When the few junior high chess teams in the southwest suburbs get together for tournaments, there is very likely not only a battle among schools, but a battle between spouses, Herb and Joan Abbott of Matteson.
Herb Abbott began coaching chess 15 years ago in Matteson School District 159 at Woodgate School in Matteson. He is still coaching, following a schedule that’s longer than any other sport at the school running from October through March. “We begin by meeting every day after school for an hour and a half,” he said. “During the school year, we will play in 12 to 14 matches.”
He began a team for a simple reason-a teacher at James Hart School in Homewood needed a team to compete against. It started a small ripple. A year later his wife, Joan, also a teacher, started a chess team at her school, Armstrong School in Richton Park. Though they haven’t kept a record of who has the most wins, Herb said Joan has a slight edge.
Competition across the chess board wasn’t new to the couple, who had played against each other for fun when they were college students. “It was a cheap date,” Joan said, laughing.
Herb said he never affiliated his team with the U.S. Chess Federation, giving himself lot of flexibility in how he structures the tournaments. Since he also coaches soccer, that flexibility helps.
He believes that chess offers students an opportunity to exercise their minds.
“Chess teaches students good thinking and planning skills,” he said. As a science teacher, he said he’d like to see those skills develop in his students.
“And it offers an opportunity to be competitive in something other than sports,” added Joan.
She said the school districts continuing to offer chess are doing so because officials realize that students need to be challenged in a variety of ways.
The daily practices don’t bother team members. Eighth grader Jesse Gonzalez, 14, of Matteson is starting his third year on the team. “It makes me think and gives me a chance to play,” Jesse said.
Jesse also gets a lot of practice at home because his two older brothers, Jose, 16, and Miguel, 15, are former members of the Woodgate team and learned the moves from Herb Abbott.
“At school they say I am pretty good,” Jesse said, “but my brothers are very good, much better than I am.”
Joan Abbitt said there is one special advantage to coaching chess over other junior high activities: no noise.
“When we have tournaments,” she said, “it is absolutely quiet.’
