My first significant chess coaching occurred my senior year of high school at Jefferson City High School. During my first three years of high school, I was part of a chess team that was successful at the Missouri State High School Championship. We placed third, were co-champions, and placed second in the state respectively. We also won some team trophies at national scholastic championships. Then all the key team members graduated except me. As the president of the Chess Club, I rebuilt the chess team. I spent countless hours working with a foreign exchange student who greatly improved since the school year began. I immediately involved a talented ninth grader. I worked with other students who were participating for their first year. During this school year, my team won a prize at the US Amateur Team: Midwest and won the Missouri State High School Championship. After I graduated my chess coaching was less often and more random. I coached some at the Jefferson City Chess Club, at the Springfield Chess Club, at the SMSU Chess Club, and at tournaments such as the Missouri Open. Recently (2005-2006) I multiplied my time and effort spent in chess coaching in the Springfield Chess Club and the Missouri State University Chess Club (formally the SMSU Chess Club). I studied other people’s games more, so I could find ways to improve them. I build a small library of educational diagrams, and I wrote my own coaching articles.

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With some, I encourage less caution and determination to follow an attacking plan after the opening, while with others I encourage a desire to build a more solid position throughout the game. In all circumstances, however, I looked for specific areas within the person’s game to improve them.