Welcome, everybody, this is the second part of our interview with chess mom and founder of Coy’s Camps and Classes, Molly Coy. Molly and her sons have been instrumental in the growth of chess in Tucson. At Coy’s Camps and Classes, their team coaches young kids in not only chess but also to help them develop their logical thinking, communication, and social skills.
This interview covers a bunch of topics including Molly’s coaching philosophy, her take on the recent pandemic and how it has affected the chess world, and many more chess-related stories.
It’s an interview from which you can learn a lot and even get inspired, and even though you might not agree with everything that Molly says, it’s something to think about.
So without any further ado, let’s just jump straight into the interview with the first question.
Do you have any specific approach towards chess coaching? What is your chess coaching philosophy?
I view two main groups of students when we coach. There are the ones who just wish to play for fun and get the general benefits which are great. Then there are those who wish to be competitive.
Both are great groups requiring somewhat different approaches. In the first group, we want to just have them establish the love of the game and learn life skills at the same time. The second group needs to also understand that to be competitive, you need to work at it.
Often, they think if they just know the rules, that is enough to be great and then they are extremely disappointed at their first tournament. Some really work at it and become great. Some take the time to mature to understand they need to choose if they want to be competitive or recreational. I tell them that either is fine, but they need to decide so we can give them what they need to succeed in that area. They can always change, but need to know the path they are on to know the destination they are traveling to.
For beginner or intermediate level players, what part of the game should they improve the most. The opening, the middlegame, or the endgame?
Keeping in mind that I am not the greatest player (this part probably should be asked of Matthew who studies openings all the time), I would say for new young players, knowing a few end games is good if for no other reason than to understand what they need to do to get that checkmate.
In directing, I have seen games where one has multiple queens and their king and the other just a king and it ends in a draw (not even a stalemate) because the person does not know how to get that checkmate.
Openings become very important in that if you lose in the opening, you don’t even have a chance for the middle game or end game. I would also say that the middle seems to be the toughest part. The opening and end games seem to be very memory-driven. In the middle game, you need more than that.
Is there any particular feature of Cheeslang that made you fall in love with the platform?
I actually think it is all great and I love the constant new features. I would say what I love the most isn’t the actual platform but the community and that the Chesslang people constantly check-in and ask for my personal opinions on things they are trying.
It makes me feel that the company really wants to have the best product for coaches and academies. You go above and beyond good customer service.
If you had to choose between teaching and writing, what would you prefer and why?
I would generally prefer teaching. I enjoy being with the kids and witnessing their successes and growth.
How has Chesslang helped you grow your business and ease the daily operations at your chess academy?
It definitely helped keep some of our players active and provided ways to teach online. Currently, it isn’t doing much, but I am hoping that can be changed. We just need to figure out how to best utilize your offerings with what we are doing.
How big of an impact would you say the pandemic has had on the game of chess? Do you think that online chess will eventually replace over-the-board chess?
I think the pandemic hurt chess. Many players stopped playing because they really preferred it socially with others. Online chess did provide a way to keep it going somewhat. After all, you couldn’t do the same with sports.
But cheating was rampant and equally bad, false accusations of cheating were occurring when people didn’t want to admit they lost… especially to a higher-rated opponent. I think online is good for practice. But I don’t think it should become standard for competitions in general.
What is the number/percentage of new students who joined your academy after subscribing to Chesslang?
Actually, we did not get a ton of new subscriptions. However, not because of problems with Chesslang, but rather because we don’t like teaching online. In fact, Chesslang was really helpful in keeping our academy operational during these tough times and we could continue to interact with our students thanks to Chesslang.
I am excited to see the new app and how we can incorporate it with our in-person learning by giving them the means to practice skills in between classes.
As more and more chess coaching academies embrace the new hybrid platform, do you think a chess coaching management platform like Chesslang is becoming essential to manage and grow a successful chess academy business?
I think Chesslang is definitely the ideal way to go for a hybrid. I would like to see the online ability for things where players can’t be coached in person.
For example, if they are at a tournament out of town and the coach can’t attend, it is a great way for them to review games and offer coaching… the same with lessons if someone is traveling or a student has moved.
I think it would also be a great way to have students be able to play each other or otherwise practice in between lessons.
One final question, what do you think is the next big thing for chess? Do you think faster game formats will eventually replace the classical game format?
I don’t think faster games will replace classically but I do think they will continue to be a big part of chess. I like the variants like 960 and even Bughouse. I also played a version called Plunder Chess which was fun.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
Q. Why Should I Choose Chesslang?
A. Chesslang is the world’s first chess coaching and management platform trusted by thousands of chess coaches worldwide. Chesslang has all the features to start a chess coaching academy.
Q. What are the benefits of the new mobile app?
A. The new white-labeled mobile app from Chesslang comes with thousands of lessons, activities, and levels to help you build fully immersive experiences for your chess coaching academy.
Q. How can I get more leads for my chess coaching academy with the mobile app?
A. Whenever someone downloads the app, you can get all the leads under the “Leads Tab”. Grow your students by reaching out to them.
