I just wanted to tell you about our little club. It’s in East KY.
Our website is here: eastkychess.weebly.com/
We’ve had two unofficial tournaments. We’ll have about 6-8 members of the USCF in it. We’re making it an affiliate soon, by end of month.
Currently we had to travel 2+ hours in any direction to play in tournaments. Thats at least 4 hours of travel time on any given tournament day. If it was a one off, it wouldn’t be so bad, but it’s every tournament. So we’re making our own here.
You might want to try setting up links with other chess clubs in the region so that you can network with these clubs. If you all work together you can grow your tournaments as well as your local clubs. Sharing and reciprocity can go a long way.
Find out who runs the tournament clearinghouse for your region. Get your tournaments listed there as well as in TLAs on the USCF website.
Build up your e-mail list so that you can target tournament announcements and news periodically.
Get a nice frame for your USCF affiliate certificate. Post it at your club sessions. Members notice.
Get more kids and women involved. When women get involved in running the club, they tend notice details that we ignore because we are paying attention to the games rather than to the kid who has found a way to dismantle the air conditioner in the club room. Men also don’t think of baking brownies for the club or bringing wet wipes or greeting new people as friends rather than fresh meat to checkmate. Clubs with women involved usually have a more social atmosphere, have more activities, are better run, and last longer.
If you are the main organizer, get used to spending more time on administration than playing. Ideally, you should develop a core of 3 to 5 people to do the work of the club. This helps to prevent burnout of one individual. It also gives you a safety net when the inevitable emergencies in life arise for one or more key members. Also, try to have a few people, both male and female, become certified as TDs. Teach young people to become TDs. Looks good on their college resumes; shows responsibility.
Connect up with the folks in Morgan County. Lee Armstrong at the HS is the main contact. Jackson Independent has a large scholastic program. Those are the closest scholastic programs to you there in Pikeville. Make sure your events get into the Ky Chess Association for the state calendar and that you get into the King of Kings tournament for club champions if you want to. Contact info for the KCA leadership is on their website.
Men also don’t think of baking brownies for the club or bringing wet wipes or greeting new people as friends rather than fresh meat to checkmate. Clubs with women involved usually have a more social atmosphere, have more activities, are better run, and last longer.