On welcoming newcomers
I think it's safe to say we all share the common goal of growing the Scrabble community. It's a laudable idea, yes? Build a big, robust network of tournaments and clubs. Market them. Promote them. Bring in lots and lots and lots of new players. Regardless of all the other differences we have among our ranks - organizations, lexicons, and so on and so forth - we can at least agree on this one thing. Growth is good.
But before we can even begin thinking about bringing in hundreds, or even thousands, of new Scrabble players, I think it's worthwhile to stop and ruminate on a far simpler question. How do you go about welcoming just one?
It sounds basic, but it's crucial: How do you bring an entirely new Scrabble player in, show them the ropes at their first tournament, and persuade them to stick around?
Admittedly, this isn't something the CoCo has done a massive amount of thus far. We've welcomed players that are new to our organization, or new to Collins in a few cases. But new to Scrabble entirely? That's been less frequent. By my quick count, of the 141 players who have entered at least one CoCo event, a mere 4 have been first-time Scrabblers. But with that said, attracting new players is definitely something we aim to do more of, and our team has some plans in the works to bring some fresh blood into the game.
And just this past week, we took a small step in that direction. At the tournament that Jennifer and I directed at our home in Seattle last weekend, we welcomed one new player who was just trying tournament Scrabble for the first time. He found us through a convoluted path involving a sister's friend's cousin who used to play, and being a Scrabble enthusiast himself, he took the plunge and entered a tournament. He was brand new but enthusiastic, so he dove right in.
Regardless of wins and losses, it was a successful debut tournament. The new player had a lot of enjoyable games, learned all sorts of new words and strategic ideas, and made a handful of new friends. So it was heartening when, after the event, he sent us a nice note saying he was already excited to play his next tournament.
This got me thinking - how can we replicate this? If we're going to grow tournament Scrabble, it's got to happen one player at a time, right? So how can we build upon each new success at welcoming a newbie into the fold? What's the secret to nurturing these aspiring Scrabblers?
I won't claim to be some sort of all-knowing expert on this topic (again, we've had a grand total of 4 new players ever), but I do think our team has hit on a few general guidelines that can make a real difference. It seems like the keys are…
Be nice! This is sort of an obvious one, but it's pretty crucial, so it bears mentioning. It can be overwhelming for new players to walk into a new environment and be surrounded by strangers, so even small gestures to make them feel comfortable can go a long way. Smile! Introduce yourself! Once you break the ice a little bit, the whole experience should become easier.
Ask questions. Where are you from? How long have you been playing Scrabble? What brings you to your first tournament? Show a little interest in each newbie you meet. It'll make them feel a little more welcome... and who knows? You just might get to know an interesting new person.
Show them the tournament ropes. Many new players are familiar with Scrabble, but perhaps not so much with how a tournament works. They know a few words, and they know how to score points and look for bingos and whatnot, but they may need a little help with things like: How do pairings and standings work? How do you use a clock? How do challenges work - and what does "hold" mean? How do you keep score? How do you submit your result when your game is over? These little things are the nuts and bolts of tournament play. Help new players out with them when you can.
Offer advice, but don't overdo it. When you're just starting out in the Scrabble world, there's a lot to learn. Like, a lot. You want to be helpful and give new players advice that will help them grow - but at the same time, you don't want to drown them in pointers. Find teachable moments to show them a basic strategy or two - but maybe save that insanely complex three-in-the-bag pre-endgame for next time.
Recognize that every newbie is different. Some players show up at their first tournament brand new to Scrabble. Others learn tens of thousands of words, play online for years, then show up ready to dominate from day one. Each player is unique! And that means each player needs unique guidance. Don't dive right into difficult strategic concepts with a player who's just starting out; conversely, don't insult a budding expert by handing them a list of the twos. Instead, take a moment to get a feel for the new player's game, then offer them ideas that are tailored to them.
Encourage them on their journey. After you've helped a new player through a successful first tournament, the next step is obvious: spur them on to play a second one. Help them find their next event. It might be a 1-day or a longer one; it might be across the country or right around the corner. In any case, get them coming back. Before long, they just might get hooked.
Scrabble is hard. It's hard for everyone, but it's especially hard when you're the new guy or gal in town. Hopefully, we can all do everything in our power to welcome and inspire each new player we see. If we do it right with one newbie, then who knows? We might someday have the right playbook to get those hundreds or thousands more. Let's all take it one step at a time.