Embracing Change
That’s the article of Quah Seng Sun’s article on The Star Lifestyle sectio on 12th Jan 2007 …
Embracing change
By QUAH SENG SUN
WHEN I wrote three weeks ago on the challenges that local chess coaches will face from organisations that are able to bring in qualified foreign coaches, I was prepared for criticism.
Sure enough, some of the local coaches were outraged. One said the capabilities of local coaches were not any less than those of foreign ones. Another said my opinion could affect his ability to attract students and, therefore, their parents.
But surely, that’s what change is all about, isn’t it? The way the chess world is developing, time will not stand still for anyone, much less for the local chess coaches.
Even as my story appeared three weeks ago, an organisation called Global Chess was announced in Prague, the Czech Republic, a day earlier. Global Chess BV is a ?4.5mil (about RM21mil) company based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and is a collaboration between Fide president Kirsan Ilyumzhinov and Bessel Kok.
According to a memorandum of understanding signed between the two, Global Chess will be responsible for all major World Chess Federation (Fide) events and chess-related projects, which include setting up chess training academies worldwide.
So, it does not matter whether or not the local chess coaches agree or disagree with me. Along with the rest of the world, the face of chess training in Malaysia will be changing.
Maybe my message was too subtle for most people to grasp but certainly, nobody can accuse me of discrediting the local coaches.
On the contrary, knowing that such will be the changes, it is even more logical that our chess coaches recognise them early and be prepared. Closer scrutiny will reveal that I was encouraging them to upgrade and improve their skills.
If the local coaches want to consider themselves professionals in this field, they should look into getting the necessary certifications. It is not for them to resist this because, in the long run, it is for their own benefit. I can safely say that wise parents will want to ensure that their money is well spent.
And I’ll tell you further why local chess coaches should seek certification.
Right now, coaching certification is at an early, developmental stage. There aren’t many qualified chess coaches around so it seems reasonable to me if Fide wants to grow the initial numbers quickly. As
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