1) Since its inception,
the North American Youth Bridge Foundation (NAYBF) has been
seeking out duplicate bridge players under the age of 25,
the age that the World Bridge Federation (WBF) deems as
"junior". In its efforts to support the American
Contract Bridge League (ACBL) and its Olympic movement,
the NAYBF has spent hundreds of volunteer hours and tens
of thousands of dollars training these junior players. With
the addition of the recognition of bridge by the International
Olympic Committee in March 1999, these efforts are being
increased in their scope. The NAYBF continues its mission
by providing coaching by GS Jade Barrett, 11 times a Non-Playing
Captain (NPC) for USA teams in international competition.
A Diamond Life Master and an International Champion, Barrett
has led the NAYBF in its efforts from 1995 on. Other personnel
include Karen Lee Barrett, three time North American Champion
and nine time Internationalist; Don Mamula, Chairman, ACBL
Board of Governors; Anne S. Hoffman, International Champion,
7 time Internationalist, 3 time Junior NPC, Blair Seidler,
three times a USA JR TEAM member and a coach of the USA
silver medallist team in 1998 and Brian Meyer, member of
the USA JR TEAM, 1998. These coaches, trainers and others
will provide training and playing time at tournaments throughout
North America and Europe.
2) From 1997 - 2003, the NAYBF provided
organizational support for three teams to compete in the
European International Youth Bridge Festival held in s'Hertogenbosch,
The Netherlands. This tournament provides exposure to competitors
from over twenty different nations, providing them the opportunity
to develop relationships with peers that would otherwise
be beyond their grasp.
3) The USA
JR TEAM that won the Irish Junior Invitational was underwritten
by the NAYBF, arranging for the travel for six of the ten
participants. This trip exposed the players to the culture
of Ireland, as there were three touring days during the
ten day tournament.
4) Providing
training camps in Portland OR, Toronto ON, Mount Kisco NY,
Vancouver BC, Vancouver WA, Nimburk, Czech Republic, Frostburg
MD (2002), and other locations, the NAYBF has worked with
over one hundred and fifty different juniors. These efforts
have contributed to the youngest pair ever to win a North
American Bridge Championship (the NABC IMP pairs in Albuquerque
NM), and the World Youth Pairs in 2000 and the JR World
Team Championship in 2001, as well as a team of five juniors
that almost won the right to represent the USA in the Bermuda
Bowl, the premier World Championship team event. These training
sessions are held in small groups of ten players or less
over a long weekend, with the occasional week or ten-day
tournament where the NAYBF and the players both travel to
compete and practice. At the Junior International Team Trials
in 2002, five NAYBF sponsored juniors (Xing Yuan, 16, Robert
Glickman, 16, Lindsay Pearlman, 17, Lisa Burton, 18, Meredith
Beck, 16) became the youngest team ever to win a United
States JR Bridge Championship and with it the right to compete
in the WBF JR Team Championships. These five have received
financial aid and or NAYBF funded training in preparation
for this championship and are expected to succeed in their
endeavor. In addition, all of these junior stars are also
students, with Pearlman, Burton, Yuan and Joon Pahk (the
sixth member of the team, a doctoral student at Cal Berkeley)
had a 4.0 GPA for the Fall Semester 2002. With continued
aid we expect all of these players will continue to excel.
5) Housing
at tournaments is supported as often as possible through
the NAYBF, as the travel costs in order to participate are
particularly high. At the 1999 NABC in Vancouver BC, the
organization provided reduced cost housing to fourteen players
and four coaches, allowing some players to participate when
it would otherwise have been impossible for them to attend.
In 2000 - 2003, the NAYBF has issued grants to need based
players in order for them to travel and train with their
team members to the Reno Regional (held annually on the
last week of the year) and the 12 North American Bridge
Championships.
6) Tournament
entry fees are another substantial cost for players, the
average fee currently about $9.25 per session. With approximately
15 sessions per week, the cost is often over $110 a week.
Through the efforts of the NAYBF, certain local tournaments
have reduced their fees to as little as $15 per week for
players under the age of 18. The ACBL provides junior rates
to players under 26, reducing the North American Bridge
Championship (NABC) entries significantly.
The entry costs at the NABC level still remains above $11
a session (with four sessions daily) and the NAYBF provides
financial assistance to JR participants.
7) With
the advent of online bridge clubs, the NAYBF has assisted
many underprivileged players by negotiating online bridge
accounts at reduced rates. This was accomplished by sharing
sponsorship with OKBridge, Ezbridge and the NAYBF, providing
the opportunity for players separated by thousands of miles
to train more frequently. In 2001 and 2002, online accounts
have been provided to Lisa Burton, Josh Donn, Meredith Beck,
Robert Glickman, Joon Pahk and Lindsay Pearlman, as well
as others juniors who are in the training cycle.
8) In 2002,
the NAYBF sponsored a team to play in the Carroussell Cup,
s'Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands. This included a $5,000
grant that allowed the team to travel to The Netherlands
in its victorious attempt to acquire its first European
title. We assisted the ACBL to provide coaching for the
two USA teams that competed at the World Junior Bridge Team
Championships in Brazil, where the USA won its first gold
medal in over 20 years. The NAYBF both provided and coordinated
continued training for individual players at various locations
throughout the USA. Online bridge will continue to supplement
our real time operations and the NAYBF will continue to
build its relationships with these online service providers,
the WBF and the ACBL, as well as the United States Bridge
Federation. The Olympic movement continues to grow with
the acceptance of bridge as a demonstration sport. In Salt
Lake City the USA team won a silver medal. Joel Wooldridge,
a longtime sponsored player was a member of this team and
the NAYBF is very proud of his accomplishments. The NAYBF
will continue its efforts by providing support to those
teams selected to represent the USA at the Olympic venues
in the future. It is our goal to raise both the skill level
and social awareness of all those involved, both players
and support personnel.
The NAYBF staff is primarily
comprised of volunteers, and the activities that the NAYBF
undertakes is affected by the availability of the same.
Currently there are nine volunteers and one paid position.
9) 60% - Our efforts continue to be most
concentrated in the training and coaching of our junior
players. G. Barrett will either coach or direct the ongoing
coaching of players who meet the criteria established by
the NAYBF Board of Directors. As of 1 January 2002, there
are 34 juniors who have been approved for advanced training.
These players have been selected for their talent, their
ability to work within a team framework and their skill
level. Their fellow competitors, tournament directors and
the ACBL Education Department recommend players for consideration.
Some players are recruited by the NAYBF as they appear on
the national scene. The selectors include, but are not limited
to the NAYBF BOD.
10) 30 %
- The administrative operations of the NAYBF include evaluation
and recruitment of junior players from all over the USA.
The arrangement of travel and accommodations and the acquiring
of sponsors for the same is one of the most time consuming
tasks that the organization takes on. As with many similar
organizations, the NAYBF constantly promotes the teams and
individuals in order to raise the awareness of their needs
to the membership and community at large. Through these
promotions the NAYBF obtains much of its funding and influence.
With the assistance of Don Mamula as our Secretary, G &
K Barrett will continue to promote and fundraise as the
need arises.
11) 10%
- The Non-Playing Captain (NPC) of International teams (a
function similar to that of a head coach) requires a person
to travel with the team to a tournament. While at the tournament,
the NPC organizes the day to day operations of the team.
This includes verifying the adherence to the conditions
of contest, the proper conduct of the team (including support
personnel) and the representation of the team in contested
rulings with tournament officials. Bob Rosen, Jeff Roman,
GS and K Barrett, Seidler, Hoffman and Mamula are all qualified
to fulfill these positions, though the NAYBF BOD may select
others. A second official is generally required, and the
NAYBF expects to send an assistant coach with most, if not
all, of the sponsored teams. The BOD will approve this person.
12) 40%
- The NAYBF expects the principle spending will continue
to be on travel. Given that the three North American Bridge
Championships will be held in Philadelphia, Long Beach and
New Orleans in 2003, there is a substantial expense expected.
On average, the NAYBF spends approximately $1500 per team
at each of these national championships, usually through
supported housing/board and entry fees. Over $5000 was spent
on the USA JR TEAM that competed in the s'Hertogenbosch
JR Bridge Invitational on air travel, meals and hotels.
With another Netherlands trip scheduled for 2003, the World
JR Team Championships in Paris, the World JR Pairs in Hungary
and another Irish JR Bridge Invitational, additional funds
are being sought.
13) 20%
- The operational expenses will include the salary for the
Director, office rental and the day to day office expenses
(phone, electricity, etc.).
14) 30%
- Training expenses generally include entry fees for sponsored
teams and pairs. There is an occasional expense for supplies,
which include several different computer programs and the
online services.
15) 10%
- Advertising is critical, as name recognition as been the
primary source of fundraising. Sales of team T-shirts, golf
shirts, pens and other minor advertising gimmicks have all
raised funds in the past, and the NAYBF will be doing more
of this type of marketing in the future.
16) Contributors have provided funds for
different activities as they have arisen. The NAYBF has
requested and received support from private individuals
who share the desire to provide the opportunity for junior
players to develop both socially and as athletes. Additional
funding has been raised through the sale of specialty advertising
items such as pens, T-shirts, and appearance fees, though
these activities represent less than 15% of the budget.
As the NAYBF is a newly incorporated entity, its previous
efforts have been made on a largely informal basis. Interested
parties have encouraged the organization to form in order
to more effectively provide support to the junior players
involved. It is hoped that with the formalization of the
NAYBF, the fund raising activities will be more effective
as well. Our volunteers will reach more junior players,
and in turn more of these players will reach the North American
and World Championships, with Olympic success as the end
competitive goal. In the last four years the NAYBF has raised
over 70,000 in cash and services. The NAYBF Board of Directors
is very pleased with the progress of the Foundation's efforts
and look forward to continuing the successful fundraising
efforts that have occurred to date.
