Foreign events

[Wadih Khoury]

It is mentioned on the Junior selection page.
I haven't found the specifics, but it seems the wording has been in use since 2015 or 2016 to describe the combination of Academy and Accelerator (Elite at the time). See here page 3: https://paperzz.com/doc/7077246/ecf-che ... federation

There is also mention here (DRAFT STRATEGY STATEMENT AND BUSINESS PLAN) : https://www.englishchess.org.uk/wp-cont ... t-2021.pdf

[J T Melsom]

Sounds like something one of the moderators of the British Chess News Facebook group might know about? Is it so difficult to talk directly?

[NickFaulks]

The one parent bit seems not an issue to me; that sort of thing is not uncommon with Covid

Sorry, I know that this is used as cover for anything nowadays, but whatever the reason for the one parent rule, it has nothing to do with our Great Lord Covid.

[Roger Lancaster]

The comprehensive response from Alex referred to above demonstrates that the ECF is happy to discuss policy with members, but like many other organisations chooses the place (s) of engagement with care. I can't join in the debate on Facebook so that isn't really a better place for these discussions at all. Moreover although there can be criticisms of the way the ECF engages with members I can honestly say that in my time as county rep, no junior issues were raised with me, nor motions put to the County AGM to debate with a view to challenging ECF policy. So whilst the system is not perfect, people are not exactly lobbying to any great extent within the system either.

I'm not on Facebook either but received an identical response after emailing Alex to ask for an explanation of the £200 and £100 charges. The mere fact that I emailed Alex would have told him that I wasn't too impressed about the charges but I think it's fair to say I've found that, if I express concerns civilly, I receive courteous replies from ECF directors - even if on occasion I haven't been convinced by their substance. My impression is that the decision not to post here resulted from responses from some members of this forum which were far from civil. On the wider point raised by JTM, my experience - covering more than one county - is that most county AGMs prioritise matters affecting adults well ahead of junior issues.

[Andrew Martin]

So , just to clarify: if you wish to get on the development pathway, do you have to join the Academy, or are there lower levels, presumably free, open to a larger group of players who can then join the Academy if they want to? Where does the pathway start?

[John Swain]

So , just to clarify: if you wish to get on the development pathway, do you have to join the Academy, or are there lower levels, presumably free, open to a larger group of players who can then join the Academy if they want to? Where does the pathway start?

The following extract from a Board Meeting held on 30 July 2021 gives some indication:

"8. Junior Director’s Report: The Development Pathway (AH)

AH presented a paper outlining the tiers of the English junior coaching schemes. The ECF
Academy, ECF Academy Plus, the Development Programme (funded by the Chess Trust),
and the Accelerator Programme.
AH envisaged the National Coaching Group appearing at the bottom of the pyramid under
the Academy. AH believed that the regional hubs comprising this, would comprise the local
junior clubs that exist now with the ECF and EJCOA trying to create new regional centres
where there was not already a strong presence.
AP145/01 AH, RW and others to further develop the plans for regional hubs."

Source: https://www.englishchess.org.uk/wp-cont ... -v2.01.pdf

[Andrew Martin]

Thanks John. But the regional hubs do not currently exist, or do they?