Updated Nov 2009 Scholastic Spotlight Updated Nov 2009
2009 / 2010 school year
Team name: Merriwether Mavericks
Sponsor(s) name: Bobby Turner – Principle - Merriwether Middle School
Volunteer(s) name: David Whatley
Representing (school/district/county/community):
Merriwether Elementary & Merriwether Middle Schools (Edgefield County)
Number of club members (high/low/average): Six to eight
How many boards, sets, clocks available to the club: 10 boards, 3 clocks, demo board
Player names & grades: Tori Whatley (G-8), Casey Newman (G-8), David Bombard (G-4),
Brittany Brown (G-7), Jayden Harper (G-2), Austin Harper (G-6)
First year of club: 2003
How many consecutive years: Seven
USCF club affiliate (yes/no): No
Q: Where does the club meet? At the middle school library
Q: How often do the members meet? Weekly
Q: What type of instruction or instructional material is used/available? We have a weekly newsletter with tips and we use worksheets from chess books.
Q: How do players learn to improve? Mostly, by playing! The more exposure to the game, the more questions arise.
Q: What chess activities do the members do together? Besides our lesson plans, we play skittles games. Our club maintains a points system where we award points for attendance, games won, draws, completed lesson plans, etc. I would really like to organize an event where we could share the game with others in the public. I’ll keep you advised.
Q: How do players compete (tournament or ladder or other) ? We have a points program that allows our players to accumulate points with attendance, completing lesson plans, and game results.
Q: What club goals do you have? First, to grow. Our membership is down a bit and we need more members in order to be regionally competitive. Once we’ve increased our size, we’d like to make a state championship run.
Q: What was the club’s proudest chess moment? Being recognized by the Superintendent of the Edgefield County School District and the Board of Trustees.
Q: What advise do you have for starting a new club? Don’t lose faith. It takes awhile to build a club. Both, parents and kids, need to know that you’re going to be there year in and year out. Stress the basics with your students. After a few weeks (you’ll swear they’ve not paid any attention to you), suddenly they start making moves that you recognize as solid, and well thought out!
Q: What advise do you have for first year clubs to grow? Enlist the help of parents and teachers. They’re going to be your biggest ally. If you can excite them, the battle’s half-won.
Q: Recommend a few chess books & why. We use John A. Bain’s workbooks “Chess Rules For Students”, and “Checkmate Ideas For Students”. They’re very basic, and easy for the new student to follow. They’re also pretty inexpensive (about $4 each) making it affordable for all students to have their own workbook.
Q: Recommend a few web sites & why. We’ve used chesskids.com with some degree of success. Again, basics, basics, basics.
Possible honorable mentions for: (add/subtract/modify as needed)
Player(s) most improved – Brittany Brown seems to have gained a better understanding of the game. With a little practice, she’s going to be a tough competitor.
Player(s) most helpful – Eighth-grader, Tori Whatley, is being used this year in the role of assistant coach. Despite being 13, she has accumulated a wealth of technical knowledge (4+ years of private lessons) and an abundance of practical knowledge (over thirty regional and national tournaments). She is also a certified tournament director by the U.S. Chess Federation.
Player(s) most unselfish – Without a doubt, David Bombard. Despite being one of our younger players, David always conducts himself like a gentleman.
Player(s) most effort – Jayden Harper has had other obligations, however, I believe that this young player will come into his own soon.
Player(s) most serious – Austin Harper taught himself how to play before joining the chess club! How’s that for initiative?
Player(s) most easy-going – Casey Newman doesn’t let anything bother him. When he decides to take something seriously, however, he is unstoppable.
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