Golem Head Games: Mentorship Program

Josh Wood Mentoring the BGJHS Magic club players.

At Golem Head Games, we see our store as more than just a place to buy cardboard.

It is a place of fun, a place of competition. It can also be a place of safety, learning and personal growth.

So much of a players time is spent tuning and testing, re-configuring and discussing that we often forget that each player is more than just an obstacle, but an individual.  A person who has a life and struggles outside of the fun of a Magic event.  Each person enters the store with a history and each person puts a lot of themselves in the decks they choose to play. It's important for stores to nurture a friendly and safe atmosphere by maintaining an air of mutual respect and courtesy among players as they're in the environment of competition.  This is not always easy to achieve but it can be accomplished.

Competitives versus  Casuals.

In order for a store to grow, the community of magic players has to grow.  In order for the community to grow, the community of players have to develop from individuals into a supporting team.

The people who are the "top players" have to become the mentors and coaches for the game that they love.  Many players and store owners forget that it is not just about the competition but in the shared love for a game that allows everyone to have fun.

Rather than form cliques of competitive and casual players, we hope to create mentors who'll take casual players that want to explore more of what Magic has to offer, under their wing. They coach them, grow them and nurture them into more competitive players. It's great for the more experienced players, because they're able use this teaching time to fine tune their way of playing and the techniques they use in competition. And it's great for casual players, because they'll reach a higher level of competition faster and with more varied techniques under their belt.  Together, these players form a local 'team' of players that work to improve one another and locally support one another when playing away from home. 

It can be very intimidating for a casual player to enter into a competitive event.  So many rules and so many things that, in casual play, may be acceptable but in a competitive event it can change the entire outcome of the game.  How is a casual player to learn the ropes and feel confident?
Stores will find that far more casual players will move into more competitive events faster when Competitive players are supporting the casual players by becoming Mentors.  Mentoring not only gives knowledge, it gives casual players confidence! It breeds mutual respect and helps communities communicate better! This will also help the store survive the ever changing environment of the gaming industry. 

Identify the informal leaders within the gaming community in your store.

We try and identify players who have a deep passion for the game and who could help develop newer players. These players will have a deep understanding of the game and a passion to share that knowledge.

 We're not put off by a player who has less then exemplary social behavior.  These players often just need a kind word and a nudge in the right direction.   Maybe no one has ever recognized the value in their passion for the game.  Perhaps no one has ever shown them that there is another way to enjoy the game; one that helps everyone to achieve personal goals. We strive to always find the positives in the individual and help elevate those positive attributes! You're already great at the game, now cultivate those techniques and sharpen them by imparting some of that awesomeness on to others!

Reinforce positive behaviors. 

This can be done by publicly recognizing actions that are beneficial to the whole community of players.
Coach mentors in the ins and outs of teachings others. Show them how to be leaders, role models and mentors by positively supporting those around them. Show them that they are an important part of the team. Help them understand that they can help shape the future of gaming!
Sometimes it's worth taking some time to coach your competitive players into becoming great mentors. They already have the knowledge and the passion, help them learn to share that knowledge! Make them a pamphlet, set aside some coaching time or just sit down and have a friendly one on one chat. There are ways to prepare your mentors to teach others. At Golem Head, we expect greatness!

Teach Players to Win with compassion and lose with confidence

In any competition it is easy to get caught up in the intensity of the moment and forget how to win or lose.   Everyone body wins and loses all the time during Magic tournaments and casual play.  It’s how someone wins or loses that can set them apart.

 A winner, with boastful bravado, gains nothing but contempt from others player.  Winning poorly, is at its core, counterproductive and benefits no one.  However a winner who goes out of their way to say “good game” and shake hands, a winner who sticks around and talks strategy or deck design with the loser, a winner who tries to complement some aspect of creativity or interesting play of the loser will not only gain admiration among their peers but will often find that they have helped to create a fun and friendly environment for everyone to play.
Prizes for winning can be more than just packs, it can be in the form of fans.

It’s Okay to lose. 
Everyone is going to lose.  It’s how one handles a loss that drives your future.  A loss is an opportunity to learn.  An opportunity to reflect back at how you could have done things differently or how you can change your deck to perform better. A loss is also a way to make friends and gain insight from the one seeing your play from the other side of the table. Your opponent is going to give you the best feedback at the end of the game then anyone else. Losing with confidence will earn your insight into improving your game and earn you the respect of your peers.

At Golem Head Games, we celebrate the local community team and strive to bring this ideal of mutual respect and teamwork to our players. We hope our master players and our new players will lead the way in the future of gaming by becoming examples of how really awesome a gaming community can be when it works together!