First day of March tomorrow - and an opportunity for those who are college bridge players to compete against students throughout ACBL land!
Instructions below; hope many of you are able to compete in this fun event and perhaps win prizes!
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« January 2021 | Main | March 2021 »
February 28, 2021
February 25, 2021
Roger Melaas - Stay Positive
What a great day! No longer below zero, sunshiny with blue skies - and a new fine story from Connie Nelson! We hope all of Minnesota's players are not only enjoying the weather - but enjoying various games that are available online. Here's to a pretty day, our great game, our wonderful teachers and students - and Connie's talented storytelling!
Several members of our St Cloud Bridge Club like to fish, but Roger Melaas loves to fish. Once a professional fishing guide, Roger has been heard to say: “To fish or not to fish. That’s a stupid question.” He fishes across all seasons, often sharing his catch with others. But via this article, I want Minnesota players to know that Roger, a Ruby Life Master, is also “a keeper” in the Bridge world.
I have previously written about our Club’s Mentor program started in 2019.[1] However, Rhonda Rossman recently reflected: “I think our mentoring program really started with our Liberty Lessons. For years, Roger Melaas has used those lessons to bring promising players up to speed and provide continuous learning.”
Roger Melaas giving a bridge lesson, using a fishing rod pointer
What are Liberty Lessons? Every Tuesday pre-COVID, Roger Melaas offered free bridge lessons and “chat bridge” at Liberty Bank. Roger started each lesson with recognition of one or more advancing players about a play or bid well made during the prior evening’s sanctioned game. Any player could then ask questions about hands from the night before. This was followed by a short lesson limited to one topic. Last, the players would play bridge, while Roger and other experienced players would float among the tables. They would stop the play to cover a hand that had stumped everybody, or was particularly interesting. Rhonda recalls, “What I loved about those lessons was that you could address a difficult hand ‘in the moment’.”
A mentoring table: Ruth Sundby, Marlene Schroeder, Sandra Hatch and Roger Melaas
Marlene Schroeder also had only good things to say about Roger: “Where do I start? I am so impressed with Roger’s ability to affirm and compliment people. He sends little notes to individual players about their play. His whole heart is in helping C players who want to learn advance their games.” Roger is currently Marlene’s mentor at St Cloud’s Friday online mentor game. She says that he has a kind – never critical – style. He watches for teaching moments, and says “Here’s where you could have done better.”
Roger’s kindness is not limited to the bridge table. If he hears of any Club member experiencing a health issue – he calls them; he visits them. He often refers to our Club as our bridge “family.” Throughout COVID distancing, he has worked to keep the game going and to keep spirits high. It speaks volumes that his current email signature line is: “Stay positive; Test negative – Roger M/7No”
By Connie Nelson
[1] If interested, see https://psohler.files.wordpress.com/2020/09/sept-2019-st.-cloud-bridge-club-mentoring-initiative.pdf.