BAMSA’s “Bridge, Youth and MindSport Education” research project has reached a significant milestone with the completion of its international research fieldwork and associated data analysis.

The fieldwork completed over 2024-2025 captured rich insights based on over 200 interviews and focus groups with young bridge players, parents, schoolteachers, and bridge teachers to understand the factors that facilitate or hinder young people’s engagement with bridge. The International Youth Bridge Survey conducted in 2025-2026 was particularly insightful, attracting 909 responses from young players aged 13-31.

Having carried out research across Scotland, England, Norway, and the United States, the research team is now turning its attention to broader engagement through impact and dissemination activities. These will include the publication of reports and academic articles, as well as the development of ‘research bites’, volunteer recruitment guidance, Summer Camp how-to guides, and many more useful outputs to support youth bridge.

To coincide with these activities, we are delighted to announce the publication of a new article in Open Access Government, which explores the benefits of bridge as an after-school activity as interpreted by parents:

‘Parents find an after-school activity with surprising benefits: The card game bridge’. Open Access Government, 17 June 2026.

An article published earlier in the year explored the social benefits of bridge in the Digital Age, discussing how bridge can address loneliness in young people linked to screen use:

‘Could the Mind Sport Bridge provide Much-needed Social Connection in the Digital Age?’, Open Access Government, 6 January 2026.

This year, the BAMSA team also presented preliminary findings at several conferences, creating valuable networking and collaborative opportunities:

• Milosheva, M. and Punch, S. (2026) Bridge is a Good Vessel for Socialising: Community, Belonging and Connection among Young Bridge Players. Paper presented at Leisure Studies Association Conference, Brunel University London, 1 June 2026.

• Milosheva, M. and Punch, S. (2026) Mini Bridge: A Strategic Tool to Enhance Pupils’ Mathematical Thinking. Paper presented at Scottish Mathematical Council Conference, University of Stirling, 16 May 2026.

(An associated article, “Mini Bridge for pupils – game-based numeracy using playing cards” will be published in the Scottish Mathematical Council Journal in due course)

• Punch, S., Scotney, M. and Milosheva, M. (2026) Youth, Bridge and Mindsport Education, European Bridge League NBO Seminar, 30-31 January 2026, Utrecht, The Netherlands.

In the autumn, the research team is looking forward to exhibiting at TableTop Scotland on 4-6 September. With Scottish Bridge, BAMSA will be delivering Mini Bridge and Le Petit Bridge demos at the Carlton Bridge Club in Edinburgh on 13 September, and at the Stirling Science Festival organised by Stirling Council on 24 October.

These new developments represent exciting progress for the BAMSA research team and our youth work as we move from data collection into analysis and dissemination. We remain committed to translating our research findings into practical recommendations to support the growth and inclusivity of youth bridge programmes.

Whether through taking part in our research or engaging with our published work and resources, we would like to take this opportunity to thank members of the bridge community for your input and invite you to continue participating in our research journey.