I have noticed on a certain web site that the owners claim they are the “only U.S.C.F. certified Chess instructors in” a certain geographical area. Is there such a thing currently as U.S.C.F. certified chess instructors and how would one go about obtaining that certification? I apologize if this is the wrong forum for that question.
The certificate is all part of a special late night informational appearing on little watched cable stations. “So, you wanna be a chess coach” is it’s title. The program shows you how to sign up kids and turn them into Grand Masters, if not the World Champions, in just 3 months. Each student, in addition to a small fee, has to sign you up as their manager for life at a meer 10% of their future chess income (that is where the real $$ are). The Certified Chess Instructor package can be purchased for only 3 payments of $29.95. Call within the next 10 minutes to get a free DVD: “How to be a chess lawyer.” 
Tim
(Too much coffee this AM??)
I either missed that channel or need to expand my cable selection!
I would think the USCF would not want two of its Local TD’s making such claims on their web site (spouses rated 400-800 respectively, not that rating matters, except as it may reflect on true chess instructor knowledge). Does the USCF regulate such claims?
The Scholastic Council has submitted a proposal to the Executive Board for the approval of the new Certification process for Chess instructors.
I agree with your point of making sure that this certification is meaningful and carries credibility.
All the best,
Beatriz Marinello
If this is a program that was only just now submitted for approval, then this example is somebody that’s making a false claim.
At the very least they need to correct their website.
To confuse the issue, however, the USCF DOES offer various certificates and certifications (for TDs for example). At one time, at least, there was some kind of chess coach certification:
This information comes from the “newer” website (uschess.org/scholastic/2003SCguide.pdf), but I can’t find any application form for this program. Was it implemented and then discontinued?
I appreciate your thoughts. If it were just two “ordinary” people making such a (presumably) false claim on their web site, it would be one thing. “Local” TDs with full knowledge of the rules book and code of ethics could be held to a higher standard, I would think. As a practical matter, I suppose there are no official consequences.
You do have several options:
- You can simply contact them and ask them to correct their web site.
- You can contact the USCF office and complain (unfair competition with other instructors, if nothing else). Perhaps THEY can get the matter corrected since this is a misuse of the USCF name.
- You can file an ethics complaint. If they persist in misrepresenting themselves, this could lead to a substantial penalty (like a suspended membership).
- You can let others know that they are making false claims.
- You can take legal action.
Personally, I think the steps get less desirable as you move down the list. If they know they’re misrepresenting themselves on the web page and refuse to correct it, then the stronger measures seem reasonable.
The USCF used to an may still have (most likely only until the new program is instituted) a Chess Coach program where you paid $5 to become a Chess Coach. It may have included the word certified.
And so, before embarking on legal action, it might be wise to get the facts straight.
The “Certified Chess Coach” issue has been through lots of ups and downs over the years.
It may very well be true that these folk are the “only USCF Certified Chess Coaches in the area”. The fact that this is nearly useless information, and may or may not be intentionally misleading, is another question altogether.
For starters…was the previous (current?) coaching certificate “one time, for life”? If so, that’s a pretty good deal for $5. Where do I sign up?
According to the office, the old ‘certified coach’ certificates were good for 3 years.
As to just what that program certified, I guess it certified that the individual had 5 bucks. 
Going back to when this started, I think the original program had two intended benefits:
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Only certified coaches would be allowed on the floor during rounds at the National Scholastics.
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Certified coaches would be permitted to submit rating reports for in-school scholastic tournaments without having to be certified TDs (ie they could be non-members.)
I’m not sure either benefit was ever implemented, at least not as described above.
However, I think the intent was NOT that a certified coach had some specified degree of coaching skills, just that the person could use his ‘certified coach’ status for the benefits described above.
The complaint was about the phrase “certified chess instructors” not coaches. I’ve found what I assume to be the page in question and it does indeed use the word “instructors”. Everything I’ve found about the USCF program used the word “coaches”.
The $5 fee was a “one time fee” according the info I found (see a few posts up), but I don’t know if the participants needed to periodically renew their certification or not.
The chess coach program included the right to direct rated tournaments. Did the TDCC have anything to do with it? Have the “certifications” expired the way they would have with a club level TD?
My memory says that the TDCC had noting to do with that program.
Tim
I have read the post by Mr.Muir a local resident of the area and he appears to question a website that claims to have the only two U.S.C.F. certified Coaches in town. In addition, the website goes on to claim that the instruction is also, done following the U.S.C.F. approved curriculum of GM Susan Polgar.
I have attended the curriculum training by GM Polgar and and have received a certificate that states I have received the training in the subject matter. Therefore, I am a certified instructor of this curriculum.
I have also, received the U.S.C.F. Certified Chess Coach certificate which I have on my wall. So, I guess the question is Mr. Muir are you a Certified Chess Coach? Have you received any formal chess instructor training? Or are you just a Senior TD and Player who teaches Chess. The U.S.C.F. does not require a Chess Coach to be rated 1600+ , Parents have the right to have grandpa coach a child or the waiter at the I Hop coach a child.
The best players do not always make good Coaches and the Best coaches do not always make the best players. This is the same in all sports. Including Chess!
Have a Nice Day! 
This wasn’t exactly the complaint – it was a complaint about claims of being a USCF certified chess INSTRUCTOR. You may be a USCF certified chess COACH and might be trained as an instructor, but what makes your think you have a USCF certification as an INSTRUCTOR? Have I misunderstood the situation?
Hey, I’m certified by the USCF (as a TD), and I’ve experience as an instructor, but it would be deceptive if I claimed to be a USCF certified instructor.
Well, perhaps not surprisingly, a simple question on my part which did not identify individuals by name or other identifying information has now generated an ad hominem attack on me personally from the persons whom I did not name. Tanstaafl has “hit the nail on the head” about what my issue was.
Quoting from the AUG–“Don’t Attack Each Other: Because this is so important, we’ll say it again: Don’t attack others. Personal attacks on others will not be tolerated. Challenge others’ points of view, record, statements, and opinions, but do so respectfully and thoughtfully … without insult and personal attack. Harassing, offensive, vulgar, abusive, threatening, hateful or bashing communications --”.
And, of course, the ensuing personal attack: “So, I guess the question is Mr. Muir are you a Certified Chess Coach? Have you received any formal chess instructor training? Or are you just a Senior TD and Player who teaches Chess.”
So, here goes my answer to the personal attack: I guess I’m just a senior TD who volunteers along with about 20 others in a scholastic chess organization to run tournaments for kids in different schools, and has a club with about 80 kids at which I take time out from my “day job.” Oh, and I forgot…I love chess. And watching kids (including my own) enjoy playing it. Sorry if this offends you.
To this day I still don’t understand what the USCF program offers to a “real” chess coach/instructor. If you have credentials via success, you don’t need the USCF “certification.”
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The primary purpose of a USCF Certification for coaches is to one day convince those always-intelligent scholastic bureaucracies to REQUIRE this certification of their coaches.
This would give the always-reliable USCF a powerful albeit petty authority over others, an authority the USCF could squeeze to its advantage.
I would vote against the USCF establishing any such certification programs.
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