Our Mission

The mission of WSCF is to promote chess for students throughout Wisconsin as a tool to enhance analytical thinking, critical problem solving, social skills and academic achievement.

Programs

Local Tournaments – WSCF helps local clubs and schools host tournaments. A standardized format, tournament directors and volunteers are provided to a host. All local tournaments are designed as an income event forthe host. All entry fees go to the host and the host pays for awards and WSCF fees. Most hosts sell food to raise money for their club or school. WSCF provides a website for marketing and registration. Students receive a medal or a trophy at each tournament. Tournament Directors are trained to manage a tournament with 25 to 200 participants.

WSCF State Tournaments – WSCF holds annual special tournaments that are celebratory and competitive. These include Wisconsin Grade Level Championships, Wisconsin All Girl Championships, Wisconsin Class Championships, and Annual Blitz and Bughouse Tournaments. 47 local and special tournaments are currently scheduled for this year.

Chess School – WSCF teaches chess to students in summer and holiday breaks camps, recreational department
classes and to clubs and school. Teachers are trained to teach WSCF curriculum and students are awarded certificates upon passing each level of the curriculum. WSCF provides [singlepic id=12 w=320 float=left] grants to schools to implement First Move curriculum in their 2nd and 3rd grade classrooms.

Scholarships – Scholarships are awarded at the larger special statewide tournaments. $14,500 has been awarded and $3700 has been paid out since 2008. Funds are paid only when students graduate from high school and are paid directly to the college. Teacher Training WSCF sometimes teaches classes to adults on how to run a chess club or teach a chess class.

History

WSCF began in 2004 with its first tournament at Donges Bay Elementary School with 87 students in attendance. Five tournaments were held in the first scholastic chess season in Mequon, Whitefish Bay, Glendale, Shorewood and New Berlin. The tournaments structure followed the Kansas Scholastic model with one day events, five or six round Swiss style, trophies and medals for all. These tournaments were the first of their kind in Wisconsin. Entry fees were always the same with the funds going to the host school. The tournaments the first year averaged about 100 players. The next year 15 tournaments were held in [singlepic id=35 w=320 h=240 float=right] the Milwaukee area. Each year the number of tournaments have grown and to date WSCF has sponsored 290 tournaments. In the 2011-2012 season there were 1,400 different students entering 3,600 times in 42 tournaments in more than 20 cities ranging from Kenosha, Milwaukee, Green Bay, Fond du Lac, Sun Prairie and places in between. In the current 2012-2013 season, 47 tournaments are scheduled and number of students participating is projected to be over 1,800 with over 5,000 tournament entries.

In 2005, WSCF began a chess school and hired and trained instructors to teach camps, classes and clubs.
Since that time classes and camps have been taught in numerous recreation departments including Mequon-Thiensville, Nicolet, Jewish Community Center, Whitefish Bay, Shorewood, Milwaukee Boys & Girls clubs, Wauwatosa and West Allis – West Milwaukee.

In 2011, seven chess camps serving 180 students were held in Kenosha, Green Bay, Sheboygan, Plymouth, and Milwaukee. In 2012, camps were held during spring break, summer break, fall weekends and during winter break. 290 students were taught in 17 camps by 6 different instructors. Student were awarded certificates of completion for “pawn, knight and bishop” levels of instruction.

WSCF began a scholarship program in 2008 with the premise that awards go to students upon graduation from high school and then to the students via their college of enrollment. $14,500 has been awarded to 51 different students in amounts ranging from $100 to $500. To date $3,700 has been paid out with commitments to students through 2021.