06-08-2012, 02:52 PM
Calum,
I think we should be aiming for 3 strong players at each age group. When we have had that in the past and only sent 1 because of exams, resources, selection process, whichever then I think it's an opportunity missed. The door is more open in the last few years for all of reasonable strength who wish to play and can fund it to go.
I actually think it's yourself, Clement, Adam, Andrew and others with the support of organisers who will get a squad strong enough to play at these events (Euroyouth and World Youth) to do reasonably well. Hopefully you''ll enjoy the process and it will help you all challenge higher. The attraction to me of the British and Prague would be to allow the coaches to also play and challenge higher and in time off from their own games coaching the juniors. This could be good but not to the detriment of the Euroyouth and World Youth participation. imho.
I do recognise Mike's point about players struggling to score. I still think it was right to try to spread the net wide. You just don't know what talent you might catch and encourage that way.
You like swimming analogies i.e. Some of the young swimmers (15 year olds at the Olympics) are smashing pbs almost as quickly as they are setting them. How would you keep pace of an advance like that in Chess while employing grading limits.
Get all the talents involved in helping the players at these events. At the lower age groups a 1300 to 1700 parent could work intensively with the younger players with the No 1 coach working specifically with the older higher rated players.
I think the squad is building and I look forward to someone out of the dozen of so top under 18s breaking through. They are all capable of it. in my opinion.
I think we should be aiming for 3 strong players at each age group. When we have had that in the past and only sent 1 because of exams, resources, selection process, whichever then I think it's an opportunity missed. The door is more open in the last few years for all of reasonable strength who wish to play and can fund it to go.
I actually think it's yourself, Clement, Adam, Andrew and others with the support of organisers who will get a squad strong enough to play at these events (Euroyouth and World Youth) to do reasonably well. Hopefully you''ll enjoy the process and it will help you all challenge higher. The attraction to me of the British and Prague would be to allow the coaches to also play and challenge higher and in time off from their own games coaching the juniors. This could be good but not to the detriment of the Euroyouth and World Youth participation. imho.
I do recognise Mike's point about players struggling to score. I still think it was right to try to spread the net wide. You just don't know what talent you might catch and encourage that way.
You like swimming analogies i.e. Some of the young swimmers (15 year olds at the Olympics) are smashing pbs almost as quickly as they are setting them. How would you keep pace of an advance like that in Chess while employing grading limits.
Get all the talents involved in helping the players at these events. At the lower age groups a 1300 to 1700 parent could work intensively with the younger players with the No 1 coach working specifically with the older higher rated players.
I think the squad is building and I look forward to someone out of the dozen of so top under 18s breaking through. They are all capable of it. in my opinion.