CLUB MANAGERS NEWS LETTER – FEBRUARY 2005
Congratulations to all ACBL volunteers for one of the most successful years
in our history! As of December 31, 2004, membership had risen to 168,380, the highest number
since 1996. Tournament attendance was at an all-time high, with more than 460,000 tables
in play. Imagine what we can accomplish in 2005!
New Recruitment Incentives:
As of January 1, club officials and teachers who recruit 25 new members
during a calendar year will receive a $100 gift certificate to the ACBL
Product Store. Gift certificates in the past were for $50. Good luck, and let us know if you need a supply of instant membership applications. We will be more than happy to provide them to you.
Star Club Information:
We have eliminated the multi-star and club of the year programs and developed
a program to recognize Star Clubs…large and small—with new rewards as well.
Information pertaining to this new program is on your web site.
October will designated as Jane Johnson Club Appreciation Month.
The ACBL is hosting a “Thank You” reception for club officials and teachers
from 4:30 – 6:00 p.m. on Friday, March 11. Please join us for a fun evening and doo9r prizes. You may view the full schedule of seminars on the ACBL web site.
With almost everything you ever wanted to know, the new Club Managers Handbook
is available online at http://web2.acbl.org/documentlibrary/clubs/clubManagersHandbookFinal1.pdf.
ACBLscore:
ACBL offers many special games that provide additional masterpoints for your
players and often support worthy efforts. Regulations and fees for many special club games changed January 1st. The new version of ACBLscore that includes the changes is now available
for download. You must update your program in order to award the correct masterpoints.
To download and install version 7.28:
Please feel free to contact Dave Smith If you should have questions or
encounter a problem. He can be reached at ACBLscore@acbl.org or 901-332-5586, Extension #1336.
We know our members spread goodwill every day, but there are THREE SPECIAL DAYS EACH YEAR when goodwill rates an even higher priority. And 2005 makes those days particularly special as it represents the 50th Anniversary of the ACBL Goodwill Committee. We encourage clubs to use the anniversary to promote special goodwill activities.
Monday, March 14 * Monday, July 25 * Monday, November 21
Greet and Welcome Opponents Compliment Opponent’s play
Always say “Director, Please” Discuss Hands after the Game
Lead or Place Dummy before you Write Accept Defeat & Victory with grace
Mentor a New Player Leave a Tidy Table
Say, “Thank You, Partner” Smile Often!
Any regularly scheduled sanctioned session during the month of February
can be a Junior Fund Game. The cost is an extra $1 per person, and players can win sectional-rated
black points. (For example, if you hold a sanction for a weekly game on Tuesday afternoon,
every Tuesday afternoon session during February
Can be a Junior Fund Game.)
Let’s keep this program running strong so that the future of Junior Bridge
remains sound.
In addition to the February games, Junior Fund Games can be held in every
month through the year except April and September.
For more information, contact Charlotte Blaiss, director of youth programs
at 901-332-5586, Extension #1214 or juniors@acbl.org
April is designated as Charity Fund Month, with the same fees and additional
masterpoints as during Junior Fund Month. All ACBL sanctioned club sessions may be held as Club Charity Championship
games. The first charity game held must name the ACBL Charity Foundation or the
CBF Charitable Fund as its beneficiary, and any charity game conducted
on behalf of a local charity must be preceded by at least one for the ACBL
Charity Foundation or CBF Charitable Fund. For more information contact Margaret Bloodworth at 901-332-5586, Extension
#1225 or charity@acbl.org
The charity grants will be allocated to districts in four-year cycles in
an effort to respond to the needs of charities in local areas. In 2 005, Districts 4, 5, 6, 7, 11 and 17 will be given grants. If you would like to suggest a charity, you may submit your selection to
your District Director. The e-mail address for each district director is District?Director@acbl.org. Simply insert your district number where the question mark is located. For example to reach the director of
District 9, the e-mail address would be District9Director@acbl.org.
The ACBL Board of Directors clarified the role of the local unit in hearing
appeasl that pertain to players being barred from club games.
Remember, when you find it necessary to bar a player from your game, you
must provide the notification in writing to the player stating the reason,
the player number and the length of suspension.
Also, when you extend the barring of the player to Grand National Teams,
North American Pairs events, STACs, qualifying sessions of a progressive
sectional, unit or district competitions, and/or unit or district-wide
championships held at the club, you must notify the player of his/her right
to appeal the barring to the Unit Disciplinary Committee within 30 days
of the notification.
For Continent-wide Charity Games, ACBL-wide International Fund Games, the
annual ACBL-wide Senior Pairs, the annual ACBL-wide Instant Matchpoint
game and District-wide Charity Games, overall and district awards will
be determined as follows (official hand records must be used):
Overall: First Place: 20 points; depth of awards: 10 places
District: First Place: 10 points; depth of awards: 5 places
Winners will receive the greater of the nationwide and the district awards,
in addition to masterpoints won at the game itself.
Unit-wide Championships:
Units will receive 11% of full dues payments and Life Master Service fees
paid by their members. Whenever there is an increase in membership dues or LM Service fees, 11%
of the total will be rebated to the units.
We have posted a new web page with details on running all ACBL-wide special
events – including online sanctioning. You will find it at Resources for Club Managers>Special Events. Most of the events provide hand records and analyses to add to the fun
for your players. Contact Special Events at 901-332-5586 Extension #1286 or specialevents@acbl.org for more information.
ACBL-wide Senior Pairs
Monday, February 28 (morning or afternoon)
For players age 55 and older with analyses by National Tournament Director
John Ashton of Portland, Oregon.
Saturday, May 11 (afternoon)
Support our teams in international competition by hosting these games
Fri. & Sat. June 3 (evening) & 4 (afternoon)
Each participant receives a souvenir hand analysis booklet containing Eric
Kokosh’s excellent commentary. The Worldwide Bridge Contest is sponsored by the WBF. This contest is scored across the world using the Internet to give an Overall
winner. The Friday and Saturday games are separate events. The Worldwide Bridge Contest provides a rare opportunity to join a major
event and compete with players from other countries.
With lower costs and strong promotion, clubs hosted a whopping 66% more
North American Pairs tables in 2004—with a total of 38,224 for all local
events. The number of clubs participating increased from 1430 to 3099.
Watch for information on the 2005-2006 NAP coming soon! Club qualifying games begin in June.
The Special Events information pages at www.acbl.org have been upgraded to include all you need to know about masterpoint awards
and recognition for winners. The pages now include Canada-wide events as well.
Information for club managers includes online registration, event information,
general conditions, schedule and ACBLscore updates. Information for players includes events by date along descriptions of each
special game.