Mentoring Program

The ADBC Mentoring Program consists of two separate sessions each calendar year: One session occurs in the spring; the second session occurs in the fall.

It is the responsibility of the ADBC I/N (Intermediate/Novice) Coordinator to operate the mentoring program subject to the approval and oversight of the ADBC Board of Directors. The I/N coordinator, always striving to make the most compatible pairings possible, is responsible for the mentor-mentee (M-M) pairings. (However, any pair that meets the mentoring program requirements may submit their names to the I/N Coordinator as a "pre-matched" M-M pair.)

The spring session is about what you would expect a mentoring program to be: The mentors are all volunteer Life Masters and the mentees each have between 50 and 500 master points and are not yet Life Masters. The spring mentoring session generally starts within two weeks of February 1 and continues until the end of May. Non-life masters who served as mentors in the program the previous fall are among the candidates for mentees in the spring program. They are assigned mentors first in recognition of their service as mentors the previous fall. Then the remaining mentee candidates are assigned mentors until all available mentors have been assigned. The program needs more participation by the more accomplished players in the club to insure all mentees who wish to participate in the program have the opportunity to do so.

In the fall portion of the program, volunteer mentors must have (1) between 50 and 300 master points and (2) a desire to help recent Easybridge graduates and others new to duplicate bridge become firmly grounded in the fundamentals of the game. Anyone with less than 50 master points and wishing to improve their game may request to be a mentee in the fall. The fall program generally starts near the second week of September.

A potential mentor who has already attained the rank of Life Master may be a mentor in the fall session but must make his/her own arrangements for a mentee. Such pairs may participate in all elements of the mentoring program. However, there may some conditions placed on their participation in sanctioned games restricted to M-M pairs.

FUNCTIONING OF THE FALL SESSION:

M-M pairs are encouraged to play as often as their calendars (and time restraints) permit in the several games available at the club. M-M pairs that include less experienced players may choose to play in games with master point limitations but participation in the whole program offered by the club is encouraged. In addition to the regularly scheduled games, there will be a special, "M-M PAIRS ONLY" sanctioned game at least one Saturday per month.

A committee worked for several months during the spring of 2007, creating materials that may be used by some M-M pairs. The use of these materials by a M-M pair is OPTIONAL. These optional materials come in two parts.

• First, collections of bridge hands will be available for the mentee’s practice in bidding. For example: "Partner opens 1NT, RHO passes; what is your response holding ____ ." The mentee is to discuss their responses with their mentor and then discuss the hands with their regular bridge partner(s).
• Second, a set of pre-made hands focusing on situations commonly encountered at the table (e.g., 1NT Openings) will be available for M-M pairs to bid, play, double-dummy and discuss.

No M-M pair is expected to participate in every mentoring opportunity. Each pair should "pick and choose", and then engage in those available activities that best satisfies their perceived needs.

The I/N coordinator wishes you all the best: HAPPY MENTORING. Your suggestions and comments are always welcome: faraday37@sbcglobal.net.