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The Mentoring Program was developed in 2001 with the primary goal of recruiting, training and
retaining new duplicate players. It was recognized that players coming out of the EasyBridge!
classes, as well as social bridge players, have a difficult time transitioning into the more
challenging accredited duplicate games. Additionally, some players who already enjoy duplicate
might benefit from a mentor who could help take their game to the next level. The program runs from September 1 through May 31. Sign-up takes place in July and August with the pairings made the last week of August. Some mentees may know or have observed a better player and wish to directly ask that person to be their mentor. Likewise, a mentor may know of a potential mentee they would like to work with and may ask that mentee directly. Pairings will be made from those remaining mentors and mentees who have signed up based upon the criteria they have listed in order of importance on the sign-up form. In the case of more mentees than available mentors, pairings will be made for those mentees who have not been in the program before. All participants will be notified the last week in August. There is a one year limit on the time a mentee may have the same mentor. They may continue to play together after the one year, but will not be considered part of the Mentoring Program. Both mentor and mentee may participate in the program with a different partner in following years. It is anticipated that non-life-masters will mentor those mentees with 25 or fewer masterpoints. Every effort will be made in pairing teams so the ratio of masterpoints is ten-to-one (or as high as possible) depending upon the participants. Participating in the mentoring program is a commitment on the part of both the mentor and the mentee. A mentor and mentee must work together towards the goals they establish for their nine months together. It is expected that the pair will play together at least once a month. This may require both parties to make concessions and, if necessary, some schedule adjustments in their regular games. The level of the games they play in will be a mutual decision. No decision in the program is entirely unilateral on either party's part. A mentor should take into account the level of their mentee's game and work with him/her from that point forward. The mentor should also realize that in most cases their mentee will not have an extensive knowledge of many of the conventions the mentor normally plays, nor will the mentee's play/defense be impeccable. This is why they want to have mentor - to improve their games. The mentee must realize this is a commitment on their part to learn new ways of bidding, playing and/or defending. They must be willing to spend time studying, reading, analyzing and practicing. It is a waste of the mentor's time if the mentee is not willing to listen to a more experienced player and try new things that are suggested. A mentee will get the most benefit from the program if their regular partner(s) are also learning the same new ways of playing so they can be practiced in their regular games. The mentoring program is not meant to be a means for mentees to gain masterpoints by playing with a better partner, but a way to improve their game As a courtesy the mentee should offer to pay the entry fee for their mentor. It will then be the mentor's prerogative to accept or decline the offer. |