09-08-2013, 07:15 PM
Please find my ‘manifesto’ below, this is not an exhaustive list and is a bit rough but hopefully will give members an idea of what I am all about. If you have any ideas or suggestions feel free to reply to my post. I’m not 100% sure of where the remits of the Junior Directors stop so apologies to Calum and June if I am stealing any of their ideas or stepping on their toes.
Manifesto of David Deary for Home Junior Director
What are my aims/objectives:
Ultimately, I view the Home Junior Director post as being about getting more kids playing chess across Scotland. That’s my number one priority. There are several vehicles to do this: more junior clubs in schools; more junior clubs outwith school and better links between junior clubs and senior clubs with more senior clubs becoming junior friendly and perhaps offering a junior night.
Obviously, these are not things that I can do on my own and I will require help and support in order to make these aims a reality. I’ll want to get out in the regions across Scotland speaking to clubs, associations, leagues and junior bodies to see what support CS can offer to help implement the above in their areas. I also want to see how things work across different areas of Scotland and whether the ideas can be shared to have a truly national framework for Junior Chess. To this end, I wish to reconstitute the Home Junior board and have its membership representing the diverse approaches and opinions we have from across Scotland. I would envisage that the Board would convene on a fairly regular basis such as every six to eight weeks and meetings could be held via Skype to bring everyone from across Scotland together.
I also wish to see a thriving junior website again where juniors contribute and it is packed with news for Chess Scotland’s junior players. This would require the support of the Website Administrator and the International Junior Director and Schools Development Director. Having spoken to Calum and June I know this is something they are both extremely keen on.
Another area of focus and its certainly doesn’t have an easy solution is bridging the gap with young players who play the game frequently at primary school and seem to fall away as they join secondary school. In all honestly, I’m not 100% sure as to the reason for this and I’m sure there are multiple contributory factors but it’s something I intend to investigate and along with the Junior Board come up with some initiatives to arrest this slide.
In terms of tournaments:
I inherit the extremely well run Primary Individual that as a format and a tournament works well and the feedback is always positive. My intention wouldn’t be to tinker with this event and I would seek advice and support from those who have run it for so long. Namely, SJC, the ball is in their court over whether they are willing to work with me but I sincerely hope they will.
The Junior Grand Prix I would continue in its current format with perhaps an extra section for the U20 age group but this is something that I need consider. A recent suggestion (I don’t wish to name drop with whose idea it was) that we could award one of the places at the British as a prize was mooted. This is the sort of ideas I would like to see, if anyone has any further suggestions let me know.
The Jonathon Rowson and Cherie Booth awards are both extremely prestigious awards that I would like to see returned to a committee judging the winner. Preferably, as in the past with a titled player, an experienced former junior and perhaps a Director as opposed to a vote of the membership or a decision by the HJD.
I would like to see the Scottish Schools Championships revived. I had the good fortune to win two Scottish Schools Championships (the same number as Hugh Brechin no less!) as a pupil of Greenwood Academy. When I was at school it was the tournament to win and I had great fun travelling across Scotland to play other schools. This is something that I would work on with Stephen Taylor (who previously ran the event) and the Schools Development Director as I am unsure whose remit it falls into.
I will also assess the viability of a Secondary Individual Championship perhaps in a similar format to the Primary Individual. However, until elected I’m not 100% sure of the resource requirements and the financial implications.
Similarly, I’d like to see the Inter-County Championships making a return in the next year and again would need to seek the support of those who have carried it out in the past. I’m unsure of who previously ran this event and would be interested to know.
Obviously with the loss of the grant Budgets are even tighter than in the past and I will need to be creative in making the budget stretch that bit further. I also hope to be able to prepare some marketing material along with the fellow Junior Directors and the Marketing Director to bring more funds into junior chess.
Experience:
I’ve played chess for about fifteen years now and some of my favourite chess moments were as a junior. I’m passionate about chess and I’m passionate about bringing the game to more people. I’m currently Treasurer of the Ayrshire Chess Association and in my tenure we have supported junior clubs in Ayrshire by providing boards and sets in additional to organising junior training events and supporting our juniors selected for Scotland. I have also assisted in running junior events at the Prestwick (now Ayr) Congress. I’m also currently finishing my training to become a CS arbiter (hopefully I’ll have my three reports after the Inverness Congress). I’ve also been a bit of a ‘hanger on’ at Junior events where my brother ( Daniel) has been playing and most recently assisted with coaching the junior players at the Glorney in Cardiff.
As I said, previously, none of the things I have listed as my aims can be achieved alone and it might be true to say I am not that experienced but I am enthusiastic to see change for the better and I hope others will join me to get more junior playing the game we all love.
Why am I running?:
Initially, I spoke to Calum MacQueen in June who advised me that he was running for IJD and he encouraged me to run for HJD. In Calum, I saw someone who I believed I could work with, who had similar aspirations and who has been and still is one of Scotland’s top young players. I spoke to a handful of close friends about running who advised me that I would be good in the role and offered me their support if elected.
Finally, I am standing for election because I am disappointed with the recent schism in junior chess and my hope is that everyone can contribute positively and move forward. In the past year, there has been so much vitriol spouted on all sides that it’s a miracle we still have so many people willing to volunteer and my hope is that we can all bury the hatchet and move forward. This is probably easier said than done but my door remains open to anyone who is constructive about pushing junior chess forward and increasing participation levels.
I now welcome any questions, queries, suggestions or comments from anyone.
Many thanks,
David
P.S. Apologies for the essay it was meant to be more concise but I got a little carried away. :U
Manifesto of David Deary for Home Junior Director
What are my aims/objectives:
Ultimately, I view the Home Junior Director post as being about getting more kids playing chess across Scotland. That’s my number one priority. There are several vehicles to do this: more junior clubs in schools; more junior clubs outwith school and better links between junior clubs and senior clubs with more senior clubs becoming junior friendly and perhaps offering a junior night.
Obviously, these are not things that I can do on my own and I will require help and support in order to make these aims a reality. I’ll want to get out in the regions across Scotland speaking to clubs, associations, leagues and junior bodies to see what support CS can offer to help implement the above in their areas. I also want to see how things work across different areas of Scotland and whether the ideas can be shared to have a truly national framework for Junior Chess. To this end, I wish to reconstitute the Home Junior board and have its membership representing the diverse approaches and opinions we have from across Scotland. I would envisage that the Board would convene on a fairly regular basis such as every six to eight weeks and meetings could be held via Skype to bring everyone from across Scotland together.
I also wish to see a thriving junior website again where juniors contribute and it is packed with news for Chess Scotland’s junior players. This would require the support of the Website Administrator and the International Junior Director and Schools Development Director. Having spoken to Calum and June I know this is something they are both extremely keen on.
Another area of focus and its certainly doesn’t have an easy solution is bridging the gap with young players who play the game frequently at primary school and seem to fall away as they join secondary school. In all honestly, I’m not 100% sure as to the reason for this and I’m sure there are multiple contributory factors but it’s something I intend to investigate and along with the Junior Board come up with some initiatives to arrest this slide.
In terms of tournaments:
I inherit the extremely well run Primary Individual that as a format and a tournament works well and the feedback is always positive. My intention wouldn’t be to tinker with this event and I would seek advice and support from those who have run it for so long. Namely, SJC, the ball is in their court over whether they are willing to work with me but I sincerely hope they will.
The Junior Grand Prix I would continue in its current format with perhaps an extra section for the U20 age group but this is something that I need consider. A recent suggestion (I don’t wish to name drop with whose idea it was) that we could award one of the places at the British as a prize was mooted. This is the sort of ideas I would like to see, if anyone has any further suggestions let me know.
The Jonathon Rowson and Cherie Booth awards are both extremely prestigious awards that I would like to see returned to a committee judging the winner. Preferably, as in the past with a titled player, an experienced former junior and perhaps a Director as opposed to a vote of the membership or a decision by the HJD.
I would like to see the Scottish Schools Championships revived. I had the good fortune to win two Scottish Schools Championships (the same number as Hugh Brechin no less!) as a pupil of Greenwood Academy. When I was at school it was the tournament to win and I had great fun travelling across Scotland to play other schools. This is something that I would work on with Stephen Taylor (who previously ran the event) and the Schools Development Director as I am unsure whose remit it falls into.
I will also assess the viability of a Secondary Individual Championship perhaps in a similar format to the Primary Individual. However, until elected I’m not 100% sure of the resource requirements and the financial implications.
Similarly, I’d like to see the Inter-County Championships making a return in the next year and again would need to seek the support of those who have carried it out in the past. I’m unsure of who previously ran this event and would be interested to know.
Obviously with the loss of the grant Budgets are even tighter than in the past and I will need to be creative in making the budget stretch that bit further. I also hope to be able to prepare some marketing material along with the fellow Junior Directors and the Marketing Director to bring more funds into junior chess.
Experience:
I’ve played chess for about fifteen years now and some of my favourite chess moments were as a junior. I’m passionate about chess and I’m passionate about bringing the game to more people. I’m currently Treasurer of the Ayrshire Chess Association and in my tenure we have supported junior clubs in Ayrshire by providing boards and sets in additional to organising junior training events and supporting our juniors selected for Scotland. I have also assisted in running junior events at the Prestwick (now Ayr) Congress. I’m also currently finishing my training to become a CS arbiter (hopefully I’ll have my three reports after the Inverness Congress). I’ve also been a bit of a ‘hanger on’ at Junior events where my brother ( Daniel) has been playing and most recently assisted with coaching the junior players at the Glorney in Cardiff.
As I said, previously, none of the things I have listed as my aims can be achieved alone and it might be true to say I am not that experienced but I am enthusiastic to see change for the better and I hope others will join me to get more junior playing the game we all love.
Why am I running?:
Initially, I spoke to Calum MacQueen in June who advised me that he was running for IJD and he encouraged me to run for HJD. In Calum, I saw someone who I believed I could work with, who had similar aspirations and who has been and still is one of Scotland’s top young players. I spoke to a handful of close friends about running who advised me that I would be good in the role and offered me their support if elected.
Finally, I am standing for election because I am disappointed with the recent schism in junior chess and my hope is that everyone can contribute positively and move forward. In the past year, there has been so much vitriol spouted on all sides that it’s a miracle we still have so many people willing to volunteer and my hope is that we can all bury the hatchet and move forward. This is probably easier said than done but my door remains open to anyone who is constructive about pushing junior chess forward and increasing participation levels.
I now welcome any questions, queries, suggestions or comments from anyone.
Many thanks,
David
P.S. Apologies for the essay it was meant to be more concise but I got a little carried away. :U
Growing old is compulsory, growing up is optional!