ICCA Postseason updates (and helpful tips!)

[Erik Czerwin]

ICCA Coaches,

I hope everyone is well and enjoying the frigid weather.

As we turn a corner into the postseason of another season of scholastic chess in Illinois, I want to say thank you.  As educators, you are dedicating your time, efforts, and energies to help spread the game of chess, to the benefit of the players and everyone around them.  It might feel like you're "just doing your job," but remember, the work that you're doing as a teacher and chess coach is absolutely incredible.  The work of the ICCA is to help make your work just a little easier, so if there's anything you need, please let me know.  For example, Veteran Coach Ken Lewandowski wrote up a bunch of tips for the State tournament; I've attached them as a PDF here because most of them apply to all tournaments!  Be sure to give that a read.

ICCA Coaches Meeting at IHSA State

For those who can attend the IHSA State Chess Tournament, we've made arrangements for the "Round 2 Conference Meetings" to occur in the Lexus Room at the Civic Center.  If you notice on the schedule, there is a time slot for Conferences to meet that begins at 1:15pm on Friday at the IHSA State Final event.  The ICCA will host a brief meeting for all coaches in the Lexus Room starting at 1:15pm.  I'll take the opportunity to thank everyone and introduce some key folks from around the state.  Then, the ICCA will take some Q&A before we break for everyone to do their conference meetings.

This is a great opportunity for many of us to meet and discuss how we can help improve chess and the coaching experience for everyone.  If you can be there, please attend and bring thoughts, comments, and questions!  We'll gather in the Lexus Room shortly after the start of Round 2.  See you there!

ICCA season results...

Conference Tournament weekends are over!  I hope everyone's season was a great experience for your team, and of course, for YOU, the coaches who make it all happen.

All results have been posted (or soon will be) on the ICCA site here: ILChessCoach.org/Results

The ICCA Team Data Sheet is here: ICCA Team Data Sheet.  That sheet compiles an overview of all the tournament and conference results from all the active teams throughout the state.  So far, we have a record of over 180 teams participating, representing over 2000 players!

IHSA Deadlines!

IHSA due dates are quickly approaching.

• January 26th
• 10:00am - Season Summaries DUE - You must have entered your team’s matches, results, and your comments to the IHSA system by 10am, it’s open all season long for you to adjust along the way
• 11:00am - Sectional Seeding begins - Coaches must now “seed” the teams in their sectional
• **You can find some helpful information about seeding, how to do it, and more in the January newsletter, found here: https://www.ilchesscoach.org/resources/icca-newsletter
  
• January 27th
• 12:00pm - Sectional Seeding DUE - Your seeding must be complete by noon.
• 4:00pm - Sectional seeding matrices will be posted
• January 28th - 11:59pm - Strength Order lineups for SECTIONALS are DUE
• January 31st - IHSA Sectional Tournaments

USCF HS Nationals

Finally, don't forget that High School Nationals is coming up soon!  The lowest entry fee ends on February 16th, so be sure to get everything dialed in as soon as possible!  If you have any questions about it, check out the "Nationals" page on the ICCA website, where we've connected you to steeply discounted USCF memberships, hot tips on hotel arrangements, parking, food, and more!  

-- Erik Czerwin

Assistant Director of Events - US Chess

Secretary - Illinois Chess Coaches Association

Elevating Chess Experiences - Prairie View Hobbies