What is the 1000 Club?

This is the newest program of the Madison City Chess League that launches in 2017.  It provides additional recognition and incentive to elementary students to reach a United States Chess Federation (USCF) rating of 1000 while still in elementary school.  If you have students in your chess club who are MCCL members and who achieved the rating of 1000 while on an elementary chess team in Madison City Schools, please notify MCCL Executive Director Ranae Bartlett at mccl.director@gmail.com with the student's name and USCF # so that we can verify the rating was achieved while the student was in elementary school.  MCCL will provide to the chess coach or sponsor a "1000 Club" patch to mark the recognition.  This patch can be ironed on or sewn onto a shirt, pullover, or chess bag or backpack.  Only school chess coaches or sponsors can nominate students for this award.

Your school can choose to recognize 1000 Club members in different ways.  Here are a few suggestions:

• Recognize students as the 1000 rating is achieved during chess team practice.
• Recognize students during 6th grade awards ceremony or at a special dinner.
• Ask the Principal or Chess Coach to present the award and recognition.
• Let kids sign or put their names on a vinyl chessboard with the date they achieved the 1000 rating in your school club.  Display the 1000 Club chessboard at your school club meetings.

Rainbow 1000 Club Inaugural Dinner

Here is how Rainbow Elementary decided to recognize its students who had achieved this milestone at an inaugural dinner.  On February 4th, parents and families of Rainbow chess team members who had achieved the 1000 rating while an elementary student gathered with their coaches, sponsor and Principal to recognize 15 students.   Some of the students are now in middle and high school, and some are still at Rainbow. It is remarkable how young some of our students are who have achieved the 1000 rating as 2nd graders!  

"We are very proud to see how these students have continued to excel in chess and in school and wanted to come together for an annual dinner to recognize our Rainbow "1000 Club" members," said Rainbow Principal Dorinda White.  Principal White presented each inductee with a "1000 Club" patch during the recognition ceremony.  We look forward to adding to the 1000 Club each year and welcoming more members.

Coach Bill Nash, who is head coach of the Discovery Middle and Bob Jones High School chess teams taught all of these 1000 Club members while he coached at Rainbow.  "I have seen our Rainbow students graduate and move on to Discovery Middle and Bob Jones High School, where their ratings continue to rise.  I believe they will achieve great things."

During the 1000 Club inaugural dinner, the Rainbow Chess Team sponsor Nancy Brandon presented a chessboard with the names and dates its students achieved the 1000 rating while Rainbow students.  This chessboard will be displayed in Rainbow and names will be added as students achieve this rating.

Coaches or Chess Team Sponsors:  Please contact the MCCL Executive Director to request 1000 Club patches for your kids and invite her to your upcoming ceremony.  Provide the name and current grade level of student and the date when the student achieved a USCF rating of 1000.  We want to celebrate all of our kids who continue to amaze us with their hard work!