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That big step.

An important time in the bridge calendar will soon be here for most bridge clubs. It is not the fact that there are lots of tournaments as that seems to be true all year round….or even that elections for regional committees are coming up (I hope you think these regional committees are important…yes, there may well be a space for you.)

  It is that time of year when our beginners come out of their classes and hit bridge big time! Large club or small, we hope your club does not drop them in the deep end…a few games, weeks on their own, even in the same room as the regular players, to get the feel of playing is really the way to go..but at some point in the next 2-3 months, they will be playing a full session.

That’s an awful lot of boards, about 22-24, with many clubs being too small to have their own Junior night. Those in the larger clubs are more fortunate where they can offer an evening with fewer boards, less stress.

So, why is this such an important time? It is because the beginners should emerge from the class with enthusiasm, maybe a little fear about what they are going into… but for too many, realism is not what they had hoped. Some are hooked, committed, have got it (well, the elements at least) from an early stage. We do not need to worry about them. They will take the knocks and move on.

Yet, those who find the whole thing much harder, struggle with what they have learnt, maybe are not outward- going people, those little knocks…and they only need be little and only in the singular..will see them stay away from our clubs. This is a waste of our learning resources, a loss to our future bridge community.

New Zealand Bridge’s marketing manual sets out what clubs, members need to do. Make the new players feel wanted. Ensure they have a game for the next event. Don’t forget the more social side of an evening’s bridge. Talk to them at the club. Be nice to them at the table.

It seems so simple, so logical but if so, why do we lose too many players after they come out of the classes and move into our clubs? Some bad behaviour, rudeness, is just so obvious but even little knocks, a sigh, a hurry-up, a look…all are off-putting when you are struggling over every bid which you have to make, every card you have to play.

We are not increasing our bridge population and a main cause, apart unfortunately from the inevitable, is the too large a number who come to the beginner classes but do not last in our clubs.

It is something every bridge player should think about. Even if you are “perfect” in this respect (in that case, you may suffer the sin of arrogance), you know others who are less so. Our personalities are all different. Some find it hard to do the right thing all the time at the bridge table. The way we treat newer players, or not, is a major factor as to whether our club membership can grow or will just erode as the membership gets even older.

Soon, there could be new players in your section, around your club on club nights. Give them a great first and second impression of play at your club…and then we may see the numbers playing at our clubs increase. A smile, an “are you enjoying your evening”, a few words of encouragement are all that it takes to make our newer players welcome. Maybe offer them a game. We would all prefer a 10 table section to a 5 table one, wouldn’t we?

Now is the hour. You can make a difference.

Richard Solomon

The retention of new players in our clubs will be one of the main topics at the National Bridge Teachers' Conference to be held at the Franklin Bridge Club over the weekend of July 16th-17th this year. We would like as many clubs represented as possible. Thought of coming? Click here.

 

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