I thank you all for the wonderful discussion on my other thread “Club TD maximum players”. I think I learned a lot.
I have already setup an school to host the event with the support of the school’s PTA as well . Since I asked and will be giving discount to pre-registered player, I will know up front what will be my expected turnout. If 50 or less players pre-registered, I think I can safely say that this is my expected players and I can direct the tournament as chief TD, right? However, if I get 100 players pre-registered then I will not be able to direct the tournament, right? But with 100 players pre-registered, I think we will be able to afford the $100.00 professional fee that a local TD is asking. Of course this is a wish upon the star – 100 players to pre-register on the first tournament, we don’t even get that much in our State Scholastic Championship .
My next question… do I get the experience requirement to become a Local TD if I will direct only scholastic events?
Even if your on-site entry fee is substantially (say, one-third) higher than your advance entry fee, you should still expect a number of late entries. If you have 50 in advance, you’ll probably get 25 more at the door.
Should I get at least 50 players to pre-register I will go ahead and hire the local TD .
With 50 players pre-registered my budget will be as follows:
$500.00 - Entry Fees (50 x $10)
(100.00) - Professional Fee (Local TD)
(375.00) - Trophies (give out as many trophies without going broke)
( 25.00) - Rating Fees (50 players x 5 games x $0.10)
$ 0.00 -
My trophy budget is assuming 4 sections and trophy to at least top 60% of participants.
Site is free, courtesy of the local school’s cafeteria. Volunteer work for my part and my helps. I hope the PTA makes money with the concession.
I am requiring each player to bring their own chess sets and clocks. I have 10 sets available just in case.
Supplies (papers, pens) are out of the question… I have tons of these.
Computer… I am using my personal laptop.
Pairing program… I already bought Swisssys out of my personal money. I don’t expect to get reimburse for this one on the first event I organize.
Is there any other expenses, I should be concern about?
It has been my experience that for a scholastic event, the number of same-day entries will generally be lower than if it was an adult event.
As far as I know, the experience requirements don’t distinguish between scholastic and non-scholastic events except perhaps for those wishing to direct major scholastic events, such as the Nationals.
A case could be made that directing scholastic or even adult trophy events draws a different crowd than directing money events, especially the bigger money events, and thus is likely to be a different learning experience, but that’s not how I understand the experience requirements to work.
Scoresheets? (Notebook paper is a poor substitute, in my opinion.)
I don’t recall seeing site costs, presumably the school isn’t charging you for extra janitorial costs?
At times I think the scholastic chess community has a Freudian fixation on trophies, especially BIG trophies. I know a number of families involved in things like youth swimming, gymnastics, figure skating and equestrian, they have cases full of ribbons and small medals, which cost a lot less than trophies.
I don’t think the kids really care and parents will put ANYTHING in a trophy case!
Even if you do have a local tournament director, you coulbe be the assistant tournament director. Will get the same credit as the chief tournament director, think up to 50 entries but one tournament. If you are going to take the local tournament directors test before the term is up. Then you will still need to be the chief tournament director of one category D tournament. The other two you can be the assistant tournament director.
If you have 50 pre-registered, then you should also get some at the door. Then you would need the local tournament director to be the chief tournament director of this event. Sounds like this would be you’re first tournament: it is always best on the first tournament to be the assistant tournament director. If it was just going to be a small tournament with less then 15 players, then being the chief tournament director would not be that much of a problem for the first tournament.
Even if a club tournament director does have the experience to take the local tournament directors test; my judgement should hold off till having been a director for two years.
Scoresheets - I have those already. I bought USCF official scoresheet (pack of 250) a while back for my children to use in tournaments, but it turn out the local organizer provides them. So I still have it. I guess, I will charge the tournament’s budget $10.
Janitorial Costs - The school is not charging janitorial cost - so long as we clean up the cafeteria after the event. Me, and six other people will be it. Gee I forgot I have to supply the restroom for papertowels and tissues.
Another $25 maybe.
Yes that will be the set-up. If I get 50 entries and have to hire a local TD, I will function as an assistant.
I understand. This is why I am going to hire an experience local director IF the event’s turn out is around 50. However, with less than 25 players, I don’t see how we can afford to hire the local TD and still give out good awards. Remember this is an scholastic event, sadly, most (not all - I concede) are playing for the trophy not the experience, so the more awards we can give the happier the children will be. The happier they are with the result, the more they will be motivated with playing more chess.
One parent did ask me to help her son on chess. During the time at the house, did see many trophies with one that they went to the nationals the year before. This was a very tall trophy, as being 6’2" the trophy must have been 6 feet tall. Why does a child that is 6 years old, and less then 4 feet tall need a trophy like that. As adults we have little care for trophies, like when FM Fred Lindsay won the Michigan Blitz Championship in 1999, had his picture taken and left the trophy: so it could be used for some other tournament.
If you are only going to have around 25 players then you can do it yourself. If was in the same city as you, would be the director for free. As having a problem being a director and making money from the event. If it just covered my cost for a non-scholastic event that is fine, for a scholastic event would just place the money back into the tournament, or into the club treasury.
I do think the problem are not the children. It was the parents that usually want those trophies so that they can brag their kids around.
I personally have this problem before . No longer, I promise you .
We use to go to the tournament and my first concern is which trophy my daughter will get and not how well she’s going to play. This change when my son starts playing. On his first tournament, being just 5 year old and had a luck to beat several players 3 years older than him, we went home with a trophy for. My 8 year old daughter who played up a section did not receive a trophy but played very well which increase her rating by 400+ points. In this situation I was proud of both my children, but my daughter thought I was mad at her because she did not receive a trophy.
She’s developing good habits already! Playing up a section may not provide as much instant gratification, but in the long run (or even the medium-short run) she’ll be better off. Hats off to her for playing up, and to you for encouraging it!
That is right! Parents are more after the trophies then the kids. As parents are spectators not the players. The worst was at a non-USCF scholastic tournament, both fathers both made claims. Told them they are spectators it is up to the players not the spectators to make any claim. One father told me and the other father he was going to his car to get his handgun. Shooting or telling the director you’re going to shoot the director: is not the best way to get a trophy. If not being the assistant tournament director, would have given him his $5 back, and told him never bring him or his daughter again.
. Since I asked and will be giving discount to pre-registered player, I will know up front what will be my expected turnout. If 50 or less players pre-registered, I think I can safely say that this is my expected players and I can direct the tournament as chief TD, right? However, if I get 100 players pre-registered then I will not be able to direct the tournament, right? But with 100 players pre-registered, I think we will be able to afford the $100.00 professional fee that a local TD is asking. Of course this is a wish upon the star – 100 players to pre-register on the first tournament, we don’t even get that much in our State Scholastic Championship 
.
. No longer, I promise you