All the right moves for SLHS seniors

All the right moves: SLHS seniors help chess team to 5th consecutive undefeated season
Thu, Jan 15, 2009

BY BRIAN KEILEN

SPRING LAKE — Despite a constant flow of different classes, sports and jobs, one thing has remained constant for high school seniors Jon Budzenski, David Lowing and Josh Patton — chess.

The trio has been the foundation of Joe Singerling’s varsity chess teams at Spring Lake High School over the past five years. They started with the high school team while still in eighth grade, and have been playing the toughest opponents from other schools and winning numerous individual and team honors along the way.

“They’ve been the one constant the past five years,” Singerling said. “They raise the level of play.”

On top of their prowess at the chess board, the three have also committed themselves to helping Singerling teach the game. The boys have mentored students at Jeffers Elementary School’s chess club and at summer chess camps for the past six years. This year, they also helped Singerling take on a new chess club at Holmes Elementary School.

In all, the boys help nearly 100 elementary schoolers learn chess every Wednesday and Thursday from October to February.

Add in chess practice Tuesday mornings and Wednesday afternoons — along with other commitments like homework, jobs and sports — and it’s one busy schedule, Singerling said.

“It’s a huge time commitment,” he said. “It’s a hectic life.”

But to hear the boys talk about it, being busy isn’t a big deal.

Here is the full article.