More and more opportunities are available for youth to play bridge!  Another fun way to compete is with School Bridge League.  Be sure to check out the School Bridge League video School Bridge League video.  The League (SBL) has tournaments throughout the year for novices, beginners, experienced, or advanced players.  Six boards are played during each tournament and your scores are compared with other students throughout the country.

The next youth National event will be held in Toronto, Canada July 28-30, 2011.  Be sure to check out passport requirements early.  Remember the scholarship opportunities at the youth nationals for players competing in the youth open pairs and the Swiss nationals.  $1000 is awarded to each youth of the first-place pair playing in the Baron Barclay National Youth Open Pairs held the second day of the tournament.  $4,000 is award to the winning team playing in the National Swiss Team event on Saturday.  The $1,000 sportsmanship award is given to the youth for whom all the other youth players vote.  Both card rooks and players in the open games vote for the sportsmanship award.   Not only can you earn scholarships at the Youth Nationals, but everybody has so much fun with all the extracurricular activities.  Start making plans now for the trip to Canada!

Lots of laughter, very serious bridge, some not-so-serious bridge, much fun playing board games and all kinds of card games, petting zoo animals and competing with some of them, playing with an improv team, meeting a real astronaut, being lucky enough to win a book in a raffle and meet the author, and eating lots of good food were just a few of the things the District youth had to do in New Orleans.  They rekindled friendships from previous Youth Nationals and made brand new friends which may last a lifetime.  Twenty-six Florida youth attended the Youth nationals this year. 

Our thanks to Carol Krug, from Unit 102, who took so many of the pictures you can view on this website.  Kudos also to Bette Cohn who arranged for the shipping of the t-shirts which each youth received, and the District 9 Board who have supported the youth not only financially, but in every way possible.  Teachers and parents, thank you for your love and appreciation of this fabulous game, and making it possible for your children to learn it and participate in the tournament.  We are blessed to have such enthusiasm for the growth of the youth and junior bridge program in District 9.

To see how our youth did in New Orleans, go to www.youth4bridge.org.  Click on "events," then "youth nabc," then "results."  Go to the bottom of the square and click "results” again.  You will also be able to read the Youth Bulletin (which was produced every day of the Youth Nationals) and read the interviews of our young players.  Enjoy!