AROUND THE PARK AGAIN by Sharon Lee Tegler
Brought to you by Fishpaw’s Marketplace
and Jing Ying Institute of Tai Chi & Kung Fu
Sophomore Josiah Williams is never more comfortable than when he’s behind a chess board. The Old Mill High School sophomore is young to be president of the high school’s chess club. But it’s not surprising when you consider that he began playing the game at the age of 10 and his honed his skills to a high level. He has participated in local and regional chess tournaments and just competed in his first national event – the U.S. National Chess Federation K-12 Championships held at National Harbor from December 9-11.
Josiah said the experience was challenging but he learned a lot. Contestants came from across the Eastern United States and competed according to their grade level. He was paired in matches with five other 10th-grade level competitors with a chess rating over 1100. The pairings for each round were indicated on a large white board. (In round 3, for instance, he was paired with sophomore Daniel Prizant from Stuyvesant High School, New York.)
Each match meant intense concentration on the part of each participant including Josiah. As mentioned in Old Mill High School’s Patriot Post newsletter, Josiah competed hard and represented the school and the Old Mill High School Chess Club very well.
At the end of the event, champions were declared for each grade level. While Josiah did not win the coveted title of champion, he gained a lot of valuable experience and knowledge and met many competitors as well as chess luminaries including Carol Meyer, Executive Director, of the U.S. National Chess Federation.
Josiah discovered the art of chess in a somewhat unique way.
“I was introduced to the game by a staff member at Kim’s Karate & Learning Center in Glen Burnie where I was studying Taekwondo,” he said. “His name was Mr. Matt and he introduced all of us to chess.”
The 10-year-old learned by playing other Taekwondo students. However, he progressed more quickly than any of the others, so he began playing the learning center staff members. He also found chess applications (aps) that were instructional and enabled him to practice his skills and increase his powers of concentration. Shortly thereafter, he discovered The Severna Park Chess Club and was delighted that the adult members were willing to play him and help him improve his game. One member, national chess champion and playwright Joe Coppola was especially helpful.
On entering Old Mill High School in 2021, Josiah was urged by his parents to “join the chess club to make friends”. The freshman was the club’s youngest member at the time as the others were seniors but he continued to learn from them. To his amazement, he entered the high school’s chess tournament and won the championship beating the club president.
It was at that point that Josiah became club president… though with a smaller membership because the seniors graduated. The club currently has seven members with hopes of recruiting more. They meet twice weekly on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
The new president adapted quickly to his leadership role, overseeing the meetings, recruiting members and accepting the responsibility to teach the other members. The team is also fortunate to be coached by Dr. Eric Hehl, an Old Mill High science teacher and chess player extraordinaire.
“He’s very good. I can’t beat Dr. Heil,” Josiah says.
Each meeting begins with setting up chess boards and/or clocks and pairing off for the matches. Josiah will observe and teach the members new openings or strategies. He also encourages them to compete in nearby tournaments like those held weekly by the D.C. State Chess Federation to give young players from area chess clubs experience. Once every four weeks, the D.C. State Chess Federation tournament is held at the American Legion in Annapolis.
He sometimes talks with chess club members about how exciting it was to participate in the U.S. National Chess Federation K-12 Championships. But he also tells them that he trained hard for it.
Josiah’s father Darrell Williams confirmed that his son worked hard and trained for the national championship meet by competing in smaller tournaments. He also trained for two months last summer by playing members of the Severna Park Chess Club who have a higher skill level than he does. The gentlemen were happy to challenge him and give him advice.
Josiah is currently in training for the Spring 2023 High School Championships in Washington, D.C. where he will, again, be representing the Old Mill High School Chess Club. He says 800 to 900 students are expected to play in that one from many different high schools and he looks forward to playing some exciting matches.
For more information or to contact Old Mill High School Chess Club, visit Clubs and Activities – Old Mill High School (oldmillhs.org).
Health & Wellness Expo upcoming at Severna Park Community Center
For the first time since this COVID pandemic, a Health & Wellness Expo is being held at Severna Park Community Center on Saturday, January 14 from 10 am till 2 pm. In addition to University of Maryland Baltimore Washington Medical Center, 25 health related businesses/practices will be represented. They range from physical therapy and chiropractic services to fitness training and senior home care. There will also be 13 presenters and demonstrations running the gamut from Anne Marie Flodd from Play & Thrive Speech Therapy and Justin Livezey from Severna Park Strength Performance to Billy and Nancy Greer from Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu & Tai Chi.
For information, visit THE SEVERNA PARK COMMUNITY CENTER – SPCC Home (spcommunitycenter.org).
The column is brought to you this week by Fishpaws Marketplace, 954 Ritchie Hwy. – a family business that carries fine wines, spirits and beers plus gourmet foods.
and by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu and Tai Chi at 1195 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd. – For over two decades providing martial arts training that improves cardiovascular health, strength and flexibility while reducing stress. Jing Ying’s Kung Fu and Tai Chi training is an ideal way to start 2023 off on the right foot.
