March 2013 - 6

Viewpoint
By Brent Manley, editor@acbl.org

A mistake is simply another way of
doing things.
- Katharine Graham

Letters to
the Editor

Learning opportunity
My granddaughter, Faith Wells, is an enthusiastic, up-and-coming volleyball
player. When my daughter told me about a tournament in which Faith's team
was competing recently, my wife and I booked tickets to Orlando so we could
see her in action.
Faith's team played seven games, reaching the championship round in their
age group (she is 14). It was intense, especially in the final, which Faith's
team lost.
As I watched the young women playing together, I was impressed with how
each member of the team supported the others.
In the final, Faith's team encountered some bad luck and several good plays
by the opponents, but they also made some mistakes. I was struck by how
Faith, who is captain of the club team, reacted.
On two consecutive points, one of Faith's teammates made unforced errors
as the team was trying to rally. Both times, Faith went over to her teammate
to offer encouragement and support. It was one of several occasions during
the match that she did so.
Faith's team - Legacy Volleyball Club - played hard until the very end,
and I never saw any of her teammates show displeasure on the court. I saw
players on other teams slam the ball down or throw up their hands when
something didn't go right. Not Legacy. They were focused.
Volleyball, like bridge, is a game of mistakes. The team that makes the fewest errors usually wins.
I will think of my granddaughter the next time I'm playing bridge and I witness someone berating a partner over an error or a bad result.
My granddaughter is a teenager - and she gets it. Why can't we adults
figure out how to get the best from our bridge partners? It certainly won't
happen from pointing out mistakes, frowning and slapping cards on the table.
In the spirit of full disclosure, I confess that I have not always followed the
rules of good partnership in my bridge career. I'm a very good partner now,
but that wasn't always true. It took some time, but I figured it out, and bridge
is a lot more fun for me now.
Too bad I didn't have a 14-year-old volleyball player as a role model earlier
in my life.
❒
© 2013 by American Contract Bridge League. All rights reserved. Contents of this magazine may not be reproduced in any manner without written
consent from the publisher. Mention of any product does not constitute endorsement by the Bridge Bulletin. Bridge Bulletin assumes no responsibility
for return of unsolicited manuscripts, photos, art, or cartoons, and reserves the right to reject any editorial or advertising materials. Unsolicited materials
should be accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Bridge Bulletin is a registered trademark of American Contract Bridge League.
It is Bridge Bulletin policy not to accept advertising from persons or organizations believed to be unreliable or financially irresponsible. We are not
responsible, however, for the performance of advertisers, the delivery or quality of their merchandise or services, or the legality of any particular program.
On cruise ads, we suggest you check to make sure duplicate bridge will be offered on the cruise you desire. Regarding investment ads, we recommend
that you check with your financial adviser before acting. ACBL Management reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to refuse any advertisement.

6 Bridge Bulletin March 2013

Stay home!
To the Editor:
I recently attended a sectional tournament and played three out of four
days. One of the players, sick with
the flu or a bad cold, was coughing
without covering her mouth. When
I mentioned it, she replied, "If you
want to protect yourself from me, you
should play at the other table!"
My partner and I went home on
Monday and woke up Tuesday with
bad colds!
The ACBL should educate players
and make it part of the Zero Tolerance
policy that you must find a substitute
if you are ill and may be spreading
germs. What could be worse than
a contagious person playing cards
with hundreds of other people in an
enclosed space and expecting opponents to just deal with it?
There are also many elderly players
and folks with compromised health.
It's the nature of the demographics.
Let's spread the news, not the flu:
Please don't come to play bridge if
you are sick.
MARISA SILVERMAN
Aspen CO

Take your pick, part 2
To the Editor:
This deal from one of our clubs in
Northern Colorado was computer
generated, just like the one featured
in the January issue (page 7).

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of March 2013