Many of Minnesota's bridge players began playing bridge decades ago. Lots of decades ago! Some have 50 years of competing under their belts; some even longer.
In today's world, however, the number of activities, sports, entertainment, competition and so much more has grown exponentially. Thus too many of our younger people not only don't learn bridge - they've never heard of it!
Yet, some of us are not sitting back and doing nothing about this. Some of us who love our game deeply, want it to be sustained, grown - and be enjoyed by more of all ages - are working hard to "grow bridge." And - efforts are paying off handsomely!
Matt Bribitzer-Stull, Dean of the Honors Program at U of Minnesota, along with a number of our other talented bridge playing professors, have been involved in teaching our honors bridge students at the U of MN. (Yes, you can take bridge courses at the U!) Students at Carleton College have an active bridge club, and your webmaster has the honor of being their bridge coach. Like at U of MN, more than a few of the students at Carleton are quite talented and already shining at our game.
The ACBL has been doing a superb job, also, at promoting our game to junior players. Students have the opportunity to compete in events and win trips to the Summer NABC Collegiate games. Multiple years now, we have had students from both U of MN and Carleton win trips, compete and do well. Additionally, the College Initiative has frequent College Bridge Games online - like the one below. Students can have a great time competing - then potentially win prizes, too!
We are thrilled that one of our U of MN students came in FIRST place in the most recent competition! Additionally, our U of MN students and Carleton students came in 2nd and 3rd overall in the October 15th game - ahead of some of the most elite universities in the nation. U of MN and Carleton students; we are so very proud of you! Great going!
Yet, we'd like to see more and more younger people competing.
Minnesota has other fine colleges and universities. Perhaps we have other players in our state who would like to become a coach or teacher at a school near where you live.
And - to our friends outside of Minnesota - just think if every state had one or two programs at their colleges and universities! I'm betting that the number of college students and young people playing bridge would skyrocket!
Many of us who have played bridge for years are aware of how incredible it is. It truly is The Greatest Game.
Let's all do what we can so that the Greatest Game flourishes and grows. We can have our club games and tournaments pump up the number of players. And we can insure that many are competing at bridge for decades and decades to come, too!
Plus - let's please give all our students and their coaches, professors, teachers and others a round of applause! Thank you for keeping the Greatest Game greater still!
