Explaination of new "number of members on team" rule...

[Will181198]

Here's the rule that I'm questioning....

Rule 3.7 Number of members on a team. A team shall consist of no less than six members. Generally, a team may not have more than eight members on it; however, each program is entitled to have one team that has up to ten members on it. (06-07) No one may sit at the attorney table in the role of plaintiff or defendant unless that person is on the team’s six to ten person roster. Teams fielding more than ten scoring team members will be disqualified from eligibility for team awards, individual awards and bid consideration. The record of the disqualified team will remain as initially recorded for tabulation and pairing purposes. No individual member may compete on more than one team for his/her institution, unless said member is given permission to do so under rule 3.13, by the AMTA Representative, at that Regional or National Tournament.

And here are my questions:
(1) Am I to understand this rule to mean that if my program fields ONLY one team then we are allowed to have 10 members on it? Or, if I field two teams, am I allowed to have one with 10 and one with 7? So long as the second team and any additional teams don't go over 10?
It had been my understanding that the 10 person limit was only applicable if you had only one team participating, but the way I'm reading the rule seems to mean that you can have up to 10 on one team and up to 8 on every other team. Can someone explain that?

(2) What happens if a team of 10 moves on to National Tournaments? Do we have to cut down to 8? Or are we allowed to keep the 10?

(3) Does this apply to invitationals? Or is that up to the host of the invitational? I just haven't seen it done yet this year and was wondering what other thoughts were

Thanks!

[Bloch]

The Board voted in June exactly what the rule says. For one team only, a program may field a team of ten if it chooses. Therefore, for instance, whereas the total number a campus might enter in regional qualifiers used to be 48 not counting timekeepers, the number is now 50. (One team of 10 and five teams of 8.) The proponents of the rule change (which I voted against) saw it as a way to afford participation for the extra students who often hang around. The solution to 18 squad members may be scoring roles for 10 on one team and 8 on another.

You are not allowed to have teams of 9 and 9 scorers. Teams of 10 and thereafter 6 to 8 comply with the rule as changed.

I do not believe the "team of 10" rule is affected by being a national tournament team. Of course I might be wrong (and Board colleagues will say so) but I do not believe AMTA has ever required identical teams regional-to-national. The program as a whole earns national bids and thereafter determines who will perform at the national level. If a student competes on a National Intercollegiate ("Silver" in some parts) that does not advance, I believe AMTA does not allow the student to score at the AMTA Championship. One "stacks" only after qualifiers or after a team(s) advance to the Championship.

I at least expect to see 10-person teams in Minneapolis if I arrive in Minneapolis.

Invitationals can change most anything - even the Case - but they must notify the field.

[Objection]

Why can't you field a team of 9 and 9 scorers? Doesn't the rule say "up to ten members"?

[Chris]

He is saying you can't have two teams of 9; and therefore two teams with 9 members scoring. You can have one team of 10 and one of 8, but you can't divide them 9 and 9. Only one team may have more than 8 scoring members.

[Glassplate]

(sorry for bringing up an old thread)

By scoring members you mean that you could bring a timekeeper and have that person NOT part of the 6/8/10 *BUT* still be marked, per AMTA rules, as a 'team member' and thus able to communicate with the team during recess?

Would that person then have to be a timekeeper on the other side of the case or could they participate on that side?

AKA can you bring 11 people to a regional/national tournament?

[Will181198]

It's my understanding that no team can have more than 10 people marked as "team members" who compete in the tournament. If an individual competes on either side of the case then they will count towards that total (even if they are a timekeeper on the other side). Likewise, it's my understanding that if an individual is purely a timekeeper and is not counting towards your 10 person team then they cannot communicate with the team as all during the round. Only scoring members can communicate during a round.

If I'm wrong please correct me....or if I didn't explain that clearly...

[MockMaster]

At regionals a program can have one team with 9 or 10 members. All other teams from that program at regionals must have 8 or less (even if they are competing at a different regional tournament.) In the postseason, the program may also have a single team with 9 or 10 members. My interpretation is that means a single ten-person team for Nationals and the Championship, unless the 10-person team qualifies from the Nationals to the Championship.

Timekeepers may or may not be a team member. If they are, they count towards the limit. If they are not, they can't communicate with the team members on breaks.

Anyone sitting at counsel table must be a team members.

There is no cap on the total number of regional teams, only a cap on the number that can compete in a single regional.

[Glassplate]

[quote author=MockMaster link=topic=3534.msg161248#msg161248 date=1201188180]
At regionals a program can have one team with 9 or 10 members. [/quote]

So there can be teams of 9 people?

I thought it was <=8 or 10

[Golden Skull]

The rule says up to ten.

Why would it make any sense to allow a team of 6, 7, 8, or 10 but not 9?

[DesertClassic]

[quote author=MockMaster link=topic=3534.msg161248#msg161248 date=1201188180]
In the postseason, the program may also have a single team with 9 or 10 members. My interpretation is that means a single ten-person team for Nationals and the Championship, unless the 10-person team qualifies from the Nationals to the Championship.

[/quote]

Had not thought of it that way. Thanks for clarifying, sir.