How to start a table top board game club for other schools?
Tabletop gaming is something that you share with others. You meet new people through games, you form long lasting friendships, share the wins, losses, stories, and most importantly they're fun. Most tabletop games require more than 1 person so it's an ideal club activity. Starting a tabletop club at your school will not only get you bonus points on your college application (always a good thing) but can be a wonderful fun after school activity to look forward to.
When starting the club make sure you have the following:
When first starting the club the most important thing to have right off are people who want to attend it. While having a 1 person club is fun and all having a group to play with makes it much better! Find a group of people (this will usually be your friends) who enjoy table top games, and make sure they have the correct mind set you want the club to have (ex: competitive vs noncompetitive), and they are excited about your club.
Second, you will probably want to get a teacher on your side. Some schools will require a teacher sponsor for you club however even if they don’t, having a teacher will help you immensely. A teacher can deal with administration, financing, or anything else you may need (such as a website like this one).
Third, ideas. Without ideas your club will sink into the oblivion of people’s minds. You need to have ideas that will draw people to the club, allow people to have fun in the club, and make it over all a really awesome club. This can be anything from posters to new games to events. Some ideas our club has had are:
Fourth, a plan. It’s good to want to do something but you will need a solid plan to get it off the ground. Make sure you know the who, what, when, where, and why of your game club so you can go to your administration and say “Hey! I want to start and game club and here’s who’s coming, when it will be, where it will be held, what it is about, and why you NEED it.” The better the plan the better the club. Ideas will also help your plan bloom and fill in some of the whole so don’t be afraid of new and outside ideas.
Finally determination. Without determination your idea of a club will stay just that an idea. Go out there use some courage and tell the world that you want a game club. Now don’t just sit there and wait for someone else to do it either. If you go out there and take that leap then you will be in control and can shape the club into whatever you want.
There is much more to running a club than what I’ve written above, however here is some information for you that I’ve discovered:
Go to your local game store! They will have games you can buy and maybe even rent. I know our local game store gives us discounts, allows us to rent games, and the owner will come in and teach people new games.
Now don’t be afraid of problems there will always be some at the start of the club. However learn to work around these problems and find solutions for them. The best way to find and solve problems is to ask the people at the club. Here are some problems we have run into and our solutions to them:
Hopefully this will help you and your future game club bloom.
--President and Founder of the U-High Tabletop Game Club
Katana Colledge
Tabletop gaming is something that you share with others. You meet new people through games, you form long lasting friendships, share the wins, losses, stories, and most importantly they're fun. Most tabletop games require more than 1 person so it's an ideal club activity. Starting a tabletop club at your school will not only get you bonus points on your college application (always a good thing) but can be a wonderful fun after school activity to look forward to.
When starting the club make sure you have the following:
- A group of people (probably your friends) of at least 5 who enjoy playing table top games
- A teacher(s) to support you in your efforts
- Ideas of what games you'll introduce each week and how to get the word out about your club
- A plan of how you will run your club
- Finally courage, will power, and the determination to make the club happen
When first starting the club the most important thing to have right off are people who want to attend it. While having a 1 person club is fun and all having a group to play with makes it much better! Find a group of people (this will usually be your friends) who enjoy table top games, and make sure they have the correct mind set you want the club to have (ex: competitive vs noncompetitive), and they are excited about your club.
Second, you will probably want to get a teacher on your side. Some schools will require a teacher sponsor for you club however even if they don’t, having a teacher will help you immensely. A teacher can deal with administration, financing, or anything else you may need (such as a website like this one).
Third, ideas. Without ideas your club will sink into the oblivion of people’s minds. You need to have ideas that will draw people to the club, allow people to have fun in the club, and make it over all a really awesome club. This can be anything from posters to new games to events. Some ideas our club has had are:
- Scavenger hunt posters
- Prizes of Free Redo Marbles (turn one in for a free reroll, redraw, or do over on any game)
- Guests (owner of the local game shop or other gamers who can teach and bring games)
- Events
- Magic the Gathering tournaments
- Theme days
- Really awesome new games (Ultimate Werewolf)
- New games every week
Fourth, a plan. It’s good to want to do something but you will need a solid plan to get it off the ground. Make sure you know the who, what, when, where, and why of your game club so you can go to your administration and say “Hey! I want to start and game club and here’s who’s coming, when it will be, where it will be held, what it is about, and why you NEED it.” The better the plan the better the club. Ideas will also help your plan bloom and fill in some of the whole so don’t be afraid of new and outside ideas.
Finally determination. Without determination your idea of a club will stay just that an idea. Go out there use some courage and tell the world that you want a game club. Now don’t just sit there and wait for someone else to do it either. If you go out there and take that leap then you will be in control and can shape the club into whatever you want.
There is much more to running a club than what I’ve written above, however here is some information for you that I’ve discovered:
Go to your local game store! They will have games you can buy and maybe even rent. I know our local game store gives us discounts, allows us to rent games, and the owner will come in and teach people new games.
Now don’t be afraid of problems there will always be some at the start of the club. However learn to work around these problems and find solutions for them. The best way to find and solve problems is to ask the people at the club. Here are some problems we have run into and our solutions to them:
- That awkward silence or empty space between the different games going on can be filled with video game music (video game music is designed for concentration and will help your players)
- Have at least one game that can fit a large group of people and 1-2 smaller games for people who may not want to play it or can’t fit
- When first starting the club not everyone maybe ready to hit the heavier, longer, and more complicated games like House on the Hill or RPG’s. First start off with, what I like to call, “Icebreaker games”. “Icebreaker games” are fast, quick to learn, fun, and engaging games. Here are some examples: Fluxx, Pit, Werewolf, Cthulhu Dice, Inca Gold, and Tsuro.
- Be careful of serious playing. While being 110% into a game can be good, but if you only think of winning and losing it can turn into a competitive nightmare and you will drive away the people who just want to have fun. Make jokes during the game, KINDLY tease people, make up stories (this is Robert the zombie and he likes brains of artists) and if someone does something to you go along with it and go over the top (“NOOO Robert! Your Dead…Again! I will avenge you!") Fun is more more than just winning.
- Posters are great just don’t go overboard. Limit yourself to 3-5 posters per level depending on how large your school is.
- Run out of games to play? Encourage people to bring their own games and have them teach people how to play. Make sure they run them by you first so you know what to expect before them bring them to the club.
- Let the knowledge on how a game is play spread. When you are comfortable that someone knows the rules of a game let them spread the knowledge and teach the game to new members. Don’t worry about that game anymore instead concentrate on the next new game you'll be showing the club.
Hopefully this will help you and your future game club bloom.
--President and Founder of the U-High Tabletop Game Club
Katana Colledge