Junior Online Training Program
In 2013 Joe Stokes revitalized the USBF Junior Program, after which Michael Rosenberg, Barry Goren, and Debbie Rosenberg started the USBF Junior Online Training Program. Currently Joe is the Junior Coordinator for the USBF, and Michael organizes and runs the online training. About 120 Juniors are currently in the training program; they practice weekly on BBO, usually on Sunday or Monday evenings. Each group of 4-8 juniors works with a mentor, who watches the play and provides feedback after the sessions.
To join the USBF Junior Training Program, click here.
The training program couldn’t happen without the support of our mentors. We are very grateful for their help with the juniors. As of May 2019, Regular Online Training mentors include:
| Craig Allen | Sam Dinkin | Alex Kolesnik | Michael Rosenberg |
| Iftikhar Baqai | Mitch Dunitz | Mike Kopera | Alan Schwartz |
| Craig Biddle | Will Ehlers | Ai-Tai-Lo | Sylvia Shi |
| Dave Caprera | Mike Gill | Kent Mignocchi | Stan Subeck |
| Mel Colchamiro | Michael Houston |
USBF Members who have volunteered to help or to play with and against Juniors online, providing wonderful feedback to our developing players:
|
Jeff Aker Karen Allison Kevin Bathurst Steve Bloom Bart Bramley Migry zur Campanile Tom Carmichael Drew Casen Larry Cohen Gary Cohler Lynn Deas Nik Demirev Bob Hamman |
Kevin Fay Steve Garner Fred Gitelman Robb Gordon Christal Henner Yul Inn Dale Johannesen Lynn Johannesen Ralph Katz John Kranyak Roger Lee Geoff Hampson Jill Levin |
Chip Martel Karen McCallum Alan Miller Brad Moss Jack Oest Beth Palmer Rich Pavlicek Jr. Sue Picus Jennifer Richter Barry Rigal Kathy Rolfe Debbie Rosenberg Aviv Shahaf |
Barnet Shenkin Ron Smith JoAnna Stansby Cenk Tuncok Howard Weinstein Roy Welland Adam Wildavsky Kevin Wilson Sheri Winestock Dan Wolkowitz Kit Woolsey Joel Wooldridge Jeff Meckstroth |
Thank you all for your time, effort & enthusiasm with this project! And of course, as always, a HUGE thank you to BBO for providing an environment where players from around the country can play together and help aspiring players improve. And also a major THANK YOU to USBF Junior Coordinator, Joe Stokes, without whose energy and enthusiasm this project would never have gotten off the ground.
GOODBYE JOAN - WE'LL MISS YOU
We learned from her husband, Ron Gerard, that former USBF President Joan Gerard passed away early on the morning of April 5th. Joan was a member of the USBF Board from 2007 through 2012, and President from 2011-2012. She was also the USBF Meeting Planner for her entire term on the Board and continued in that role this year. We will miss her cheerful, efficient support, and extend our sympathy to her husband Ron.
World Youth Open Bridge Championship in Atlanta
The WBF, with support from ACBL, USBF, MABC, ACBL District 7, ACBL District 9, as well as private donors, will hold the 3rd World Youth Open Bridge Championship in Atlanta this summer. The complete schedule of play is posted on the WBF website.
Thanks to the generous support of MABC and District 7, all participants will be provided with lunch and dinner each day. Entries are due by July 1, although the organizers will try to accommodate late entrants. All players must be born in 1988 or later; there are no residence or nationality requirements.
For more information about the tournament and USBF/ACBL support for teams, see the Junior section of this website. We hope to see many young players at this exciting World Championship event.