2014 Junior International Events

[seanmilton]

[/quote]
Does this mean that you are implementing the previously mooted are taking funded places from one age group and are giving them to another? FIDE award the places based on age.[/quote]

No. The funded places are awarded on merit to the strongest players according to the selection ranking. This was used successfully for the Montenegro selections.
The selection method used has the potential to attract more funding for our squad and instead of leaving our best players at home in favour of weaker players because of age, we can now travel with stronger squads.

[Derek Howie]

I fear also that having too many players there who are there for their cv detracts from the focus of the squad and the intensity that can be created.

I've been at a few events and never come across anyone who appeared to be there for their cv.

[Matthew Turner]

Mike Scott wrote an excellent post which it is definitely worth reading, so apologies in advance for my less considered contribution

Mike Scott wrote
"While some players will respond positively to the challenge and will go away and come back the following years stronger and better for it but many will find it sole destroying."

Mike obviously thinks the players need to put more legwork in before major tournaments so they are up to the feet of competing.

[seanmilton]

I am afraid this idea that just attending these events while being wholly uncompetitive is part of the problem. Having something that 'looks good' on your CV should be a secondary consideration.

I have made the point earlier in this thread, but to clarify - Only competent players will be selected for overseas international junior events.
Representing Scotland is more than wearing the Scotland T-shirt and adding to a CV. I value Scottish selections so highly because of the positive motivational influence it can have on young players. I believe when used correctly selections can be the conduit for retaining young chess players' interest through the teenage years when there can be so many other distractions and therefore keep them in the game over the longer term. If these prized positions are discarded for non chess reasons then I believe the one key initiative that we have at our disposal to keep the domestic game alive is being lost. The intention of junior selections is to travel with as large a squad of competent players as possible to international events. We will never develop as a chess playing nation if we only take an elite few.

[Matthew Turner]

Derek,
I don't think Mike's comments should be taken as a criticism, but it is all about subtle shifts of emphasis. Is representing Scotland at the World Youth Championships the pinnacle of achievement? Or is winning a gold medal at the World Youth Championships for Scotland the pinnacle of achievement?
If it is 1, then of course you should pay £2,500 to send a 7 year old to South Africa and when they get back they can take up something more useful than chess!
If it is 2 then MAYBE you should spend £2,500 on sending a 7 year old to South Africa, because it is an important part of their development plan OR maybe you should go Ayreshire Congress and the Commonwealth Championships and get some online lessons from Adam Bremner (other coaches are available) and go on a cookery course to understand the nutrition that top athletes require. Then with the £1,000 that you've saved you could go to the beach - remembering to take a chess book and board of course.

[Phil Thomas]

At the World Youth, Euroyouth and the EU Youth, the organisers normally provide a "free" place for the Head of Delegation and one coach (full board accommodation). CS pay the flights and transfers for these folks.

I beg to differ with the above statement.

My children represented Scotland in the EU Youth in Mureck and the Junior World Championships in Slovenia in 2012. The funding for both events was for one ‘Accompanying Official’ only. I have always felt it was not a good use of the CS Junior International Budget to send a HoD to events who did not also act as a coach, as was the case on several occasions in the past.

Linda, in my experience this varies with the tournament. However what has been constant over the years has been the situation regarding free accommodation. To accentuate this point I quote below 3 paragraphs from the regulations for EuroYouth 2014 (Georgia in October).

• Each federation can register one (1) player in each of the categories - under 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 and
18 (boys and girls), with the maximum number of twelve (12) players (“invited players”).

• The players placed 1-3 in the previous European Youth Chess Championship will have the personal right to participate in the tournament

• Free accommodation and full board will be provided for invited players, personal right players and also for head of delegations from October 18 (dinner) to October 29, 2014 (breakfast).

Any attempt to take the free accommodation places and transfer them to other players (such as two players in the same category) would put Chess Scotland into a highly dubious legal position.

[Derek Howie]

Derek,
I don't think Mike's comments should be taken as a criticism, but it is all about subtle shifts of emphasis.

Matt, I understood Mike's comments, but was more focusing on people's reasons for wanting to attend international event. There may be many but having it on your CV isn't one of them in my experience. I felt it was unfair to suggest that a CV is a motivation.

[Matthew Turner]

Phil,
Of course the organisers are not going to allow ChessScotland to send two U14's for example instead of an U14 and an U8. However, if for example ChessScotland chose to send 2 U14's and an U8, then they will be charged 2 lots of several hundred pounds for the free places and one lot of several thousand pound for the additional place. Surely, it is then up to the Junior Director/team to decide how this money is recouped from the parents?

You could charge all the players the same, or the additional player(s) could be charged a lot more. There are arguments in favour and against both systems. The English players will be charged almost double their Scottish counterparts because mandatory coaching is part of the package. Again, I don't think that is right or wrong it is just another way of doing things that there are arguments for and against.

[Linda McCusker]

At the World Youth, Euroyouth and the EU Youth, the organisers normally provide a "free" place for the Head of Delegation and one coach (full board accommodation). CS pay the flights and transfers for these folks.

I beg to differ with the above statement.

My children represented Scotland in the EU Youth in Mureck and the Junior World Championships in Slovenia in 2012. The funding for both events was for one ‘Accompanying Official’ only. I have always felt it was not a good use of the CS Junior International Budget to send a HoD to events who did not also act as a coach, as was the case on several occasions in the past.

Linda, in my experience this varies with the tournament. However what has been constant over the years has been the situation regarding free accommodation. To accentuate this point I quote below 3 paragraphs from the regulations for EuroYouth 2014 (Georgia in October).

• Each federation can register one (1) player in each of the categories - under 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 and
18 (boys and girls), with the maximum number of twelve (12) players (“invited players”).

• The players placed 1-3 in the previous European Youth Chess Championship will have the personal right to participate in the tournament

• Free accommodation and full board will be provided for invited players, personal right players and also for head of delegations from October 18 (dinner) to October 29, 2014 (breakfast).

Any attempt to take the free accommodation places and transfer them to other players (such as two players in the same category) would put Chess Scotland into a highly dubious legal position.

From the third bullet point it would appear that only a Head of Delegation receives funding - not a Head of Delegation and a coach. Therefore there is only funding for one accompanying official. Not two as is written in the first statement above.

[Jacqui Thomas]

Phil,
Of course the organisers are not going to allow ChessScotland to send two U14's for example instead of an U14 and an U8. However, if for example ChessScotland chose to send 2 U14's and an U8, then they will be charged 2 lots of several hundred pounds for the free places and one lot of several thousand pound for the additional place. Surely, it is then up to the Junior Director/team to decide how this money is recouped from the parents?

I have a short answer to that which is NO!
The host invite one player from each age group to take the free place. How can it be right if an U8 is selected to play but as they are not that good & there are two U12's that are really good & both deserve a place the U8 can pay to enable both the U12 to be funded. How can that be fair? If an U8 is selected it is because they are the best in Scotland for their age group & therefore they have earnt that place. If both U12's deserve a place an alternative route to making that happen needs to be found so its not to the detriment of the U8.

I recall when I believe Donna was IJD that there were 3 u18's that all deserved a place. There were 3 International events being attended so they (Connor Woods, Matthew O'Donnell & a n other I believe) were given a choice if which one they wished to attend with the highest grade getting first choice. they all then benefitted from not only being able to attend the event but also getting the funded place. the alternative would have been for them all to go to all three & share the one place of funding at each.