2-2-1
Sonya participated in a chess tournament today and finished with 2 wins, 2 draws (ties), and 1 loss. It was the 2014 Catholic School Tournament organized at St. Mary Magdalene School in Apex, NC. There were 192 kids competing from K-8 grades, with 32 in Sonya's division. This was the 12th year of the tournament, but only the 2nd year of our school's chess club. While one Raleigh school brought over 30 children, we were happy to have 12 - last year we only had 5. Also noteworthy was the Association of Roman Catholic Homeschoolers (ARCH), a small group featuring the smallest player (in cowboy boots) that won the kindergarten bracket. I was relieved that a classmate of Sonya's made the tournament, which provided a familiar face and a playmate between rounds.
The parents were sequestered in the cafeteria while the children played in the neighboring facilities. This offered us a nice opportunity to catch up and talk, but created a little anxiety upon the return of the young ones. The speed of entry seemed to signal victory if the child came running in, or defeat if the child dragged their feet along to share the news. I hoped Sonya would win once so that she would not feel discouraged. After her first match she was rather proud to tell me that she took all of her opponents pieces but they had a draw because she could not get checkmate with only a king and a knight left. When she told me she won the second round, that made the day for both of us. I sent a text to Lisa that no matter what happened for the rest of the time we had won. Sonya was really pleased, but the time between matches was quicker to play with her friend than dwell on the games played. The playground and snack time was interrupted by bells calling out the kids to go back to play the next round. The bells produced a mass running body of children that one parent likened to the herds in African running across the savannah. It was great to see the positive energy among a large group of people. There did not seem to be any crying or hard feelings, so I can only assume these children were all fairly well-rounded for their age.
Sonya lost round three, but was not upset. She tied the fourth round and we were both very happy that she won the last round. She bragged that she took her opponents queen with her second move. We watched the top three from each division and the top team receive their trophies. I had explained to Sonya before the tournament that she could only get the trophy if she defeated everyone in her age group, but she still wanted a trophy. I asked our team's coach about the ribbons we were told all the children would receive. He pointed at his pocket and said he was going to ask if he could give them out in front of everyone in the school at their next assembly.
In a signal that Sonya really enjoyed herself, she and her classmate demanded a few extra minutes of play time in the playground. This was at around 3pm, after a day that started with an 8am check-in time. After 7 hours, they wanted to keep playing! Even after we pried them from the playground, her friend jumped into our car and buckled in as the demanded an impromptu play-date. The other father and myself waited them out, which only took a few minutes before they gave into the return back to reality.
The parents were sequestered in the cafeteria while the children played in the neighboring facilities. This offered us a nice opportunity to catch up and talk, but created a little anxiety upon the return of the young ones. The speed of entry seemed to signal victory if the child came running in, or defeat if the child dragged their feet along to share the news. I hoped Sonya would win once so that she would not feel discouraged. After her first match she was rather proud to tell me that she took all of her opponents pieces but they had a draw because she could not get checkmate with only a king and a knight left. When she told me she won the second round, that made the day for both of us. I sent a text to Lisa that no matter what happened for the rest of the time we had won. Sonya was really pleased, but the time between matches was quicker to play with her friend than dwell on the games played. The playground and snack time was interrupted by bells calling out the kids to go back to play the next round. The bells produced a mass running body of children that one parent likened to the herds in African running across the savannah. It was great to see the positive energy among a large group of people. There did not seem to be any crying or hard feelings, so I can only assume these children were all fairly well-rounded for their age.
Sonya lost round three, but was not upset. She tied the fourth round and we were both very happy that she won the last round. She bragged that she took her opponents queen with her second move. We watched the top three from each division and the top team receive their trophies. I had explained to Sonya before the tournament that she could only get the trophy if she defeated everyone in her age group, but she still wanted a trophy. I asked our team's coach about the ribbons we were told all the children would receive. He pointed at his pocket and said he was going to ask if he could give them out in front of everyone in the school at their next assembly.
In a signal that Sonya really enjoyed herself, she and her classmate demanded a few extra minutes of play time in the playground. This was at around 3pm, after a day that started with an 8am check-in time. After 7 hours, they wanted to keep playing! Even after we pried them from the playground, her friend jumped into our car and buckled in as the demanded an impromptu play-date. The other father and myself waited them out, which only took a few minutes before they gave into the return back to reality.
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