Slam League X Rules and Agreements
Each Coach . . .
1) Must be willing to help Slam League staff to monitor the event during off-weeks.
Each bout . . .
1) Will start promptly at 4:30 PM.
2) Will be attended by ALL Participating Teams, each by a minimum of six poets. Teams that fail to attend two bouts can be removed from the league without refund.
Each team . . .
1) Must consist of at least six poets. Numbers should grow throughout season.
2) Must perform at least one group poem in every bout.
3) Must pay a non-refundable $250 registration fee before competing.
Each performance . . .
1) Must be below three minutes and ten seconds. A one-point time penalty will be assessed for every ten seconds over 3:10. (At 3:40, the microphone may be taken away by the host.)
2) May only be repeated once over the course of the season. This includes championships.
3) Must adhere to PSL's Trigger Warning Policy.
The performances . . .
1) Must be free of profanity. (All Disqualifications will result in 0 points. Two DQs will eliminate a team from the league.)
2) Must present original work by every poet who touches the stage. (A person may not be a prop, may not just sing background music, etc.)
3) Every poet may only touch the stage once during a competition. Failure to do this will disqualify a team, and that team will receive no points for the competition.
The Scoring . . .
1) All performances will be judged by five judges on a scale from 1-10. We will keep, and add the three middle scores.
2) The scores are divided into 5 points for Performance and 5 for Writing.
- An individual piece can not score above a 4 in Performance.
- A memorized group piece can not score below a 4 in Performance.
- Any piece that is read can not score above a 2 in Performance.
3) The top four teams after round 2 will make the third round.
Participating (Attending on the team's off-week) - 1 point
Making the 2nd Round - 2 points
Winning - 3 points
The Championships . . .
1) All teams will make the Post Season.
2) The top two teams in each division will receive a BYE. They do not have to compete in the Semi-Finals.
3) Everyone else will compete for the final two championship spots in each division at Semi-Finals.
4) Slam League Championships will be an Elite Eight, single elimination. Two teams are eliminated every round. (The regular season champion of each division bypasses the 1st round.)
SLAM LEAGUE AGREEMENTS
1) I agree to encourage my team members to attend all Slam League Events in the spring.
2) I agree to provide a loving, inclusive environment for young people to explore the power of their voices.
3) I will encourage my poets to be active listeners, writers, and performers.
4) I understand that PYPM Slam League is about encouraging development - and that the competition is just a bonus.
5) I will communicate all Slam League regulations to my poets.
6) I will seek to GROW my team throughout the season. Teams are not to be exclusive.
