ABOUT COACH DIONE

Why I love chess

I love chess because it changed my life. Most of the opportunities I have received came through chess. I love chess because it is challenging and you can learn a lot of life lessons through chess. It teaches you to learn from your losses. There is always something you can learn in chess. It’s a lifelong experience.

Why I love coaching chess

It gives me the opportunity to work with many people, especially working with young people. The one thing that I love the most about coaching chess is when students become convinced they are good enough to compete against anyone! 

My coaching style

I like to coach the understanding of a student. I want them to know why they should do what I’m teaching them. And I encourage them to try it out for themselves. I want the student to progress from one level to another.

My desire for my students

That they enjoy chess and focus on improving their chess understanding. It’s not just about winning and losing. I want them to be self-educated, I want them to work hard and teach themselves how to become better chess players. It’s their responsibility to improve in chess.

Why I think it’s important for kids to play chess

Chess is a great educational tool. More scientific research is being conducted and the evidence is clear that children who play and learn about chess improve in their school work. Especially in their maths and reading skills. Chess helps kids learn how to deal with the fear of losing. Chess also helps kids become responsible. There is very little luck in chess. Therefore the kids are responsible for their wins and losses in chess.

Message to students, parents, or teachers

Chess is hard. Therefore it is very important that you support your kids and students. They need to be encouraged when they lose and also for you to be patient with them. You need to make it clear that it is their responsibility to become better chess players. They need to do the work required to become strong chess players. And it takes a very long time!