ECF Chess Academy prospectus just published

[Roger Lancaster]

Does anyone have any initial (or, better still, considered) thoughts on the prospectus which has appeared at the address below?

http://englishchess.org.uk/Juniors/wp-c ... pectus.pdf.

[John Swain]

The prospectus looks to be very professional and well considered. £400 per annum does not seem unreasonable, particularly if it equates to coaching at just £10 an hour and with the opportunity for poorer families to apply in confidence for some financial help.

However, just how this new scheme will operate alongside some of the other organisations involved in junior chess remains to be seen. For example, there would seem to be a significant overlap with the National Chess Junior Squad's activities, both domestic and foreign. From what I have heard, the NCJS's overseas trips have been enjoyed by those juniors who have participated in them and they have also been able to claim England representation. How can this continue alongside the ECF scheme?

[Michael Flatt]

The ECF Chess Academy is a welcome initiative which seeks to give some coherence to Junior chess activities organised by the ECF. It focuses attention on preparing young players for international competitions and offers them places in specific competitions in accordance with the existing Junior International selection policy.

The prospectus simply advertises the ECF Academy and provides a statement of its objectives. It announces the launch of the International Program which is initially limited to 30 places and a subscription of £400 per player. Other programs within the Academy are less clear but will probably become better defined with time.

Currently, the Academy has no management structure other than the appointment of its Head, Andrew Martin. No posts nor names of other key individuals are given although I would assume that they will be the existing ECF team of coaches, team managers and parents.

[Andrew Martin]

Thank you for bringing this up. Traci Whitfield has done a wonderful job with the prospectus and arrangements behind the scenes.

We are presently sorting out staffing for the first year at least. I can announce that our panel will have Glenn Flear as coordinator, backed up by Jovanka Houska, Sheila Jackson and Neil Mc Donald. The weekend coaches could be any of Nick Pert, Simon Williams, Lorin D Costa, Nigel Davies, Ravikumar, Malcolm Pein, Charlie Storey, David Levens, myself and I am working to bring others into the scheme. We are trying to give our kids access to as many top coaches as possible; in fact there are many coaches not on the list who can get in touch with me if they want to be involved.

email: [email protected]

[Roger de Coverly]

Over at the official forum, someone known as "Guildford Chess Academy" has recently posted
http://www.englishchess.org.uk/Forum/vi ... f=20&t=366

But if you read the thread, reservations are expressed, both by the club from which it appears to be a spin off and by a trainer whose video material appears posted without permission.

[Ian Thompson]

Over at the official forum, someone known as "Guildford Chess Academy" has recently posted
http://www.englishchess.org.uk/Forum/vi ... f=20&t=366

But if you read the thread, reservations are expressed, both by the club from which it appears to be a spin off

Some references to meetings at the Guildford Institute (where Guildford Chess Club meets) on its club night, at a time when I thought Guildford ran their junior chess club, have been removed from the Guildford Chess Academy website in the last 24 hours.

and by a trainer whose video material appears posted without permission.

I don't think that's true. The videos are links to trailers for the DVDs on You Tube which have been put there by ChessBase. Of course, it's reasonable for the author of the DVDs to ask why several of his DVDs are featured on the Guildford Chess Academy website if he's not involved with it.

[Michael Flatt]

and by a trainer whose video material appears posted without permission.

I don't think that's true. The videos are links to trailers for the DVDs on You Tube which have been put there by ChessBase. Of course, it's reasonable for the author of the DVDs to ask why several of his DVDs are featured on the Guildford Chess Academy website if he's not involved with it.

The manner in which Andrew Martin's videos are featured alongside Nick Pert's led me to mistakenly believe that he had some involvement.

The fact that the Guildford Chess Academy doesn't identify its leadership must be of concern to Guildford Chess Club since the casual observer may not realise that they are two different organisations.

[Carl Hibbard]

Over at the official forum, someone known as "Guildford Chess Academy" has recently posted
http://www.englishchess.org.uk/Forum/vi ... f=20&t=366

But if you read the thread, reservations are expressed, both by the club from which it appears to be a spin off and by a trainer whose video material appears posted without permission.

No sign of Bob toxic Kane over there yet?

[Peter D Williams]

The prospectus looks to be very professional and well considered. £400 per annum does not seem unreasonable, particularly if it equates to coaching at just £10 an hour and with the opportunity for poorer families to apply in confidence for some financial help.
?

I doubt any family would want to have their financial situation looked at by a stranger to decide if you can have the help.I would never allow any one from the chess world to look at my financal situation.You also may feel that you have to do as you are told in exhange for any money you may get for the child.In my experience of life when ever some group offers financial help it comes with strings which can tie you up in knots.

[Mike Truran]

Amen to that. Would anyone want the ECF control freaks crawling over their financial affairs?

[Carl Hibbard]

Over at the official forum, someone known as "Guildford Chess Academy" has recently posted
http://www.englishchess.org.uk/Forum/vi ... f=20&t=366

But if you read the thread, reservations are expressed, both by the club from which it appears to be a spin off and by a trainer whose video material appears posted without permission.

So that thread was toxic too.

[Michael Flatt]

Amen to that. Would anyone want the ECF control freaks crawling over their financial affairs?

Mike, am I wrong or are you, in fact, Chairman of the ECF Finance Committee?

How can you reconcile your remarks here with your prominent role in the ECF organisation?

I would have thought that any parent considering whether or not to investigate an offer of financial assistance would be immediately put off.

[John Upham]

Having seen that thread expunged in the other place reinforces why I rarely visit or post there.

[Michael Flatt]

Having seen that thread expunged in the other place reinforces why I rarely visit or post there.

It's a mystery as to why anyone should take exception to it.

It seemed a pretty harmless exchange between a handful of posters.

PS
The last post I recall was a request from a Forum Moderator for a named contact in the organisation. Perhaps, they couldn't or wouldn't oblige.

Edit: PS added

[Roger de Coverly]

Having seen that thread expunged in the other place reinforces why I rarely visit or post there.

For anyone wanting to know what the fuss was about, the website briefly promoted on the ECF's forum was

http://www.guildfordchess.com/