A word about directing Scrabble tournaments
It's been almost a decade now, but I still remember pretty vividly the first time I directed a Scrabble tournament. It was December 2012. I was a relatively new player at the time, and fairly young for a director at 26. It felt like a bit of a leap for me at the time to be getting into directing, but it was a leap I wanted to take. I lived in Boston then, and there was a vibrant community of players who loved to compete in tournaments. I felt like the area could support an extra event or two, so I figured why not create one myself? I'd gotten so much enjoyment out of the local Scrabble scene already, so I figured it was time I gave a little something back.
So I got into it. I started searching for local facilities that had event space available to rent, and I found one in the area near where I used to work. I negotiated a decent price for a playing room, worked out a budget, and began planning. I reached out to a close friend and asked some questions about the basics of directing - how to get an event sanctioned, how to collect signups and entry fees, logistical details like pairings, and so on. Things eventually fell into place.
I went with a fairly simple structure for my first tournament. It was a 1-day event. We had 24 players, split into 3 divisions of 8. Everyone played 8 games in their division - round robin, king of the hill, finito. We were in the door at 9 a.m. on Saturday, out by 6 p.m. that same day, and had plenty of time to gather with friends for a nice meal afterward. It was a good day.
I remember I had felt a bit apprehensive about directing initially, but that first 1-day tournament proved to me that it really wasn't so bad. Directing tournament Scrabble, I learned, is a lot like playing it - you might find it scary at first, but you can learn the ropes quickly enough, and it's actually quite satisfying once you get the hang of it.
Since that first go-round back in 2012, I've directed somewhere in the neighborhood of 15 tournaments, hosting about 100 different players and handing out several thousands in prize money. Over the years, I've gotten more and more comfortable with the process. It's begun to feel less like work and more like a routine part of my life - the same way many people are always thinking about the next Scrabble tournament they plan to attend as a player, I'm always pondering my next directing effort. And it's something I enjoy pondering. Thinking about the next tournament energizes me.
I'm writing this today to address anyone who might be reading this, wondering whether they might take that leap next. If you're out there and you're thinking about becoming a tournament director: I really, really hope you'll give it a try.
If you're feeling nervous about a certain step in the process (or several of them!), I understand completely. That was me once, too. But I overcame those nerves and plowed forward with a little bit of time, a little bit of effort, and a whole lot of support from friends in the community. I think you can do the same. Yes, you.
I've heard it said before that directing tournaments is a "thankless job," or something of that nature. I understand where this sentiment is coming from, but I'm not sure if I agree. It's a job, for sure. There's a lot of busywork involved, and a lot of it goes on behind the scenes unnoticed. But ultimately, I don't think "thankless" is quite right. I think the Scrabble community, by and large, shows a lot of appreciation for the people who run tournaments, as we indeed should.
At the CoCo, we are always looking for more individuals who would like to step up and try their hand at running tournaments. We have a slate of 6 live events already on the calendar over the next year or so, and we have a few other events in the works that we'll announce down the road, but more growth remains a priority. And before we can add tournaments to the calendar, we need capable people to step up and run them.
Could this be you?
Consider the following.
If you believe in our mission - creating a Collins Scrabble-playing community in North America that's more vibrant, more inclusive, and more growth-oriented - then now's your chance to get in on the ground floor and help shape our strategy. Our team is still relatively small at this point, so each new director who gets involved has a real opportunity to make a difference.
We believe in making the directing experience as smooth and painless as possible. We understand that directors are the lifeblood of any Scrabble organization, so we work to make our directors comfortable. Our tournaments team, led by Scott Jackson and Jennifer and others, has created a handbook and other materials designed to guide you through the process, and our finance team, helmed by Peter Armstrong, will make it easy to coordinate your budget. Plus I myself am always around to help with organizing and promoting your events. We've got a great team.
One of the best parts of directing is you get to host events wherever you please. Pick a location, and players will probably flock to it. Have you always wanted to host a tournament in your hometown? Alternatively, is there a vacation destination you'd love to hit up, while bringing a pack of Scrabblers with you? The possibilities are endless. As a director, you can go anywhere on the map.
Oh, and one other thing: Directing's not thankless! Really, it's not. Especially in the close-knit little community of diehard CoCo players we've got, you'll come across a lot of kind, generous people who will most definitely appreciate your efforts, and they'll let you know it. Take it from me - that feels pretty good!
I hope that someone, somewhere out there, will read this and consider whether directing a tournament or two might appeal to them. Could this be you? If so, I'd love to hear from you. Our whole CoCo team would. If you have any thoughts, questions, comments, concerns, fears, anxieties, hopes, dreams, or anything else you feel inspired to share, then please don't hesitate to get in touch. We're working to build something here, and we're always in the market for another enthusiastic builder.