Nah! I guess Darda means "Most of those playing for Canyon Vista NOW (... were still beginning to learn how to play chess three years ago!)" ... actually, Canyon Vista has been building like a thunderhead since I made it to Heaven ... err, AUSTIN a few years ago! There were already a couple of excellent (Sean Li, Andrew Nguyen, and Jimmy Wu to name a few) players there then!

 

However, each year (as the Laurel Mountain, Spicewood and other "feeder" elementary schools in that area produce better and better graduates) lucky Canyon Vista is looming larger and larger! Of course, the whole scene must be viewed from a more "global" (regional) perspective: as Laurel Mountain fields better teams, the other schools in direct competition must react, either by quitting chess entirely, by just playing chess for fun (i.e., by being satisfied by lower place finishes), or ... by fielding better teams! But THIS is already in the process: "shoe in" Laurel Mountain has had to work harder every year to stay near the top, and Kealing and other local middle schools seriously challenge Canyon Vista. An old observation ... better competition makes for better competitors!

 

The effect on the local rating pool is, by the way, "disingenuous" ... sure, we TRADE points back and forth, but the kids (and adults!) get stronger and stronger ... when we go out into the wide world. we are comparatively underrated ... one day I hope that, some day, somebody has the time to sit down and analyze how well we do, overall and especially ratings-wise, against the most active Texas cities - Dallas, Houston and Brownsville!

 

The number and effectiveness of the local chess teachers, the coordination of parents and coaches working to develop better clubs with better resources, the proliferation of local clubs and competitions, the personal sacrifices from all who volunteer to make scholastic and open tournaments happen and run smoothly, and the willingness of parents to devote time, money, attention and enthusiasm to the sport is bound to have a solid, positive effect. I am on record as saying MY goal is to see Austin become the State's chess powerhouse, and I believe that no other local teacher is less ambitious! The evidence is in what they do, and really, who is NOT pitching in? I don't even TRY to figure out who is working the hardest!

 

Kudos must also go to the students ... you get out of it what you put into it!