Palo Alto Bridge / Mentor Program

Our Mentor Program matches aspiring players with more advanced players to encourage newer and less experienced players to develop their skills and increase their enjoyment of the game. 

Please contact Sid Chen, email, with questions, request a mentor or volunteer to become a mentor.

Here’s a summary of how our Program works:

  • Only members of Unit 503 are eligible to be Mentees.
  • Mentees can apply to be mentored as an individual, or as a partnership (2 mentees), or as a team (4 mentees).
  • A Mentor is assigned to the Mentee(s) for a 4 month period.  After this period, the Unit will ask the Mentor to coach other mentees.
  • It’s recommended that the Mentor and Mentee(s) meet 6 times, or about once every 3 weeks during this period, so the Mentee(s) can make progress on their goal(s).
  • If the Mentor-Mentee partnership is playing a game’s section where the Mentor’s masterpoints make them ineligible to receive points, the partnership can “move up” to a higher ranged or open section if they wish to earn points.
  • Mentee(s) who has/(have) gone through the Program can re-apply for another Mentor, but priority will be given to Unit members who haven’t had a Mentor yet.
Mentee Benefits, Responsibilities and Expectations

Benefits

Having a mentor means having an ally who supports you by providing valuable advice and guidance.  They’re there to point out situations that are relevant to your learning goals.  They do more than just answer questions.  They expose you to a different point of view, challenge you to think outside the box and have you explore new ways of playing the game.  With their encouragement, your skills and confidence grow – and ultimately your enjoyment of the game.  You will find yourself wanting to play more, because you are playing better.

Responsibilities

  • When you’re contacted that a Mentor is available, please fill out the Mentee Questionnaire and submit it to the Program Coordinator.  This questionnaire will be given to your Mentor to help them prepare to coach you.
  • Before your first game, reach out to your Mentor to review your convention card and to discuss your goal(s).  One example of a goal is: “I want to know the differences between attitude, count and suit preference signals – how they work and when to use them.”  If feasible, work on developing a plan with your Mentor.  If you don’t have a specific goal, consider looking at areas you feel weak or lack confidence in and choose one of those to develop.
  • Make a commitment to play 6 times in a 4 month period.
  • Spend time with your Mentor after each game to go over key hands, ask questions and discuss feedback.

Expectations

Respect, appreciate and support your Mentor by doing the following:

  • Respect your Mentor’s time by being prompt for all meetings, allowing enough time after the game for review, making time to read materials, etc., if your Mentor gives them to you.
  • Be receptive to your Mentor’s feedback without becoming defensive or trashing yourself.  Remember the Mentor is there because s/he wants you to improve.  Trashing yourself only lowers your confidence.  View your Mentor’s constructive criticism as support that helps you do better next time.
  •  Trust and Confidentiality – Honest and open communication is essential to a good relationship.  Sensitive issues may arise during the program and should stay private.  Your Mentor is not a source of gossip to be passed on to other players.
  • Be flexible and manage changes – the unexpected can happen.  Prompt communication with your Mentor allows both of you to better adjust to the situation and together plan what to do next.
  • Have realistic expectations of what your Mentor can do.  Remember s/he is also a student of the game and not a world-class expert.  They may not have all the answers, or may at times give less than optimal advice.  Even the “best, correct answer” doesn’t always work in bridge.  Be patient and understanding and focus on how an unfortunate result can be used as a learning opportunity for both of you.
  • What if the personalities of the Mentor and Mentee conflict?  Reasonable people acting in good faith do not always work or play well together.  Playing one game is required before either the Mentee or Mentor may request a change from the Program Coordinator.  The Coordinator will, as much as possible, keep confidential any feedback provided by either party.  The Coordinator will attempt match up another Mentor with the Mentee, but another match is not guaranteed.
  • The Unit hopes that you will pass on the gift you’ve received by becoming a Mentor yourself and helping another player Advance.
Mentor Benefits, Responsibilities and Expectations

Benefits

It can be very personally fulfilling to know that you’ve directly contributed to someone’s growth and development.  As a positive role model, you are not sharing just your knowledge, but also your love and enthusiasm for the game.  Seeing your Mentee succeed is a great reward.  Having a Mentee exposes you to their perspective, different ideas, and possibly a fresh approach to the game.  Having a Mentee keeps you sharp.  You also help our Unit support and develop less experienced players as part of our Unit’s Education Program.  More importantly, you are passing on the gift you received when you were a Mentee.

Responsibilities

  • Be patient and flexible.  You should not go into the relationship with specific expectations of what you want to teach.
  • Review the Mentee’s questionnaire to get an understanding of her/his current standing and goals.  The Mentee may not have a specific goal but instead have an area that they want to develop.
  • Before playing your first game, reach out to your Mentee to review their convention card and to discuss their goal(s).  If feasible, work on developing a plan with your Mentee.  If the Mentee doesn’t have a specific goal, discuss how you can support them where they feel weak or lack confidence.
  • Make a commitment to play 6 times in a 4 month period.
  • Spend time with your Mentee after each game to go over key hands and important pointers, discuss feedback and allow the mentee to ask further questions.
  • Be available to your Mentee, by email or by phone, for follow up questions.

Expectations

Respect, appreciate and support your Mentee by doing the following:

  • Respect your Mentee’s time by being prompt for all meetings, allowing enough time after the game for review, giving a timely response if your Mentee emails you with a question, etc.
  • Be receptive to your Mentee’s input without becoming defensive.  While you’re in a position of authority, the relationship should be more collaborative, rather than a top-down one.  The Mentee may have a different reasoning or logic and so constructively challenge why you think something should be a certain way.  Remember the Mentee is there because s/he wants to improve.  View your Mentee’s viewpoint and questions as guidance for you to help them succeed.
  • Trust and Confidentiality – Honest and open communication is essential to a good relationship.  Sensitive issues may arise during the program and should stay private.  Your Mentee is not a source of gossip to be passed on to other players.
  • Be flexible and manage changes – the unexpected can happen.  Prompt communication with your Mentee allows both of you to better adjust to the situation and together plan what to do next.
  • Have realistic expectations of what your Mentee can do.  It will take time for them to learn a new topic and mistakes, probably many, will be made along the way.  Negative facial or verbal expressions during their play have a demoralizing effect.  Instruction immediately after play or between rounds is discouraged as these brief “pointers” can confuse your Mentee and reduce their focus on the next hand.  Be patient and understanding and use the unfortunate result as a learning opportunity during your review of the hands after the game.  On the other hand, immediately giving a brief praise such as “you really kept track of all the spots” or just a “very nicely played, partner” will do your Mentee a world of good.
  • What if the personalities of the Mentor and Mentee conflict?  Reasonable people acting in good faith do not always work or play well together.  Playing one game is all that is required before either the Mentee or Mentor may request a change from the Program Coordinator.  The Coordinator will, as much as possible, keep confidential any feedback provided by either party.
  • The Unit hopes that you find that mentoring is a worthwhile and enjoyable activity and will continue to support other aspiring players in our program.