Scholastic Coordinator’s Report

Tony Gavelis
09-16-02

 

Tournament

Site

Confirmation

Reason

Cancellation / Reschedule Risk

Fall Foliage Chess Fest

9/29/02  

The Sage School

Pending

Waiting for insurance certificate

NO

Central MA Singles

11/03/02

JFK School Natick

Pending

New administration requires filing formal site request through town offices.

YES

(No Name)

Yule Tide Team Challenge

12/08/02

None

 None

Looking for potential large cheap sites.

YES

Easter MA Scholastic Singles Championship

02/03/03

Milton Academy, Milton, MA

Site is confirmed, different building location confirmed

Last year’s new gym not to be used.

NO

Gus Gosselin Grade Championship

03/02/03

JFK School Natick

Pending

New administration requires filing formal site request through town offices.

YES

MA State Champ

03/02/03

JFK  or Brown School

Pending

Filing formal site request through town offices.

YES

Hurvitz / Team Championship

04/13/03

None

 

Looking for potential large cheap sites.

YES

 

FFF:       

Trophies & supplies ordered and on the way.

Tables & Chairs need to be ordered waiting for advance registration count to guess final attendance and school table count before ordering tables.

TD’s confirmed:  Alan Hodge & Frank DelBonis.

Insurance issues need to be addressed.    

Tournament volunteer staffing uncertain and inadequate.

 

Eastern MA Scholastic Singles

At Milton confirmed.   Drafting flyer.              

Insurance issues need to be addressed. 

No flyers or TLA’s can go out.

No trophies can be ordered (until site and date are confirmed)

Only one TD confirmed so far for all events, need one more.

Nothing else confirmed.

 

Site acquisition has become a problem this scholastic season.

Natick High not available on the dates we need.

New Natick school administration and promotions and transfers of principals between schools has added a lot of red tape.   The coordinator’s network has been compromised and disrupted.

New Site Search Status:

I took a half vacation day to visit some sites in MetroWest.

Nevins Hall in Framingham.

Available for March 2nd and April 13, but might be too small for

Team Championship in April.  Quoted  price is $125/hour, +$50 custodian on site, +$50  setup &

take down if they do it.  The typical tournament day is 10 to 12+ hours.  The town does give nonprofits a price break.  I’m waiting for a lower quote.  The You can do the math on the list price.

Sheraton Tara, Framingham

Available for March 2nd and April 13.  Flexible arrangements available typical for large hotel and banquet facility.  Waiting for estimate for each event from management.  Expect it to be $1500 - $2000.

 

Keefe Tech Tech, Framingham.

Didn’t have time to meet with representative.  But site may be too small for teams but could handle normal singles tournament numbers.

 

Sites  to visit:

Irish American Club, Malden.  

Waiting for word from Gus on when he can meet with me and Tim Hart, otherwise I’ll meet at the club week of Sept. 16.

Summary:

Our inability to confirm tournament sites early prevents us from advertising them early and often through flyers, TLA’s, handouts and the web.  Without this advance publicity our tournament attendance will suffer.  While these events stay unconfirmed, they stand the chance of being rescheduled.  Therefore, we also can’t order trophies or secure TD’s.   How about some help in locating sites.  Due to my work location  I don’t have the time or the ability during the week day to make calls and visit sites.  I’m not going to waste any more of my limited vacation time doing MACA errands.

If we can’t confirm the tournament sites by the end of this month, I move to cancel the December team tournament, move the first qualifier from November 3rd to December 8th to buy some time finding sites.