourously Speaking
Contest Chair introduction. She shares the same alias as daytime TV celebrity Judge Judy,
having presided over an area Contest two years ago as Chief Judge. Hailing from XXXXXX, this
14 year veteran has held the titles of club President twice, VP Education once, Treasurer many
times, and is currently the VP of Mentoring Yet she calls herself retired! I am pleased to
present Madame Chair, XXXXXXX.
Appendix: The SAA
Page 17
Appendix C: The Chief Judge

Congratulations! You are the Chief Judge!
The Chief Judge of the Contest is the protocol master and rule enforcer. Every
contest needs a Chief Judge.
A week or two before the Contest, you will meet with the Contest Organizer,
Chairs and the SAAs at the face to face Planning Meeting. Most of the work for
the Chief Judge is concentrated on Contest day. There are three main things the
Chief Judge is responsible for:
1. Briefing the Judges, Ballot Counters and Timers
2. Reading the abbreviated rules during the Contest
3. Overseeing the counting of the ballots and preparation of the
winners certificates
Typically, a day or two ahead of the Contest, you will read the Rule Book to refamiliarize yourself with the rules. It is very likely that the Contest Organizer has
lined up all the Judges, Ballot Counters and Timers and already provided those
names to you. If not, then try to confirm with the Contest Organizer at least the
day before. Know ahead of time which one of you will provide the winners
notification form to the Area Governor. (Typically, if the Area Governor is in
attendance at the Club Contest, it is the Chief Judges responsibility. If the Area
Governor is not in attendance, it is the responsibility of the Contest Organizer.)
As the Chief Judge, you are responsible for bringing the Rule Book and an
abbreviated rule script on the day of the Contest. Confirm with the Contest
Organizer which one of you will bring all the Contest forms, including judging
forms, ballot tallies and time records. You may also want to bring sufficient copies
of all forms yourself. Too much paper is better than not enough!
Appendix: The Chief Judge
Page 18
Your Support Team

To support the Chief Judge, there are two Timers, two or three Ballot Counters, at
least 3-5 Judges and a Tie Breaking Judge. (If this were an Area or Division level
Contest then efforts will already have been made to ensure that there is equal
representation by club and/or area.) Your Contest Organizer has likely provided
you with the names of all the participants.
Judges:
Every effort must be made to keep the names of all
Judges anonymous. A Judge is never to be singled out
or acknowledged. The Tie Breaking Judge is not
briefed with the rest of the Judges. He/she is briefed
separately. The identity of the Judges is known only
to the Organizer and the Chief Judge.
Handy Tip!
At least one week before
the Contest, contact your
Support Team and remind
them to arrive at a specific
time BEFORE the Contest
starts, for the Briefing!
Include your cell-phone
number, so if anyone is
late or cancels, you are
reachable and not caught
unaware!
Tie-Breaking Judge:
The best Tie-Breaking Judge option is the Area
Governor or a Toastmaster from another
club. However, if neither is available, you will designate the Tie Breaking Judge
from the Judges available.
Hopefully all your Judges have earned a minimum of CC#6. (If this were an Area,
Division, or District level each Judge MUST have earned a minimum of CC#6 and
should have attended a judging training course at some point in their TM career.)
On the Day of the Contest

You should arrive at least 30 minutes before the Contest starts. The Contest
Organizer will provide you with a file folder containing:
All the Judging Ballots
Tie-Breaker Ballot
Timing forms
Judges Scoring sheets
Winner Notification form
Judging Abbreviated Script
Rule Book (most current version)
List of all the Judges, Timers and Ballot Counters
Page 19
The Organizer will also provide you with the signed Winners Certificates, preprinted clear labels or a pen for affixing the winning names onto the certificates,
and the Notification of Winners form. Confirm who will give or send the
Notification of Winners form to the Area Governor.
During the Briefing Period, you must collect the Eligibility Certificates from each
Contest Chair to ensure that each Contestant is in good standing.
1. Your Briefing Responsibilities
You will hold 4 separate briefings (one for each group): the Judges, the TieBreaking Judge, the Ballot Counters and Timers, in a separate area, away from the
Chair and Contestants.
a) Briefing the Judges. Remind the participants that:
All Judges are to judge all Contestants without bias

Each Judge MUST print their name and sign their ballot form. If this is not
done, the ballot form is void
Judges should make an attempt to sit close to the front in order to hear
clearly all Contestants
Judges should review the Judging Criteria and the Judges Code of
Ethics, found on the reverse side of the Judges guide and ballot form
Judges are to disregard all timing lights
The time allowed is 1 minute between speakers and 2 minutes after the
final speaker. Extra time is normally allotted if required
Their votes must be cast for first, second and third place. There must not
be any ties on their ballot. The names must be clearly marked on the
ballot portion
All judging forms are confidential
Only Judges and Contestants may lodge a protest. Such protests must be
done through the Chief Judge or Contest Chair
Page 20
b) Briefing the Tie-Breaking Judge. Remind him/her:
He/she MUST print their name and sign their ballot form. If this is not
done, the ballot form is void
He/she must rank each and every Contestant on their ballot (not just the
first three winners)
You will collect their ballot
He/she must review Judging Criteria and the Judges Code of Ethics,
found on the reverse side of the Judges guide and ballot form
He/she should disregard all timing lights
The time allowed is 1 minute between speakers and 2 minutes after the
final speaker. Extra time is typically allotted if required
All judging forms are confidential
c) Briefing the Timers.
Review Time Record Sheet and Instructions for Timers

Check lights and timing devices (confirm back-up system is ready for both)
Advise they each accurately complete a Time Record Sheet for each
Contest
Remind them that all Contestants speaking times are to be kept
confidential and disclosed only to the Contestant upon request
d) Briefing the Ballot Counters.
Review Instructions for Ballot Counters

Review the Counters Tally Sheet
Remind them to collect all ballots
Remind them that they may not reveal the results of the tally to anyone
Ask one of them to be responsible for completing the Winning Certificates
Page 21
2) During the Contest: Briefing of the Rules

Typically there are four Contests each year: Table Topics, Humourous Speech,
Evaluations and International. The Chief Judge is allotted about 5 minutes at the
beginning of the Contest to review the different rules.
We have provided four different scripts one for each Contest. The Chief Judge
should use discretion based on what the SAA and the Contest Chair said to ensure
that the same messages are not duplicated. The preambles are suggestions
only.
We suggest you might want to print the Scripts out in larger fonts for easier
reading.
Handy Tip!
You will have lots of paper in your
possession.
The Chief Judge Brief Rules Script is at
least two pages long. Staple the pages
together.
With all the paper you have, there is
nothing more embarrassing than losing
your way in the middle of the contest
briefing and scrambling to find the right
piece of paper!
Page 22
Chief Judge Script: Table Topics Speech Contest

Thank you Madame Chair. Distinguished Guests and Fellow Toastmasters. This is the very serious and
very formal part of the evening. First Id like to explain the purpose of the Contest.
1. To provide an opportunity for Speakers to improve their impromptu speaking abilities
2. To recognize the best as encouragement to all.
3. And to provide an opportunity to learn by observing the more proficient Speakers who have
benefited from their Toastmasters training.
In order to be eligible to be a Contestant, a member must be in good standing with the club. I confirm
this has been verified for each Contestant.
Now Id like to explain how the Table Topics Contest is Judged. The Contestants will be marked on five
different criteria:
Speech Development or the way the Speaker puts ideas together accounts for 30% of the points
Effectiveness or clarity and logic of the purpose and response accounts for 25%
Physicalbody language, gestures, and expressions is 15%
Voice is 15%
Language or the choice of words, proper use of grammar and pronunciation is 15%
When the Contest begins, the Contestants will be escorted into the hallway. They will then be brought
in, one at a time and introduced only by their name, table topic word, table topic word, their name.
After the Contestant is finished speaking, he/she will take a seat in the audience.
At the back of the room we have two Timers. The Timers will start the clock as soon as the Speaker
makes any kind of contact with the audience. Any kind of contact verbal or non-verbal. The timing for
the Table Topics Speeches is 2 minutes.
The green signal will go on at the one minute mark and stay on. The amber signal will go on and remain
on at the one minute thirty mark. The red signal will go on at the two minute mark and will remain on
until the Speaker is finished.
There will be one minute of silence between Contestants for the Judges to mark their ballots. After the
last Contestant, there will be two minutes for the Judges to finish tallying their scores.
Contestants will be disqualified if their speaking time is less than one minute or more than two minutes
30 seconds. There will be no audible signal if the Speaker exceeds the allotted time.
We have five Judges and one Tie-Breaking Judge. All the Judges have been briefed and are qualified to
Judge. All Contest officials have been briefed.
If you have not already done so, please make sure you have turned off your cell phones or any other
noise makers. Also please refrain from taking pictures while the Contestants are speaking. There will
be a photo opportunity at the end of the Contest.
No one is allowed to leave or enter the room during the presentation of each Contestant. Please plan
on leaving during the one minute of silence between each Contestant.
(Depending on the number of Contestants)
For five or more Contestants: "There will be a Third, Second and First place winner announced."
For four or fewer Contestants: "There will be a Second and First place winner announced."
Protests may be entered by the Contestants or Judges to either the Chief Judge and/or Contest Chair.
Once the results have been announced, all decisions are final unless the list of winners is announced
incorrectly in which case the Chief Judge, Ballot Counter, or Timers are allow to interrupt immediately
to correct the error.
All of the Judges, Contestants and Contest officials have been briefed. All Contestants are qualified to
compete. Are there any questions? Let the Contest begin! Madame Chair
Page 23
Chief Judge Script: Humourous Speech Contest

Thank you Madame Chair. Distinguished Guests and Fellow Toastmasters. I am the Chief Judge for this
evening.
In order to be eligible to be a Contestant, a member must be in good standing with the club. I confirm
this has been verified for each Contestant. Each Contestant has also certified that he/she prepared
their own speech, that said speech is substantially original in content and all quoted material is
accorded proper identification.
I would like to explain how the Humourous Speech Contest is judged. The Contestants will be marked
on three main criteria:
1. Speech Content is 55 % of the points and includes speech development, effectiveness, speech
value and audience response.
2. Delivery is 30 % and includes physical, voice, and manner
3. Language is 15% and includes appropriateness and correctness.
At the back of the room are our two trusty Timers. The Timers will start the clock as soon as the
Speaker makes any kind of contact with the audience. Any kind of contact verbal or non-verbal. The
timing for the Humourous Speeches is 5 7 minutes.
The green signal will go on at the five minute mark and stay on. The amber signal will go on at the six
minute mark and remain on. The red signal will go on at the seven minute mark and remain on until the
Speaker is finished.
There will be one minute of silence between Contestants for the Judges to mark their ballots. After the
last Contestant, there will be two minutes for the Judges to finish tallying their scores.
Contestants will be disqualified if their speaking time is less than four minutes 30 seconds or more than
seven minutes 30 seconds. There will be no audible signal if the Speaker exceeds the allotted time.
We have five Judges and one Tie-Breaking Judge. All the Judges have been briefed and are qualified to
Judge. All Contest officials have been briefed.
If you have not already done so, please make sure you have turned off your cell phones or any other
noise makers. Also please refrain from taking pictures while the Contestants are speaking. There will
be a photo opportunity at the end of the Contest.
No one is allowed to leave or enter the room during the presentation of each Contestant. Please plan
on leaving during the one minute of silence between each Contestant.
Protests may be entered by the Contestants or Judges to either the Chief Judge and/or Contest Chair.
Once the results have been announced, all decisions are final. All of the Judges, Contestants and Contest
officials have been briefed. All Contestants are qualified to compete. Are there any questions?
Let the Contest begin! Madame/Mister Chair
Page 24
Chief Judge Script: Evaluation Speech Contest

Thank you Mr. Contest Chair. Fellow Toastmasters, it is an honour to be your Chief Judge this evening.
I fully realize and appreciate that last night before you went to bed, each and every one of you read the
rule book cover to cover. I know you are well versed on all the rules. My job tonight is not to put you to
sleep again. No. My job tonight is to ensure that rules are followed. Let me give you a brief summary.
To be eligible, each Contestant does not have to have completed a minimum of speeches, but must be a
Toastmaster in good standing of a club in good standing {meaning their dues have been paid in full} and
cannot be a voting member of the District Executive Committee, such as an Area or Division
Governor. No Contestant has declared his or her candidacy to run this coming year.
Each Contestant has submitted the Speakers Certification of Eligibility to the Chief Judge.
Before the Contest: the Contestants and Contest Sergeant at Arms were briefed on the rules by the
Contest Chair; the Judges, Counters and Timers were briefed on their duties by the Chief Judge; the
Contestants drew for the speaking order and all Contestants and Judges have been informed of the
designated speaking area. The speaking order and designated speaking area will be announced by the
Contest Chair.
A 5-7 minute test speech will be heard first for our Contestants to evaluate.
All Contestants will leave the room with the Sergeant-At-Arms and will return when it is their turn to
speak. Contestants will have 5 minutes to prepare their evaluations as timed by the sergeant at
arms. After that time, the Contestants will give their materials to the sergeant at arms, who will return
their materials when it is their turn to present their evaluation.
Each Contestant will be introduced as follows: Contestant Name, Contestant Name.
Each Contestant will speak 2 to 3 minutes and may choose to speak from the lectern.
Contestants, please note the location of the timing devices. Timing for each speech is 2 to 3 minutes.
The Green light will be turned on at 2 minutes, and remain on for 30 seconds. The Amber light will be
turned on at 2 minutes and 30 seconds, and remain on for 30 seconds. The Red light will be turned on
at 3 minutes and remain on until the Speaker has concluded. There will be no warning for over time.
There will be one minute of silence after each speech to allow the Judges to mark their ballots. There
will be two minutes of silence after the last Speaker. Mr. Timer, please turn the green light on when the
Chair announces the one minute of silence and turn the red light on when the time is up.
A Contestant will be disqualified if the evaluation is less than one minute and 30 seconds or more than
three minutes and 30 seconds and on the basis of eligibility. Protests may be entered by the
Contestants or Judges to either the Chief Judge and/or Contest Chair.
Prior to announcing the results, the Chair shall announce if any disqualifications have occurred, but not
the name of the Contestant. Are there any questions? Thank you.
Mr. /Mme. Contest Chair. Let the Contest begin.
Page 25
Chief Judge Script: International Speech Contest

Thank you Mr. Contest Chair. Hello again. Let me guess. You want just the Coles notes version of the
rules. Right? Lets go.
To be eligible, each Contestant must have completed a minimum of SIX speeches from the competent
communicator manual, be a Toastmaster in good standing of a club in good standing (meaning their
dues have been paid in full), and cannot be a voting member of the District Executive Committee, such
as an Area or Division Governor. No Contestant has declared his or her candidacy to run this coming
year.
Each Contestant has completed at least six speeches from the Competent Communication manual prior
to the Contest, has prepared their own 5-7 minute speech, and has submitted the Speakers
Certification of Eligibility and Originality form to the Chief Judge which states their speech is
substantially original. Any quoted material must be so identified during the speech presentation or the
Contestant can be disqualified.
Before the Contest: the Contestants and Sergeant At Arms were briefed on the rules by the Contest
Chair; the Judges, Counters and Timers were briefed on their duties by the Chief Judge; the Contestants
drew for the speaking order and all Contestants and Judges have been informed of the designated
speaking area. The speaking order and designated speaking area will be announced by the Contest
Chair.
Each Contestant will be introduced by: NAME SPEECH TITLE SPEECH TITLE NAME
Each Contestant will speak 5 to 7 minutes and may choose to speak from the lectern.
Contestants, please note the location of the timing devices. Timing for each speech is 5 to 7 minutes.
The Green light will be turned on at 5 minutes and remain on for 1 minute.
The Amber light will be turned on at 6 minutes and remain on for 1 minute.
The Red light will be turned on at 7 minutes and remain on until the Speaker has concluded.
There will be no warning for over time.
There will be one minute of silence after each speech to allow the Judges to mark their ballots. There
will be two minutes of silence after the last Speaker. Mr. Timer, please turn the green light on when the
Chair announces the one minute of silence and turn the red light on when the time is up.
A Contestant will be disqualified if the speech is less than four minutes and 30 seconds or more than
seven minutes and 30 seconds and on the basis of originality or eligibility. Protests may be entered by
the Contestants or Judges to either the Chief Judge and/or Contest Chair.
For four or fewer Contestants: There will be a Second and First place winner announced."
Prior to announcing the results, the Chair shall announce if any disqualifications have occurred, but not
the name of the Contestant.
Are there any questions?
Thank you. Mr./Mme. Contest Chair. Let the Contest begin!
Page 26
3) Overseeing the Counting and Tallying of the Votes

After all the Judges ballots have been collected, the Chief Judge and Ballot
Counters will leave the Contest room and go to the area designated for tallying.
There you the Chief Judge, will supervise the counting and tallying of the
ballots, scrutinize the Timers reports for any disqualifications, help break any ties
to determine the winners, and complete the winners certifications.
Examining the Ballots

All ballots with Judges names not printed, left un-signed or those with
ties not broken are disqualified. Do not use them.
Review the time sheet for any Contestants who are disqualified.
Ensure all ballots are counted twice (except the Tie-Breaking ballot) to
ensure all ballots are accounted for.
Ensure the results are recorded on the Counters Tally Sheet. We
suggest one Ballot Counter enter the data on the sheet and one Ballot
Counter call out the information.
Cross off the Contestants who were disqualified for time.
Add up the scores of all the eligible Contestants.
Audit/verify the results a second time to ensure accuracy. (This does NOT
mean complete a second tally sheet. It means that the results should be
reviewed with a fresh pair eyes to ensure accuracy. We suggest a different
Ballot Counter call out the information and a different Ballot Counter
verify and re-add the data.)
In the case of a tie, open up the Tie-Breaking Judges ballot. Note: This
ballot is used to break the tie, not to change the order of the Contestants.
All ballot results are to be kept confidential.
When a Tie Occurs

The Tie-Breaking ballot score is NOT used for tallying new results. The TieBreaking ballot is used for determining placement.
As a general rule, break the ties from the highest position to the lowest. In other
words if you have a tie for both second and third place, you break the second
place and then you break the third place.
Page 27
How to Break a Tie

Scenario 1: Suppose the results have a tie for first place. Consult the Tie Breaking ballot.
Counter Tally
1st Carol and Susan
tied for first
2nd Fred
3rd Judy
Final result:
Tie-Breaking Ballot
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
Carol
Fred
Susan
Judy
Greg
Henry
George
Mildred
Carol is ranked higher,

therefore Carol is the
winner
1st Carol
2nd Fred
3rd Judy
Scenario 2: Suppose the results were like this:
Counter Tally
1st Carol and Susan
tied for first
2nd Fred
3rd Judy
Tie-Breaking Ballot
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
Judy
Fred
Susan
Greg
Carol
Henry
George
Mildred
Susan is ranked higher,

therefore Susan is the
winner.
In this scenario, Susan is first, and Carol drops to second. What to do with Fred and Judy?
Because two people are tied for a position before Fred, Fred has to be in third place, not
second. The Final result is:
Final result:
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
Susan
Carol
Fred
Judy
Page 28
Scenario 3
The Counter's Tally Sheet shows the following ranking:

1st Carol
2nd Greg and Fred tied for second
3rd Susan
Since there is a tie at second place, consult the Tie-Breaking ballot. Suppose the results were
like this:
Counter Tally
1st Carol
2nd Greg and Fred
3rd Susan
Tie-Breaking Ballot
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
Judy
Fred
Susan
Greg
Carol
Henry
George
Mildred
Fred is ranked higher.

Therefore Fred is placed
second and Greg is
placed third.
In this scenario, there are two people tied for second place. Susan cannot be considered in
third place. She is the fourth highest contestant.
Final result:
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
Carol
Fred
Greg
Susan
Note: If the Tie-Breaking Judge does not sign and print his/her name on the form,
the ballot cannot be used. Additionally, if the Tie-Breaking Judge does not list the
names of all Contestants, the form cannot be used.
In the absence of a valid Tie-Breaking ballot, flip a coin to break the tie.
Page 29
Completing the Winners Certificates

Generally, the Contest Chairs sign the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place certificates. These
certificates are given to the Chief Judge by the Organizer during the Briefing
Period.
As soon as the ballots are counted and the winners determined, the Winners
Certificates are completed. If pre-printed and clear labels have been provided,
use them. If not, the Ballot Counter or Chief Judge with the best handwriting
should complete the names on the certificates.
Back in the Contest Room
Towards the end of the Contest, the Contest Chair will call for the certificates and
ask if there were any disqualifications. You will then announce whether there
were any disqualifications (do not announce names) and pass the certificates to
the Chair.
After the Contest

Complete the Winners Notification Form, attach the specific eligibility forms and
give to the Contest Organizer or the Area Governor whichever has been
previously arranged. Destroy all ballots and tally forms.
Page 30
Appendix D: The Timers

Congratulations! You are the Timer!
Timers are part of the team supporting the Chief Judge. Timing during a Contest
is crucial. Accordingly, there are always 2 Timers. One Timer runs the timing
lights, and one Timer runs the timing device (stopwatch or cell phone
Timer). Typically, both Timers will keep a record of the times, and work to ensure
the lights are displayed on time.
There is no pre-contest preparation work for a Timer, other than to make sure
you know how to run the stopwatch and the timing lights. The Chief Judge will
instruct you during the 30 minute Briefing Period before the Contest starts, and
present you with the Timers Report Forms.
Timers Report Form:
On the Timer Report form, record the name of the Contestant and their
time clearly. If they went over or under time {by more than 30 seconds
then circle their time to draw attention to it.
Timers have a designated seating area at the back of the room with full view of
the Speaking area. Timing devices should be tested before the Contest starts and
should be centrally located so that all the Contestants can clearly see them.
The times for the four main Contests are:
Contest
Table Topics
Evaluation
Humourous
International
Appendix: The Timers
Timing
1 2 min
2 3 min
5 7 min
5 7 min
Green
Light
1 min
2 min
5 min
5 min
Amber
Light
1 min, 30 s
2 min, 30 s
6 min
6 min
Red
Light
2 min
3 min
7 min
7 min
Page 31
Timing starts at the Contestants first intent to communicate, whether verbally or

non-verbally. For example, if they pretend to cast a fishing rod, start timing when
they cast. Disregard verbal instructions from any Contestants.
Malfunctions with Timing Equipment:
If there's a malfunction with the lights, make your best effort to continue
and note beside the Contestant "TIMING LIGHT MALFUNCTION" along with
their time. The Chief Judge will use this information to make a ruling
whether they are over or under time as appropriate by giving 30 seconds
grace.
The Chief Judge will pick up your Timer Report before he/she leaves with the
Ballot Counters. You may only disclose timing information to a Contestant who
asks about his/her own. To be on the safe side, defer questions to the Chief
Judge.
Appendix: The Timers
Page 32
Appendix E: The Ballot Counters

Congratulations! You are the Ballot Counter!
The Ballot Counters work in pairs and are part of the team supporting the Chief
Judge. If there is an abundance of volunteers, there may be 3 Ballot
Counters. The Ballot Counters have two main duties:
1) Collect the ballots from the Judges
2) Tally and summarize all ballots
The only preparation for you the Ballot Counter prior to the Contest is to become
familiar with the Judges and Tally forms. If you are mathematically challenged,
especially under time constraints, consider bringing a personal calculator with
you. Ballot Counters are instructed by the Chief Judge during the 30 minute
Briefing Period before the Contest starts. Ballot Counters generally sit towards
the back of the Contest room.
1) Collect the Ballots
At some point during the last 2 minutes following the last Contestants speech,
you will see the Chief Judge rise and proceed to the back of the room. That is
your cue. Stand and wait until the Judges raise their ballots. Try to be
unobtrusive and collect those ballots promptly.
Once you have determined that all ballots have been collected, let the Chief
Judge know how many ballots you have. Leave the Contest room with the Chief
Judge and other Ballot Counters when the correct number of ballots has been
collected.
When in the designated counting area, accept the guidance of the Chief
Judge. He/she is there to oversee and scrutinize the process. It is important that
the Ballot Counters and the Chief Judge come to a consensus before they return
to the Contest.
Appendix: The Ballot Counters
Page 33
2) Tally and Summarize the Ballots

During a Division or District Contest, the two Ballot Counters each record two sets
of results and compare their calculations to one another to ensure the tallies are
identical. While this is the optimum way to ensure the tallies are complete and
accurate, during a club (or even an Area) Contest, time may be a big inhibiting
factor.
Here we have suggested the fastest process for counting the ballots:
1. Review all ballots to ensure they have a name and signature. Remove any
ballots missing this information and give to the Chief Judge for voiding.
2. Have Ballot Counter #1 read the ballots aloud, one at a time (Judges name,
points awarded to each Contestant).
3. Have Ballot Counter #2 record the Contestants names and Judges names
on the tally form.
4. Sub-total the form.
5. Now verify the results. Ballot Counters should switch roles and repeat
Steps 2, 3 and 4.
6. In the event of a tie for a position in 1st/2nd/3rd place, the Chief Judge will
produce the tie breaking ballot.
7. Ensure that the 1st, 2nd and 3rd placed Contestants are clearly recorded at
the bottom of the tally sheet along with the speech Contest type.
8. The Chief Judge will either give this to the Contest Chair, or keep for
announcing the winners.
Now that the winners have been decided, complete the Winners
Certificates. Clear pre-printed labels or a pen should be with the Chief
Judge. Ensure the Certificates are completed and ready for presentation to the
Winners. Before leaving the counting area, ensure all
ballots and papers are removed by the Chief Judge for
destruction later.
No one but the Ballot Counters and Chief Judge are
aware of the proper order of winners. Be vigilant
when the Contest Winners are announced. If the
order of winners is incorrect, as the Ballot Counter, you
must protest immediately.
Appendix: The Ballot Counters
Page 34
Appendix F: Introducing Dignitaries

Contests are often visited by Dignitaries. Since they have given up their personal
time to attend your Contest, it is good form and proper etiquette to acknowledge
their presence. The SAA is often the best person to do this. Sometimes the
Contest Chair may do so.
If the SAA is to do the introductions, it is
important during the Briefing Period that
he/she discretely asks the Organizer, the
Chairs and the Chief Judge for help in
compiling the dignitary list. Then depending
on the time available and the number of
dignitaries, there are two ways to introduce
them.
Handy Tip!
If you use the word acknowledge,
you are asking the Dignitary to stand
and be recognized.
If you use the word invite, you are

asking the Dignitary to come to the
lectern/speaking area and say
something.
Be careful in your choice of words!
The Shorter Way

This is a blanket approach. It is best used when time is of the essence or when
the room is filled with more than 3 Toastmaster dignitaries.
Tonight we are very honoured to have you here with us. And especially all the
dignitaries. We have Current District, Division and Area Governors as well as Past
District, Division and Area Governors. And special mention to our current and past
Education Ambassadors and Past International Directors. Thank you all for coming.
The Longer Way

Sometimes a Contest might have a special guest like a local Mayor, or a member
of the current or past District Office (e.g. District Governor, Lieutenant Governor
Marketing or Lieutenant Governor Education/Training), or a current or past
International Director, or even the current or past Area Governor. If you are
going for the longer way, be sure that enough time is allotted on the agenda for
the introductions.
Appendix: Introducing the Dignitaries
Page 35
You want to list the dignitaries by order of importance and include the persons
rank or title.
Tonight we are honoured to have you all here. Id like to acknowledge the Dignitaries
who joined us. When I mention your name, would you please stand?
Rank/Title - persons name
Lets have a round of applause for these special guests. Thank you so much for joining
us this evening. Please be seated.
Introduction Order
As a general rule, you want to introduce current officers before past officers (e.g.
Area Governors before Past International Directors). Please note, if a past officer
is competing in a speech Contest, then they should not be introduced as a
Dignitary even if their name appears on this list (in order to prevent bias by the
audience and Judges towards certain Contestants).
The complete order for introducing dignitaries is as follows:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
Visiting Non-Toastmaster Dignitaries (religious first, civic/government second)

Honorary Toastmasters & other Guests of Honor
Current International Officers (ie. Immediate Past President, Executive Director)
Current International Directors (our Region first followed by other Regions)
Current Region Advisors (our Region first followed by other Regions)
Current District Officers (Governor, LGET, LGM, PRO, IPDG, Secretary, Treasurer)
Current Division Governors (host Division first, then alphabetically)
Current Area Governors (host Division first, then alphanumeric)
Current District Officers from other Districts (Division Governor and above)
Current and Past World Champions of Public Speaking (start with most recent)
Past International Presidents (start with most recent; Immediate Past IS a current
officer)
12. Past International Directors (start with most recent; Immediate Past IS NOT a current
officer)
13. Past District Governors (start with most recent, Immediate Past is a current officer)
14. Past District Governors of other Districts (alphabetically)
Appendix: Introducing the Dignitaries
Page 36
Appendix G: The Forms

Contests have Forms. Lots of Forms. The easiest way to be assured that you are
working with the latest and most up to date Forms is to download them directly
from the Toastmasters International website. If you have never run a Contest,
we suggest downloading the Kits rather than the individual Forms.
Log in to the website and then proceed to the TI store. Add to your cart the
appropriate digital content of the Contest Kits. The Kits are free to members to
download.
International Contest Kit is 1169DCD
Evaluation Contest Kit is 1169EDCD
Table Topics Contest Kit is 1169TBLDCD
Humourous Contest Kit is 1169HDCD
Once you click Add to Cart and Checkout, you will be able to download the files.
The files will then be available in your My Profile section of the website. Go to
Orders and click on My Downloads.
Appendix: The Forms
Page 37
Each kit has exactly the same number of forms. Just some of the text will be
changed to fit the specific Contest. Be sure you make the right number of copies
of each. Here is a guide:
The Forms
Speech Contest Rulebook (Item 1171)
Copies needed and special notes

2 copies. One for the Chief Judge, one
for you.
Certification of Eligibility and Originality These can be emailed to the
(Item 1183)
Contestants. However, make at least
eight extra copies 4 each for the
Chairs
Time Record Sheet and Instructions
2 copies per Contest. All four go to the
(Item 1175)
Chief Judge.
Judge's Guide and Ballot (Item 1191)
How many Judges do you have? Add a
few extra. And copy as double sided
Tie-Breaking Judge's Guide and Ballot 2 copies. Double Sided. For the Chief
(Item 1191A)
Judge.
Counters' Tally Sheet (Item 1176)
At least 2 copies. For the Chief Judge.
Contestant Biographical Information
These can be emailed to the
Sheet (Item 1189)
Contestants. Make at least 4 copies for
each Chair.
Notification of Contest Winner (Item
2 copies. For the Chief Judge.
1182)
Speech Contest Certificate (1st Place)
One for each Contest.
(Item 510A)
Speech Contest Certificate (2nd Place)
(Item 510B)
Speech Contest Certificate (3rd Place)
(Item 510C)
Speech Contest Certificate (Participant) One for each Contestant plus a few
(Item 510D)
extra.
Appendix: The Forms
Page 38

How To Organize A Club Contest

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How To Organize A Club Contest

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How to

Organize a Club Contest

Confidently Speaking Toastmasters

About this Guide

Ryan Belluz, Al Brown, Rebecca Castelino, Doug Downey,

October 24, 2012

How to Organize a Club Contest

First Things First

One Chair for each Contest

You will also need ..

Gathering Your Support Team

In our experience, newer members gravitate towards

Gathering Your Support Team (continued)

If you cannot get to everyone personally, use email

Gathering Your Support Team (continued)

Coordinating, Timing & Deadlines

Face to Face Planning Meeting

Chair Scripts Developed

Print out all forms.

Have a Face-to-Face Planning meeting

Coordinating, Timing & Deadlines (continued)

3) Confirm who is printing and publishing

If you are lucky enough

Coordinating, Timing & Deadlines (continued)

Coordinating, Timing & Deadlines (continued)

Planning, Preparing & Publishing

(maximum speech length)

(additional Judges silence after last Contestant)

TOTAL SPEAKING TIME

Planning, Preparing & Publishing

Contestant Speech Timing

TOTAL CONTEST TIME

Planning, Preparing & Publishing

Planning, Preparing & Publishing

Planning, Preparing & Publishing

Everyone likes to be recognized! Remember to highlight the volunteers and

Contest Day: Your SOS Toolkit

Contest Day: Your SOS Toolkit (continued)

When Murphy Strikes!

When Murphy Strikes! (continued)

When Murphy Strikes! (continued)

BIOS GET LOST OR MISPLACED

When Murphy Strikes! (continued)

THE VENUE HAS POOR ACOUSTICS

TIMING LIGHTS FAIL

DELAYS IN JUDGING (DUE TO TIE-BREAKING , RECOUNTS ETC.)

A PROTEST IS FILED AGAINST ONE OF THE CONTESTANTS

When Murphy Strikes! (continued)

A DIGNITARY IS TOO WORDY/ SPEAKS FOR TOO LONG

Appendix A: The Chair

1) Collecting the Eligibility Certificates and Biographical Information

Plan to arrive at the venue at least 30 minutes before

Appendix: The Chair

The Table Topics Contest

Appendix: The Chair

On the day of the Contest

Appendix: The Chair

Appendix: The Chair

Appendix: The Chair

3) Running the Contest

Introducing the Contest

The Script for the Contest Chair

Appendix: The Chair