VISION FOR CHESS IN ONTARIO

Chess is a wonderful sport and life-long activity that can be enjoyed by all Canadians. The Ontario Chess Association will be an active force to promote and organize chess activities and chess awareness. The following is a solid, strategic Five Year Plan to bring this vision fully into reality by December 31, 2008. Its purpose is to focus, invigorate and channel chess supporters and enthusiasts into a coordinated and effective force to dramatically develop and improve the opportunities for chess and creating great chess champions that all of Ontario, and all of Canada can be proud of. Our approach has four focused areas of activity:

1) CREATING CHESS CHAMPIONS

2) INCREASING YOUTH PARTICIPATION

3) MAKING CHESS AN ENJOYABLE, LIFE-LONG ACTIVITY

4) CREATING AND MAINTAINING A STRONG ORGANIZATION TO ENSURE ONGOING GROWTH AND PLAYER SUPPORT

1.- CREATING CHESS CHAMPIONS

Our chess players need ability, focused training, and serious competition in order to become champions. The OCA will immediately create an online registry of all Ontario chess clubs, chess events, and chess trainers so that these opportunities are easily available throughout Ontario. We will help sponsor chess camps and setup organized training programs and Trainer Certification Programs to increase the availability, and effectiveness of OCA Approved Training Programs.

To obtain the experience and FIDE IM and GM ratings and level of play, our best players currently must travel to Europe and the US. The current Canadian Open (Organized by the CFC) and Guelph PRO-AM (Organized by Hal Bond), and some Quebec tournaments (organized by Andre Langlois) are the best opportunities for our players. Our Vision is to greatly increase the caliber and recognition of our Chess Champions. We shall support and encourage similar expanded tournaments in Ontario. Within the next 12 months our goal is to have at least one Ontario Invitational Tournament open to our best players in Canada, and motivating GMs from around the world to compose 50% of the 12 players, by providing for travel expenses and attractive prizes, with a first class board room style atmosphere. These tournaments will last 12 days, with evening games and a one day break in the middle. Visitors and media will be able to attend, and live coverage will be available in an adjacent Analysis room and via the Internet. By 2008 the goal will be to have a minimum of 4 such events per year with two being in the Toronto area, and two being in other Ontario cities. Over time Canada can qualify enough GMs and IMs that we will be motivating Canadian Champions to participate, and Americans and Europeans will be lobbying to participate.

Chess player skills are like a pyramid. The better the players at the top, the stronger and more extended the middle and base will be. The better recognized and motivated the Champions are, the better the role models to encourage our youth to be the best that they can be. With role models, better training and serious opportunities for competition, Ontario Players will make Canada Proud!

2. INCREASING YOUTH PARTICIPATION

Our vision is that chess is a strategic sport where our youth learn patience, planning, and tactical skills, and should be encouraged and actively supported in Ontario schools, starting in the elementary grades. We shall lobby politicians and encourage and support active school programs, and existing youth organizations, like Chess'n Math. To build on current successes we shall raise funds and provide prizes of attendance at our Chess Camps to add to Ontario Tournament Prizes. This ensures quality attendance and increases numbers of chess camps.

We shall arrange medallions, participation certificates, disposable paper chess boards, and presentation aids to increase OCA visibility and offer advice and support to Ontario organizers. Our key role will be to lobby and work with city, provincial and school officials to stimulate, and support inter-regional, and inter-provincial events. We should be able to help in finding better and more suitable event locations, and give help and guidance on how to seek local sponsorships to increase prize funds and the general atmosphere of events. Furthermore we shall facilitate communications to news media to increase coverage and visibility of chess events throughout the province, to ease the work of organizers in this regard and to greatly increase the effectiveness of public relations and advertising.

3. MAKING CHESS AN ENJOYABLE, LIFE-LONG ACTIVITY

Chess is a sport for all ages. Chess clubs will have central lobbying for the free or affordable use of public facilities for chess clubs and events. Clubs will benefit from free listings with the OCA and better visibility for visiting or new chess players to find clubs where they can participate. The OCA will assist in providing tournament directors for major, open, CFC rated events. We will also help promote chess events to increase participation and media visibility.

When you enjoy an activity, and have the time and/or money to share in the improvement of your sport, the OCA will help you identify projects "where you can make a difference". There is pride in helping others.

Volunteers make all events more successful. The enthusiasm, ideas, dreams and hard work of volunteers is what is going to make Chess in Ontario an exciting, life-long activity! Annual Banquets will allow organizers and volunteers to get together, and give an opportunity to honour our volunteers, and sponsors, as well as our chess champions.

5. CREATING AND MAINTAINING A STRONG ORGANIZATION TO ENSURE ONGOING GROWTH AND PLAYER SUPPORT

The OCA and chess groups in Ontario have many great leaders and volunteers. We shall build on this base and acknowledge those in all Ontario Chess Organizations that we appreciate their efforts and show "that they make a difference". We shall use personal communication, banquets, news letters, and special medallion awards to help the OCA and Ontario Chess Organizations to share their appreciation.

Too often chess leaders have become worn out by volunteering for too many roles, because others are not aware of the needs or don't step up to help. This usually is very hard on the volunteer and may greatly reduce the potential effectiveness of one or more of their roles. For strong effective organizations, we must constantly work to encourage new participation and share our loads. We still want the leadership of established volunteers, but must grow our teams, delegate and share our challenges and increase our opportunities. Let us rekindle our senior experienced leaders, mentor our new volunteers, and build a chess community that improves and is rewarding and fun to be a part of.

There are many ways to help. People may not volunteer because they are not trained or are not comfortable with their ability to do all of the tasks. The OCA needs everyone to help! Our tournaments need tournament directors, publicity coordinators, bookkeepers, designers, setup help, top game recorders, guides, event control support, trainers, speakers, hospitality support, sponsors and players. Share your ideas on how we can all work together more effectively. It helps us all and can be very rewarding to know that you, in our own way, do make an important difference! Together we shall expand and maintain strong and effective chess organizations in Ontario.