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I received a call this morning with the sad news that Joe McAdam passed away at 10pm last night. My thoughts and prayers are with his friends and family at these sad times.
I will pass on details for the funeral when I have them.
Being involved with Junior Chess, my first recollection of Joe, was when Mike introduced me to Eric and Joe at a tournament. It was obvious to me that the two of them had worked together for some time and made an excellent team. Through the years I have worked with Joe at many tournaments and he was great fun to work with.
I always remember one junior telling me that there was nothing more terrifying than when you know you were messing about, and you heard the swish swish of the wheelchair wheels getting closer. You knew you were in trouble.
Joe, along with Eric, were quite deservedly awarded the Presidents Award last year for the work they had done over many many years in North Lanarkshire.
There has been some brilliant juniors come through the Joe / Eric stable.
Joe will be sadly missed.
RIP
"How sad to see, what used to be, a model of decorum and tranquility become like any other sport, a battleground for rival ideologies to slug it out with glee"
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It is a very sad day for junior chess in Lanarkshire, without Joe there would have been no junior chess in Lanarkshire, he is the man that started it all.
Joe was one of the best, if not the best, coach I have ever seen working with beginners and enthusing them about chess. How many talented players came through Airdrie YMCA/Airdrie Junior Chess Club.
I always used to joke that Airdrie YMCA was the best feeder club Holy Cross/Hamilton had.
It was truly an honour, to learn how to coach (not teach) from the master.
Alongside Eric, Joe taught round the schools in Airdrie/Coatbridge for about 25 years before the council did the dirty on Airdrie YMCA.
Even now Hamilton is getting the benefit from Joe and Eric's enthusiasm with David Borland now wanting to be an arbiter and coach the young juniors at the club.
My thoughts and prayers are with his family.
RIP Joe.
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Joseph McAdam R.I.P.
There are many varieties of courage but I think that Joe showed the kind of quiet enduring courage , moral and physical, that does not hit headlines and does not win Olympic Gold medals . An unfortunate motor accident deprived Joe of the use of his lower limbs at a relatively young age. For all the time I had the privilege of knowing him, he got about with minimal assistance. He drove his own car with modified controls and could ease himself with some agility from the car on to his wheelchair and vice versa with a little help from his friends! I never heard him complain about his situation-ever. The fact is that his obvious disability did not deter him from an active life specifically devoted to coaching chess in local schools. In some ways, I think it probably gave him a new purpose in life when, perhaps, other more active interests had to be put aside as a result of the accident. Our immediate point of original contact was way back in 1979 when, with his support, we set up ‘Airdrie Junior Chess Club’. It met in the Arts Centre in the town every Saturday. His two sons, Joseph and John Paul were founder-members. So was my son, Paul! Though almost invariably well-attended, it became clear that it could not continue to function sustainably without greater financial backing. This led to its rebranding as under ‘Airdrie YMCA Chess Club’. The Club operated successfully, supported by Eric Stallard of the ‘YM’ and run by Joe for almost three decades thereafter . When the “YM’ was forced to close some years ago for reasons that do not bear close examination, it continued to meet in Alexandra Primary School. Junior tournaments were held on a regular annual basis. It was the nursery for quite a substantial number of very talented players,. I think Joe’s coaching style could be fairly described as being of the ‘old-fashioned’ variety! He took no ‘stash’ from any youngster. It was a very unwise individual who might choose to test his patience. In a team event, for example, he would peremptorily disqualify the whole team if just one member of it was guilty of misconduct. You did not mess with Joe, believe me! I would suggest that he was a man of two very great loves. His super family, and Junior chess, though I’m not quite sure in what order! () He coached in several schools in the town for years. For his efforts I believe he received not one penny. How many coaches would settle for that deal nowadays? My opinion of his treatment, on his enforced departure, by certain local schools is best kept to myself. The most appropriate tribute to his memory, in my opinion, would be the resurrection of the Junior Club itself in his name and the development and continuation of coaching in all local schools in North Lanarkshire. I was very pleased to note that Chess Scotland saw fit , last year, to present him with a life-time achievement award. Moves are also afoot, I understand, to honour him by naming a team trophy after him and, of course, I fully support that idea also!
My thoughts and prayers are naturally with Ann and her whole family at this sad time
Chris Hampton
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Funeral is on Thursday 10am, St Serfs, 66 Aitken Street Airdrie North Lanarkshire. Postcode, ML6 6LT.
Burial follows at St Joesephs Crematoriam, Dykehead Rd, Airdrie, ML6 6TA
"How sad to see, what used to be, a model of decorum and tranquility become like any other sport, a battleground for rival ideologies to slug it out with glee"
