by GM & FST & Trainers’ Commission (TC) Chairman Adrian Mikhalchishin
AdrianTrainers Committee, predecessor of the FIDE Trainers Commission (as has been upgraded recently) was formed in 2000 during the Istanbul Olympiad and was led by GM & FST Yuri Razuvaev, now Honorary Chairman. He created a real and decent Committee and established the guidance for its functioning for 10 years; his role is impossible to undervalue. Now, on our ‘second period’, we have to re-examine our position at the moment and to create new tasks for the future.
The most important task of TC was the introduction of a system of titles and licenses as it was demanded by IOC. The main idea was that the titles will boost the importance of trainers’ positions in the chess world. Licenses are necessary for keeping the level of the trainers, but up to Istanbul 2009 FIDE Board these licenses were not approved to be used worldwide.
Now we have instruments to improve the level of trainers but we need cooperation of the Continental and National federations to implement the system correctly and effectively. To mark the high Trainers achievements, TC introduced in Dresden 2008 Awards for best Trainers. Our important role is to protect Trainers and to help them to conduct their duties effectively and with dignity.
Some organizers of the top competition are ignorant of these problems and sometimes prevent trainers of being present during the competition. The ugliest case was the behaviour of the organizers of the European Individual Championship in Dresden 2007. Just intervention of ECU President Boris Kutin helped to avoid a real scandal, as the letter of TC to organizers was unanswered. In the same time they allowed their own trainers to be present…
TC has created three Trainers Academies up to now, in Berlin, Singapore and New York. Others are planned to be opened, in India, Russia (Moscow), and Spain (Barcelona), where on the base of the famous EDAMI Chess Academy of GM & FST Miguel Illescas we plan to hold seminars for Spanish speaking countries.
But the work of Academies have to be improved and variety of new projects to be introduced, such as Elite Schools for talented juniors and summer chess camps for kids. To reduce the costs of Trainer seminars, the start of Internet education is planned. The common syllabus for all Academies is planned.
Back in 2002 we created a FIDE Training Center in Slovenia; its activity was up to now rather local, such as organizing of training of different juniors groups, as the Netherlands team training in 2004. This center is currently busy with the creation of schools programs. Its activity will be welcomed as mentioned above.
TC stressed many times that the level of training process in the World is quite low and unprofessional; trainers are uneducated and lack of training programs is unbelievable poor. All other sports have different training programs. TC since 2004 asked for funding of these programs – manuals and in 2007 decisions and plans of TC were supported by FIDE Congress. But up to now this decision is not implemented.
For nine years TC was working without any material support, except certain help from Berlin and Singapore Academies, which was inadequate to their role and work on improving the trainers knowledge and getting FIDE fees tor Trainer titles and licenses. Budget of TC was planned but never fulfilled, even communications costs were not compensated for nine years. TC waits from the FIDE Office solution of this shameful problem.
Relations with other FIDE Commissions are other priorities of TC. Especially tragic were/are the relations with the CACDEC, which is responsible for developing chess in Asia and Africa. Who, if not expert and experienced chess trainers to share their knowledge with chess trainers of Asia and Africa? Of course, these countries need chess materials, Arbiters’ seminars, but chess training for juniors above all. But in those nine years TC had no contacts with CACDEC; all the problems and responsibility on their side.
TC is representing players even more widely than ACP and better understands their needs and problems. So, TC believes that contacts with Arbiters, Rules, Chess in Schools, Events and World Championship Commissions, is in the interest of TC and mentioned Commissions. Huge experience of top World Trainers can be utilized much more effectively. TC plans to evaluate the quality of organizing Worlds and Continental juniors Championships with the aim to help creation of the higher standards of conducting these important events.
We consider the communication with trainers an urgent matter, so the decision of the Dresden meeting of TC was the creation of its own website (www.getchesstraining.com) and we are proud to announce, that with the valuable help of FT & FA Peter Long, it is ready to start!
The quantity of chess literature is constantly increasing. These books are of very different quality, so trainers and players have problems with choosing the most appropriate books for training. For some time we are trying to form a list of recommended literature for trainers in English, German, Russian and Spanish languages. Literature for trainer use is not published enough; top chess magazines are very reluctant to publish instructional articles.
TC with great pleasure greets the appearance of Trainers’ Yearbook by New In Chess under the editorial supervising of Jeroen Bosch, who is appointed as a Member of TC. We ask the World’s top trainers to contribute to future editions of this useful yearbook.
