Susan Polgar is, in my humble opinion, the best chess coach in the United States. Her achievement of coaching two different division 1 colleges to National Chess Championships on several occasions speaks volumes as to her abilities. I believe Susan’s coaching philosophy should prove useful for coaches of any discipline.
Many people have asked what is my coaching philosophy when it comes to team events? There are four main issues which I stressed. We may or may not be the best team (depend on the year), but our approach is always the same:
1. Come to each match fully prepared: Physically, mentally, and chess-wise. Players have to be fully focused. We have fun after, not before or during important events.
2. Play with complete discipline: We are prepared to fight hard every game, and play all games with complete discipline, just as the prepared game plan for each match.
3. Team work: We prepare as a team, fight as a team, and celebrate as a team. There is no I in team. We are one family.
4. Win with grace, lose with dignity: This has long been my motto. I will not tolerate any hot-dogging or in your face nonsense. Self control and be gracious, win or lose.
Here is to hoping Susan Polgar’s chess team at Webster University wins this weekend’s College Final Four of Chess.
Don’t forget that Susan Polgar will be visiting the 2014 Fremont Summer Chess Camp.
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