ARounD the JeRsey shoRe

Game Day For Jersey Shore’s “Magical” Community

By Andrey Nalbantov

BRICK – It’s a Wednesday, and 27 duelists from around the region are facing off to determine who will be champion.

Many are strangers, some are long-time friends, others even come from the same family. That night they all had something in common - playing their favorite trading card game.

They were all in a Brick hobby shop’s weekly Yu-Gi-Oh tournament. Decks were heard shuffling, strategies were thrown around. Cheerful laughter and banter rung around the tables after the announcer gave all the COVID hygiene announcements.

Above all the cheers of victory and groans of defeat, something else stood out - a father asking his son if he had fun.

Walter Ward, 51, started playing the game around the end of 2003 when it became popular here in the United States. He remembered that his son, who primarily was into Pokemon, developed an interest in Yu-Gi-Oh when the anime was released for western audiences.

“I got into the game with my son,” said Ward. “I learned how to play with him.”

He believes that the stores where the trading card community thrives are great places to meet new people and feel welcomed no matter a person’s background. Also, part

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Game Day: Continued

From Page 29 of the fun is the competitiveness that these games promote.

The impact of the trading card scene spans worldwide, and has shuffled around the Jersey shore for decades. Magic the Gathering was the fi rst of its kind, started in 1993 and going strong today. It incorporates fantasy worlds similar to Dungeons & Dragons. Pokemon is another popular one, where players collect and duel with “pocket monsters,” just like in the show. Many other licensed properties, from Star Wars to My Little Pony, have been adapted to card games.

Multiple stores around our county give access to enthusiasts of all ages and backgrounds to express their hobbies by trading, collecting, building decks, and then challenging each other with a healthy dose of competitiveness and the occasional saltiness.

Trading card games also help to improve a good bit of tactical thinking, math, and imagination skills due to their spectacular art.

Joseph Coppinger, 22, who started playing when he was 10 years old, shared how he was enamored by how cool the monster cards looked, and that everyone can play their own deck.

When it comes to beginners starting out in the game, Coppinger and Ward share similar advice for new players. When newcomers fi nd something that they like and want to play with, they should stick with it and take the steps until they learn how to play it with ease.

Tournament events provided by the local game stores are the perfect spot for beginners to get a grasp on the game, Cottinger said. During those events, they will be able to see players using different decks and tactics, as well as meet new people. Most stores post their gaming schedule online or in the shop.

A piece of advice he also gives out to parents who might have kids that are interested in the game: “Let them go to events and talk to people… let them have fun,” said Cottinger.

Just like Ward enjoys spending quality father-son time with his boy while playing Yu-Gi-Oh!, he suggests that this can be a great way for parents to get involved with their kids.

And while it might be a challenge at the very start of a person’s dueling journey due to a learning curve, the trading card scene here at the shore has created a close-knit community where everyone is welcome.

Travel Bocce Club To Hold Branson Trip

WHITING – Travel Bocce Club Presents Branson Show Extravaganza: Nine days, eight nights; December 2 to 10. Double: $1,170; Single: $1,455.

Incredible price includes: Motor coach transportation; eight nights lodging including four consecutive nights in Branson area;14 meals: eight breakfasts and six dinners; admission to six fabulous shows including: three morning shows: Dublin’s Irish Tenors with special guests The Celtic Ladies, Down Home Country & A Neil Diamond tribute show; two evening shows:

Baldknobbers show & Queen Ester show at Sight & Sound; one afternoon show: Dean Z - The Ultimate Elvis Show; Admission to Titanic: The World’s Largest Museum Attraction.

$75 due upon signing per person. Purchase tickets every Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Village 5 Clubhouse 325 Schoolhouse Road, Whiting. Call Debbie at 201618-8514 for more information. Sign up early to prevent cancellation of trip. Final payment due by September 25.

Annual Soup And Mum Sale

WHITING – Coming in September! The Whiting United Methodist Church located at 55 Lacey Road will be having their annual Soup and Mum Sale on September 9. Come shop for beautiful Mums to decorate your home and pick up some “comfort food” assortment of homemade soups by the congregation. They will begin selling at 8:30 a.m. until everything is sold out.

There will also be holiday décor made by their craft group and homemade canned goods. Come early for the best selection. They are located across from Crestwood Manor. Look them up on Facebook for more information or you can call the church office at 732-350-6878 Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. if you have questions.

Honey Bees Of Catt us Island

TOMS RIVER – A PowerPoint presentation will illustrate the history, biology, social organizations, and utility of the European Honey Bee. Participants will learn about the different kinds of bees, their jobs, and be introduced to the world of hobby bee-keeping.

Lecture will take place on August 24 and September 18, from 2 to 3 p.m. at Cooper Environmental Center lecture room, Cattus Island County Park. Fee is $5 per person. Open to ages 12 years and older.

Manchester Day Rescheduled

MANCHESTER – Save the date! Manchester Day is rescheduled for August 26. The event will begin at 2 p.m. at Harry Wright Lake with games, prizes, demos, rides, entertainment and fireworks.

Free shuttle service schedule is available from the municipal parking lot, Bowker Field parking lot and senior villages (main club house).

THE WEEK OF JULY 29 - AUG 4

BY JERALDINE SAUNDERS