Interested in sponsoring chess at your school?
Sponsoring chess as a school activity as a teacher or parent volunteer doesn’t require any chess knowledge. Multiple teams have won the state championship with sponsors who didn’t even know how to play! You mostly need to provide
- time for the kids to play together
- at least one kid who knows how to play and is willing to teach the others
There are then ample resources on the Internet for further learning. Also, the US Chess Federation provides a Guide to Scholastic Chess, although it is somewhat dated and does not account for modern online play and Internet resources. You may also find the resources on our parents and students page useful, especially our Parent’s Guide to Scholastic Chess Tournaments.
We strongly encourage you to contact the scholastic director at k12@kychess.org with any questions.
What do all chess sponsors need to do for KCA competitions?
The most important thing is to sign up for our mailing list using the form below. This will ensure you get all announcements of our tournaments.
The rules governing scholastic competitions in Kentucky can be found on the governance page. It is a useful reference, but it is not necessary for coaches (especially beginning coaches) to read it all. We will provide you with everything you need to know via the mailing list.
My students would have difficulty affording to play
Please contact k12@kychess.org. We will make sure that any students who want to play in KCA tournaments are able to do so. Additionally, the USCF has a program to fund free boards and memberships for Title I schools, and we can assist you in applying.
Sister Schools Initiative
Sometimes a school wants to start a chess team but has too few students to field a competitive team on its own. This year, we are piloting a “Sister Schools” initiative which would let schools with established chess programs help other schools start new chess programs. Students from the new school could play as part of the team of the established school for a transitional period. If you would like more information on being either a “mentor” school or a “mentee” school, please contact k12@kychess.org for more details.