News

[Matthew Turner]

I suspect that the early comments relate to previous desires to deprecate the ECF maintained Coaching list and associated coaching schemes.

One of the issues most prominently mentioned was the difficulties with managing DBS checks.

I'd be curious to know how welcome was the news when it was initially received that Rob and Andrew intended to take a 180 degree view.

Maybe now that this initiative has been clearly welcomed that will help its acceptance by the DoJCaE?

I have tediously reminded persons that the full title of the Directorship is

Director of Junior Chess and Education

I have no idea what a 180 degree review is or what point you are trying to make.

I think Alex is doing a very good job as Director of Junior Chess

I think Rob and Andy have made a great start on establishing a 'coaches' scheme'

I think Alex has started an important initiative in developing a coaching syllabus with Rob, Andy and others (including Alex Longson, who has obviously put in a huge amount of work and effort on this).

When so many people are working hard to achieve important goals, it seems strange that some want to waste energy trying to remove the person working hardest of all.

[Andrew Martin]

EJCOA has a new Twitter account: https://twitter.com/ChessEnglish

Please follow us to get all the latest news about what we are doing and planning.

[David Sedgwick]

EJCOA has a new Twitter account: https://twitter.com/ChessEnglish

As my query about the composition of the EJCOA Board has not been answered here, I have tried asking there.

It will be interesting to see whether I get any better luck.

[John Upham]

Does anyone here know the composition of the EJCOA Board? I can't find it on their website.

It is not clear that there is a board of directors for EJOCA.

There is no mention on

https://find-and-update.company-informa ... ce.gov.uk/

and Rob W. is listed only as a Director of the ECF.

Perhaps there is no board as such or at least if there is one it is not for a Limited Liability Company.

As usual, please correct me.

[Roger Lancaster]

Does anyone here know the composition of the EJCOA Board? I can't find it on their website.

It is not clear that there is a board of directors for EJOCA.

There is no mention on

https://find-and-update.company-informa ... ce.gov.uk/

and Rob W. is listed only as a Director of the ECF.

Perhaps there is no board as such or at least if there is one it is not for a Limited Liability Company.

As usual, please correct me.

We've been told there was an EJOCA Board meeting on 6 June, at which this decision was taken, so it would be rather reassuring to know that an EJOCA Board actually exists. Presumably any EJOCA director can enlighten us.

[John Upham]

Does anyone here know the composition of the EJCOA Board? I can't find it on their website.

It is not clear that there is a board of directors for EJOCA.

There is no mention on

https://find-and-update.company-informa ... ce.gov.uk/

and Rob W. is listed only as a Director of the ECF.

Perhaps there is no board as such or at least if there is one it is not for a Limited Liability Company.

As usual, please correct me.

We've been told there was an EJOCA Board meeting on 6 June, at which this decision was taken, so it would be rather reassuring to know that an EJOCA Board actually exists. Presumably any EJOCA director can enlighten us.

Presumably it is possible to have a Management Board of something which is not a limited liability company?

My legal knowledge here is inadequate.

[Roger de Coverly]

Presumably it is possible to have a Management Board of something which is not a limited liability company?

The BCF at various times had a large management board, at least twenty from memory. It had everyone who managed something on behalf of the BCF plus representatives of the SCCU, London League etc.

[David Sedgwick]

I have had a reply of sorts on Twitter:


EJCOA:

"The composition of the English Junior Coaches and Organisers Association Board is on the EJCOA website for all to see: https://ejogguide.co.uk/about/ejcoa-team"

David Sedgwick:

"I asked for the composition of the BOARD, not the composition of the Team.

Or are you saying that all the 30 or so people listed on the page to which you linked are members of the Board?"


I await developments.

[David Sedgwick]

I await developments.

EJCOA have emailed me. Their Board does indeed comprise all the 30 or so Team members listed.

Congratulations to Roger de C, who got that pretty much right.

[Andrew Martin]

Released today:



Why EJCOA is Standing for ECF Director for Junior Chess and Education

2 July 2021

The English Junior Coaches and Organisers Association (EJCOA) is putting forward a candidate for the post of English Chess Federation Director of Junior Chess & Education at the October 2021 AGM with the following objectives:

- To restore English junior chess to the position of one of the world’s leading chess nations, with the goal of producing 5 new GMs and 10 new IMs over the next 10 years;

- To develop junior chess at all levels, from junior clubs and schools all the way up to national level, with equal opportunities for all girls and boys, regardless of gender, ethnicity, social and educational background or any other circumstances;

- To develop high-quality coaching and chess education for juniors and adults at all levels, and provide professional training for coaches, working closely together with the European Chess Union and the FIDE Trainers Commission.

- To provide all girls and boys with the opportunity to play and study chess to the level that suits them.

To achieve these goals, we propose that the Directorate be run not solely by a single Director, but by that person working together with a professional team of coaches, players and junior organisers, with first-hand experience of playing and coaching at an international level.

We also pledge that the Junior Chess and Education Directorate will be run transparently and fairly for all involved in junior chess, with any potential conflicts of interest referred to an Independent Junior Chess Oversight Committee, elected directly by ECF members annually.

We invite all ECF members and chess organisations represented on the ECF Council to support our campaign, and are happy to send a speaker to your meeting (either online or in person) to explain why we are standing and to answer your questions.

The EJCOA Board
July 2, 2021

[Roger de Coverly]

The English Junior Coaches and Organisers Association (EJCOA) is putting forward a candidate for the post of English Chess Federation Director of Junior Chess & Education at the October 2021 AGM

A leading figure in the EJCOA is also a director of the ECF. This implies there's another internal squabble which the ECF seems to be periodically vulnerable.

To restore English junior chess to the position of one of the world’s leading chess nations, with the goal of producing 5 new GMs and 10 new IMs over the next 10 years;

That's an objective that could have been and indeed almost was stated ten years ago. It was more modestly expressed then as being three titled players in three years, one a GM. The reality is that the number of active rated players for years of birth twenty years ago or so is measured in single figures.

[John Upham]

A leading figure in the EJCOA is also a director of the ECF. This implies there's another internal squabble which the ECF seems to be periodically vulnerable.

I'm struggling to understand logic (if indeed there is any).

If a person is a officer / member of two different organisations then that means there is an internal squabble?

I am an Officer of the Surrey Border League, Berkshire Chess Association, Hampshire Junior Chess Association and others but this does imply an internal squabble as a consequence.

A curious if flawed deduction.

[Joseph Conlon]

I have said this on the Facebook page as well, but In my opinion this statement should either expand on, or withdraw, the penultimate paragraph. As it stands, it carries strong, arguably defamatory, implications but does not provide any supporting evidence.

[Roger de Coverly]

If a person is a officer / member of two different organisations then that means there is an internal squabble?

If an officer of organisation B proposes that a fellow officer of organisation A be removed from office in order to facilitate a change to the policies of organisation A, why could the policy change not be implemented internally in organisation A without invoking a contested election?

[Mike Gunn]

(a) To achieve these goals, we propose that the Directorate be run not solely by a single Director, but by that person working together with a professional team of coaches, players and junior organisers, with first-hand experience of playing and coaching at an international level.

(b) We also pledge that the Junior Chess and Education Directorate will be run transparently and fairly for all involved in junior chess, with any potential conflicts of interest referred to an Independent Junior Chess Oversight Committee, elected directly by ECF members annually.

(a) would seem to cut across the lines of responsibility defined in the ECF's articles, regulations etc. The old style system of directorates where directors reported individually to Council (and were up for election each year) has been swept away post Pearce by a supposed collegiate style of board which produces a s single annual report to Council. Of course the whole of the EJCOA team could be appointed as officers within ECF Juniors and Eduaction directorate but in terms of the current ECF's mode of working they would be the tail and wouldn't be able to wag the dog.

(b) would of course require constitutional amendments. Presumably the ECJOA will be tabling these at October Council.

Notwithstanding the above a lot of new energy put in junior chess organisation is to be welcomed. While there is nothing wrong with contesting an election for a board post it is a pity that it seems to be accompanied by thinly disguised attempted palace revolution.