Checker School Program

[Alex_Moiseyev]

For kids school activities there is already a structure - Scholastic Games and here is where Kim activity and efforts should be targeted. Building permanent Checkers Scholastic System must be the main goal.

[Danny_Alvarez]

hello Danny,
I have nothing against eric and his ideas but.... I have to say I am starting with children not teenagers. I do not think that having a young child at the 4th grade level going on line and playing checkers is forming them in the right direction. For1. why discourage them when they play someone on line and then get tramatized by language.
My point is I am starting from the bottom here all ideas are greatly appreciated. This is good. But to say that when my progam is over then no players hmmm i think your wrong. I plan on working with these kids threw the summer and I hope to have a nice number of these kids to come to nationals. I then want to see all of your eyes when they come to play.

I will be posting pictures of my kids after first of the year so all of you can see just what is happening here. Every session I see another child wanting to learn. I see teachers coming in to watch. This is not just a short learning session this could be me doing this for a long time. I might even stop playing if this gets to big. Who knows... This is a passion,, and my love for the game.

kim

Hi Kim I agree with you on this one I am probably against them going online until they are established and much older. What i tried to say was that Eric's point about thinking about the next step was very good for a couple of reasons 1) we know u will succeed (in my eyes this is a success already) and 2) we have seen youth come into our fraternity only to be spit out a short while later, let's avoid that!!!

All i tried to say Kim was that unless a support network was setup to make sure that those children you teach can progress further in checkers and the ACF, your work wouldn't have the impact it would. I never said that once your program is over there wouldn't be any players around. Please re-read my statement.

Moving forward i believe that it would be good to set a THINK TANK and bounce ideas around, and to polish the details of not just your program but as Eric put it "the next step". We are only discussing this out of confidence in you Kim.

I hope i made myself clear, and I hope you do trust that I have the best of intentions towards you and your work ( i won't call it your dream anymore, it's your work from now on).

Cheers
D. Alvarez

[kim willis]

I want to opoligize to u danny and eric. had to read that again
This thread is the one that I believe can grow with ideas on how to bring more young players to our game. I want all of ur ideas for this can help me and each an everyone in some way. This is way better than a urguement,,,,

kim

[vhabgood]

Couple of thoughts I wished to share on this topic:
1) Not many people in the checkers fraternity of humankind actually exercise promoting the game to those who are not already somewhat in it. Great job to Kim for this!
2) Children are easily influenced, and if the person teaching them is happy about a particular subject, they will respond much better. This is why I think Kim is doing so well at it.
3) The system by which we bring people into the game these days will not last! The internet is also not doing as well as expected (to my expectations). My opinion is that a combination of several things needs to exist to bring about more interested people such as internet, word of mouth, seeing checkers in real-life, and from books and book-technologies (nook, ipad, kindle, ect.).

[Danny_Alvarez]

I totally agree Vic, I think we need to start looking at other ideas on how to attract and retain players, and using technology and public awareness should be top of that list. I think that ACF, WCDF and other organizations should have a person (and a budget) in charge of "player recruitment" , "game promotion" or whatever title sounds better. And results can be judged very easily how that person/budget is working. ie. how many people turn up to tournaments , how many new members we have signed up.

regards,
D. Alvarez

[progenic]

A checker school program is something which I have been trying to do in Singapore. I wrote to the ACF to see if they were interested in having a affiliated program here in Singapore and I was not given any sort of response sadly. I have found the attitude of parents here in Singapore to be quite close minded as they rather go for established programs such as Chess or Bridge. Without the backing of an established organization such as the ACF, promoting checkers in Singapore is tough as most Chess schools here have the backing of the American Chess Association. I would like to know whether there is any academic journals proving a mathematical link between checkers and maths as I can't find any although I know it must be mathematical and scientific.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks
Jason

[Alan Millhone]

Hello Jason:

I apologize openly on this forum for dropping the ball with your request. If you join the ACF we could make you and your program an offshoot of the ACF as a chapter,etc. or affiliate in your country .

If you need a letter from myself let me know and what the letter to you should contain.

Sincerely:
Alan Millhone, President
American Checker Federation

[john reade]

Jason,

I wish I had known you were in Singapore before. I was there last November visiting my son who is a tennis coach at the Shangri-La Hotel. It would have been nice to meet up and have a few games.

John.

[Danny_Alvarez]

Jason i think the connection between mathematics and checkers is undeniable...although i am not sure that the topic has been handled in a scientific or academic magazine. I wish you and your endeavours to further checkers in Singapore the best of luck.

Cheers from Australia
Danny Alvarez

[progenic]

Alan: I have emailed you and I have just paid for ACF membership until end of next year.

Thanks
Jason

[Alan Millhone]

Hello Jason:

Will look for your email and many thanks for being an ACF Member.

Sincerely:
Alan Millhone, President
American Checker Federation

[john reade]

Jason, Are you still in Singapore? John.

[progenic]

John, yes I am in Singapore. I believe I emailed you my number before, if you are in Singapore, feel free to call me and I will happily meet up for games and show you good places to eat.

Thanks
Jason

[john reade]

Jason,

My son David works as a tennis coach in Singapore. He plays a fair game of draughts.

His email address is readedave@gmail.com

His telephone number is 0065 98635311.

If you can send your contact details I'll ask him to contact you.

He coaches various groups of teenagers. It might be possible to get them interested in draughts?

John.

P.S. Can you send your email address.

[progenic]

Thanks John, I will contact him. My email address is blitzwiz28@hotmail.com
My phone number +6591513228

Thanks
Jason