09-09-2015, 09:24 PM
Hi,
The honest answer would be that I don't know yet - if we can get "alignment" on the goals in the short term I'll be happy.
The schools point is a good one and I agree we really could do with that role being filled...anyone out there with latent enthusiasm for the post please make themselves known!
Chess Improvement is a genuinely fascinating topic - lots of research out there. In most endeavours it's ultimately a function of time (the 10,000hr rule), but there are some pursuits that don't play entirely by the rules and chess is one of them. On the bright side, however, Scotland is not Russia - we're starting from a lower base and I am personally quite convinced that very material progress is possible en mass - and that it can be done efficiently and effectively. We have much to learn in chess from sport coaching and psychology for example, while simple insights on accelerated learning from people like Buzan can have very practical and simple application (re "Use your head" and the use of appropriate gaps between "revision").
For now, there is a fair bit of dialogue going on behind the scenes as we collect and compare our thoughts ; Mark is uber busy with World ; Alex and David have pretty much arranged all the logistics around the Liverpool and the wider management team are meeting next week to start formulating and coordinating ideas and priorities. So, early days and small steps as we find our feet.
The honest answer would be that I don't know yet - if we can get "alignment" on the goals in the short term I'll be happy.
The schools point is a good one and I agree we really could do with that role being filled...anyone out there with latent enthusiasm for the post please make themselves known!
Chess Improvement is a genuinely fascinating topic - lots of research out there. In most endeavours it's ultimately a function of time (the 10,000hr rule), but there are some pursuits that don't play entirely by the rules and chess is one of them. On the bright side, however, Scotland is not Russia - we're starting from a lower base and I am personally quite convinced that very material progress is possible en mass - and that it can be done efficiently and effectively. We have much to learn in chess from sport coaching and psychology for example, while simple insights on accelerated learning from people like Buzan can have very practical and simple application (re "Use your head" and the use of appropriate gaps between "revision").
For now, there is a fair bit of dialogue going on behind the scenes as we collect and compare our thoughts ; Mark is uber busy with World ; Alex and David have pretty much arranged all the logistics around the Liverpool and the wider management team are meeting next week to start formulating and coordinating ideas and priorities. So, early days and small steps as we find our feet.