Sullivan dominates chess tournament
INGA STRYDOM
More than 500 primary school children took part in a chess tournament hosted by Chess for Change and RGA Reinsurance, at Zwaanswyk Academy on Saturday.
The players came from John Wycliffe, Simon van der Stel, Zwaanswyk Academy, Stephen Road, Sullivan, Floreat. Lourier, and Plantation Road primary schools.
Coordinator, Lente Mare, said: “Chess has been called ‘the gymnasium of the mind’ as it forces players to use a variety of thinking skills which help develop the minds of the children we teach.
“But more importantly chess teaches the children the importance of taking responsibility for their actions,” said Ms Mare.
“A chess player must take full responsibility for everything that happens on the board. A rash move or a blunder cannot be blamed on anyone else.
“Learning to plan ahead and to accept responsibility for the consequences of our actions is a major lesson that has obvious application to the broader social context in their daily lives.
Ms Mare has organised chess training workshops and arranges the tournaments and facilitates the entry of children into the Western Province trials.
She teaches a 1000 children a week at six schools: Simon van der Stel Primary, Stephen Road, Sullivan, Parow West and Koeberg Primary.
“Chess for Change has been a resounding success and we have been schools,” she said.
Many of the tournament winners came from Sullivan Primary School.
More than 400 of the school’s 600 learners play chess and have achieved numerous successes in various tournament because of Chess for Change’s guidance.
Ernest Moore, the principal of Sullivan Primary said three of the learners received Most Promising Player awards at Western Province tournaments in their respective age groups.
“We have also seen an improvement in our learners’ academic results since these chess coaching sessions began at the school in 2007,” said Mr Moore.
The children all received bronze medals. All the girls got a gift handbag and the boys a purse sponsored by Zip It.
Date : November, 26 , 2008 Publication : Southern Mail Page Number: 22
Nice job Mr. Berman.