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+--- Thread: Lothians congress/Dalguise (/thread-57.html)
Re: Lothians congress/Dalguise - Andrew McHarg - 06-10-2011
To follow on from what Andrew said I think it could be majorly advantageous to have online training sessions, as it saves on travel costs/time and as a result opens the training up to a much wider number of juniors, much more frequently. There is software on the market which isn't too expensive that can do what we need, and all everyone needs is a mic and internet access on an avarage PC. I know not many households which don't have such equipment these days already'; but for those which don't, a mic is only about a tenner in the shops.
The software in mind is web-based, and can show to the audience what the host sees on his screen - so if the host was running Fritz it would show on everyone's screen. This even works on IPad and various other mobile devices (I've checked), which could even mean live training if you are away from home. Bizarrely this could even mean that teams which have travelled abroad could get additional training sessions from a coach back in Scotland, live over the Internet.
Is charging for the coaching is normal? If so then the charges could be lowered on the basis that no premises were required. Maybe even some of our GMs would do some coaching sessions in this way once or twice per year?
Just a few thoughts. =)
Re: Lothians congress/Dalguise - David G Congalton - 06-10-2011
By using Livestream, it is my understanding that online training could be provided at no cost to the provider or to the user. I believe that the Livestream facility can also allow the viewer to see what is on the producers screen. There is also a chat facility which allows communication between the provider and the audience.
The free version has no restriction on who can view or the number of viewers (once a channel has been verified). This may seem like a negative point but the chat facility can be disabled and there must be a way, such as Skype or the like, that the trainer can communicate with the select pupils in his class.
Some of the positives of anyone being able to view the broadcast would be
• the opportunity for the trainer to advertise their coaching skills,
• a large group of juniors and/or adults could enjoy the provision of training which may encourage further participation in chess,
• by organising the schedule and obtaining the services of the coaches Chess Scotland may encourage more players to take out membership,
• the provision of a Chess Scotland channel may spread public awareness of the game, the channel could be used for the broadcast of other events and not just restricted to chess coaching or broadcasting of the Scottish Championships. Examples might be Chess Executive news with Andy Howie, The Presidential Speech each Christmas and New Year, Last night of the Pawns for those with musical talents, Live 100 club draw. However I digress.
A Chess Scotland channel could be very quickly set up and I’m sure 12 coaches could be recruited very quickly who could provide a couple of sessions a year. I can easily name half a dozen candidates who I’m sure would be willing to do an hour or two for the benefit of our juniors and the game in general.
• Robin Moore
• Phil Thomas
• Paul MacDonald
• Iain Fraser
• Andrew Green
• Alan Tate
• Calum MacQueen
Okay so that’s seven not six. These are just the ones that I know have given their time in the recent past to coach some of our juniors. Once the channel is up and running and these gents have a monopoly on all the chess coaching in Scotland I’m sure others would become interested.
So we have the medium and with a few e-mails, texts or even phone calls (does anyone still use the phone nowadays or is it just me that gets texts from family and then spends a half hour replying to texts and having a text conversation that a five minute phone call would have sorted) a list of interested coaches could be put together and a provisional schedule arranged.
Is it best to broadcast at weekends or on a school night? I would suggest a regular time slot on a Sunday may be best for all parties but those involved in coaching juniors will have a better idea of the best day and time for such a thing. Going with the Sunday idea though, broadcasts could be scheduled to fit in with the rest of the CS calendar. No use doing a broadcast when everybody is up in Dundee playing or there is already a junior coaching day on at Hamilton.
All that’s left now is to invite the participating audience and that should be a job for the junior selectors and the coaches. Again e-mails, texts or phone calls would sort that out.
What would be the maximum number of participating juniors that a coaching session could comfortably encompass and would provide benefit to all? The first broadcast could start with four to six participants over an hour to see how it went and I would suggest that perhaps those in the more remote areas could be involved at an early stage.
Following on from the broadcast, perhaps we could look to the Chess Scotland forum to provide the opportunity for the participating juniors and those that didn’t participate to discuss the coaching session. However, I’m sure the juniors have more idea than me about networking via the internet.
It all seems straight forward to me and could be up and running, well by this weekend actually, if someone wants to go for it but to be more realistic I’d schedule the first broadcast for the first Sunday in November.
Robin, if you were happy with such an idea, you could start the ball rolling with an endgame coaching broadcast. I can provide technical assistance to get the channel up and running and download the software to your pc to enable you to broadcast. You could with the help of Paul, Phil and Donald who could be the participating juniors and then sort out how you would communicate during the broadcast and what you would be looking at.
In the meantime potential presenters could contact Robin and indicate what they may be able to offer or Robin can use his gentle persuasive powers to encourage people to come forward.
Re: Lothians congress/Dalguise - Andy McCulloch - 07-10-2011
Why does coaching always have to be of Juniors?
As a very late entrant to competive chess (aged 53+), I have been on the receiving end of a lot of punishment from many of Scotland's promising Juniors. These range from a defeat to Jonny Scott in 2006, to losing to Anna Milton last weekend.
If an online coaching program were to be established, would it not be possible for interested adults to at least receive such a program, even if they were not allowed to contribute to the discussions?
As previously stated, I often play improving Juniors and there is a standing joke between the arbiters and myself as to how many Juniors they can pit me against. I have no complaints about this, that is what my grading and performance deserve. I would like to listen in to any coaching that is provided on-line to Juniors, and in principle, would be be prepared to pay an appropriate sum so to do.
Re: Lothians congress/Dalguise - Andy Howie - 07-10-2011
Andy,
You are the third adult I have heard say this recently.
It was tried a couple of seasons ago but there was practically no takeup so the idea was abandoned
Re: Lothians congress/Dalguise - David G Congalton - 07-10-2011
Andy's
The inclusion of adults, (even if it was non-participating and only viewing) would be one of the advantages of a livestream broadcasts of coaching sessions.
Regarding adult training, Ayrshire has organised an adult training session in November
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.ayrshirechess.co.uk/news.html">http://www.ayrshirechess.co.uk/news.html</a><!-- m -->
It's called an adult training session but I went to the last one which was very good and well attended by adults and juniors alike. I'm sure you or others who travelled to Ayrshire for the evening would not be turned away but would be made very welcome. If you fancy it contact Iain Fraser to check it's okay. If it is, then I don't mind coming up to Glasgow after work and picking you up and taking you home later or picking you up from the train station or bus stop. There is room in my car for three, if others in your area are interested.
The £2 entry goes towards buying equipment for local schools.
This is one of the types of events that could be broadcast on livestream and watched in other clubs on a club night.
Re: Lothians congress/Dalguise - David Deary - 07-10-2011
Andy Howie Wrote:Andy,
You are the third adult I have heard say this recently.
It was tried a couple of seasons ago but there was practically no takeup so the idea was abandoned
Its probably about time we gIve it another try then.
As David highlights this is something we do in Ayrshire currently and all proceeds. (ie £2 entry goes towards purchasing chess equipment for primary schools in Ayrshire)
I don't see why CS cannot do similar on a national scale. Unless the issue is we couldn't convince any coaches to volunteer their time for free as we manage to do in Ayrshire? :\
Re: Lothians congress/Dalguise - Andrew McHarg - 07-10-2011
We could also record the sessions and provide links to those recordings on the forum, with discussion on each particular lesson. This means that if people miss one, or want to look over it again then they would be able to.
Someone needs to take the bull by the horns with this one; I genuinly think it's a brilliant idea and long overdue. I'd do it if I had time.
Re: Lothians congress/Dalguise - Andrew McHarg - 07-10-2011
Also meant to say that I don't see why adults couldn't also go to the coaching sessions, especially the rubbish adults like Andy McCulloch and David Congalton! :U Just kidding guys.
Re: Lothians congress/Dalguise - David G Congalton - 07-10-2011
Andrew McHarg Wrote:There is software on the market which isn't too expensive that can do what we need, and all everyone needs is a mic and internet access on an avarage PC.....
...The software in mind is web-based, and can show to the audience what the host sees on his screen - so if the host was running Fritz it would show on everyone's screen. This even works on IPad and various other mobile devices (I've checked), which could even mean live training if you are away from home.
Andrew,
Can you point me in the direction of the software you were thinking about?
David
Re: Lothians congress/Dalguise - Andrew McHarg - 07-10-2011
I've used <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.webex.co.uk">http://www.webex.co.uk</a><!-- m --> and would recommend it. I thought it was good.