Matchpointer Online
(Serving Tournament Bridge players in A.C.B.L. Unit 430:
Greater Vancouver, Fraser Valley, Howe Sound, Sunshine Coast)

Unit Mentoring Program

Unit 430 began a Mentoring Program for players in 2008.  Players sign up to be mentors or mentees (sometimes both) and a Unit Member matches up any who sign up.  Players are also allowed to sign up for the program as a mentor-mentee pair.  Below is the current description of the program, plus any news about the programs offered by the Unit.  In future we may add lists of teachers and sign-up forms for the program itself.

(In 2008, Janis Parker started a mentoring program in Unit 430 which was an immediate success, with several dozen pairs of mentors and mentees playing a handful of sessions in local club games.  Janis concluded her term on the Unit Board and Anne Smith has taken over responsibility for the program.  Below you will the short message from Anne when she took over, and below that the initial details of the program that Janis set up.)

Last year under the education chair, Janet Parker, the Unit initiated a program for new players transitioning into duplicate bridge.  Thirty-five players took up the offer and with the assistance of volunteers it has been very successful.  Volunteers gave generously of their time, committing to play four games.  They strived not to become teachers but to offer support and encouragement.  Something interesting happened along the way.  Other players started taking notice.  They thought they'd like a mentor too.  So, phase two of the program has now begun.  A program for B players who would like to play with A players is now endorsed by the Unit 430 board.

So, what does this mean to you?  Do you want to be a mentor or a mentee?  Will you be receptive to volunteering when I approach you?  You can't wait to do either  one or both?  Please e-mail me (Anne Smith: click here to e-mail), or call me at 604/298-7879, or talk to me when you see me at a club.

UNIT 430 MENTORING PROGRAM

The Unit 430 Mentoring Program is designed to match less experienced bridge players (mentees) with more experienced players (mentors) to help both players improve their bridge skills.

For mentees, the mentoring program is an opportunity for you to gain knowledge, confidence and assistance to enjoy your bridge even more.  For mentors, it is an opportunity for you to share your enjoyment of the game, to pass along your experience and to help grow the duplicate bridge community in our area.

While primarily intended to help newer players who have mastered the basics of the game and wish to improve their duplicate bridge skills, the mentoring program is also intended to help players at all levels to increase their success and satisfaction at the bridge table.  Mentors do not need to be life masters and mentees can be life masters seeking to enhance their skills.

The basic program has a few simple guidelines:

• The mentor should usually have at least 200 more masterpoints than the mentee.
• Mentors and mentees should commit to playing four times over a three month period, and should agree to set aside some time for formal and informal discussions about specific hands, bidding, ethics etc.
• All participants should be current members of the ACBL.
• Mentees can, and should when appropriate, also be mentors for less experienced players.
• Your partnership can play at any bridge club in any game for which both partners are eligible, although mentors should recognize the likely comfort level for their mentee.
• Discussions/tutoring at the table should be MINIMAL and should not delay the game.  The mentee should refrain from asking too many questions at the table, but rather make a note to discuss a hand or an issue later, either at the end of a round or after the game.
• The mentor should usually tutor only one mentee at a time under the program.
• You can establish a mentor-mentee relationship yourself, or the program co-ordinator will help match up partners, bearing in mind the geographic location of the players.
• At your first meeting together, you should jointly explore goals and priorities.  These may change at time goes on and should be reviewed periodically.  Some possible goals the mentee may be trying to reach include:
• to feel more comfortable 'playing up'
• to become more ready to play in tournaments
• to learn and practice new conventions
• to learn play-of-the-hand techniques
• to improve their opening lead strategy
• to acquire additional defensive techniques
• to recognize their own weaknesses and gain new strengths
• to recognize their own strengths and receive encouragement

The Unit Board will be monitoring experiences with the mentoring program from time to time, with the goal of improving it and to ensure that relationships are proving beneficial to both mentees and mentors.

To get involved with the program, either as a mentor or mentee, sign up on the sign-up sheets at Unit events, or contact Anne Smith, the program co-ordinator, at 604/298-7879 (click here to e-mail).  Additional information is also available from Unit Board members.

In February, bridge players in Unit 430 received a newsletter from me on behalf of the board outlining a number of initiatives that would be offered if interest was shown.  This is an update for you on the responses to the newsletter.

1. We are receiving a great response to the Eddie Wold seminar in August.  If you are interested in attending, please send a cheque payable to “ACBL Unit 430” to our treasurer, Vicki Moffatt, at 224-13895 102 Avenue, Surrey BC, V3T 1P2.  There are ten spots available.  If you would like further information on the event, please contact me at 604/298-7879.
2. There has been a huge sign-up for the mentorship program.  I’d like to compliment mentors that have volunteered so willingly.  Mentees are grateful and appreciative of the opportunity to learn bridge skills.  If you have a kind disposition, a love of the game, and the ability to tactfully explain concepts please consider volunteering.  Experienced players benefit from this program too, as the bar is raised in the playing field.
3. A new program to offer lessons by local bridge teachers was not an initiative that received much response.  More teachers than students responded.  I think it would be worthwhile for teachers to put their names forward to be published in the Matchpointer.  This will enable players wishing to form a group for lessons to contact teachers directly.  If you are interested in being listed as a bridge teacher please contact me by phone or e-mail.
4. Very few showed interest in taking the director’s course or the teacher’s accreditation course.  Those interested have been directed to regional tournaments where the courses are offered or to take the director’s course on–line through the ACBL.

The board is offering a new initiative.  A new team game has been developed with newer players in mind.  New players will be given an opportunity to play with an experienced player and they will also have an opportunity to be exposed to other players that are looking for a partner.  New beginners do not need a partner at this event.  Mentors play for free.  Other teams with less than 500 points per player will be welcomed as this will be an ACBL sanctioned game that will be stratified.  New players will be given the opportunity to see how they can improve their game when comparing results.  Eugene Chan has agreed to be our director and it will be held at the Vancouver Bridge Club on the first Saturday afternoon of the month.  The first game will be at one o’clock, June 5th.  If you are a new player under the mentorship program invite your mentor to join you!

--Anne Smith, Unit 430 Education Co-Ordinator.