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Youth Team Formation |
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For Mid-Atlantic Readers: The two articles [ Hands from Brazil / College of Charleston Spring Graduate Leads Bridge Team to World Youth Championship ] originally appeared in Palmetto Pre-Empts, the quarterly Newsletter of Unit 160 (South Carolina). The following is how the team was formed to include two Mid-Atlantic members Brad Campbell, 17, of Atlanta, was one of the youngest players in the World Championships. USA-I was originally a 5-man team, formed after the World Championships two years ago. Joel Wooldridge (NY) and John Hurd, on different USA representative teams two years ago, decided to play together (Wooldridge’s former partner would be too old and John’s former partner was unsure of her plans). They contacted their other three teammates-to-be who could play as three different pairs. To play in the World Championships six players are needed. Originally the ACBL Board was only going to allow teams of four to compete in the trials and then augment those teams. With the help and support of Bruce Reeve, and other board members the ACBL Board approved the team’s request that all JR Teams be allowed to field more than 4 players for the trials. Brad had played exceptionally well in an event in the Netherlands in January, 2000, when on a team with the original five. The team decided to ask Brad to play and that completed the roster. Since the other three were able to play about equally on their three different pairs, John and Joel could each play with Brad – so after two years of playing as a team, each player on the team had two sound partnerships when the World Championships started. After winning the trials Bob Rosen was selected by the team as NPC, with Dennis McGary as coach. Non-Playing Captain Bob Rosen deserves credit for preparing the young men for this level, for scheduling everyone’s playing time so that all could participate fully, for technical bridge matters too numerous to go into here, and for insuring their demeanor and conduct was of the highest standards both on and away from the table. Players at this age are studying, graduating, going to work, getting married (or forming serious attachments), and may have less time for bridge. Also, living so far from partners and/or teammates makes playing as pairs or as teams extra hard. Financially, the fees, costs, living expenses, etc, are likely to be more that a parent wants to spend on a teen’s hobby. The difficulties of forming a bridge team, which we all understand, are compounded for players at this age. Support by authorities, leagues, districts, units, clubs, etc, is a necessity. Let me remind District 7 players that Kevin Bathhurst, of USA-II, is a SC player formerly from Sumter, SC. Our Mid-Atlantic Conference was well-represented in this event. |
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