How to: Start and Manage a Club

Clubs are a great way to organize the students you teach into one place on ChessKid.com. You can have matches, a leaderboard, and send messages to your students within ChessKid.

Only parent/coach accounts can create Clubs.

Here's how to get started:

Creating a Club:

From your Parent/Coach account home page, click "Manage" followed by "Clubs".

Choose "Create a Club" on the right side of the screen.

Enter the name of your Club. Choose something your students will recognize, like "Brunswick Charter School" or "Irwin Academy Chess Team" etc. (You can also upload a personalized image if you'd like).
You must enter a brief description, then click "Create."

Adding / Managing Club Members:

To add a kid to your Club, you must have guardianship of that kid.

First, enter your club: From your Parent/Coach account Home screen, click "Manage" followed by "Clubs" tab & click on your Club.

Select "Members" on the right side of the screen.
Click the orange "Manage" button at the top.

From the top of the "Manage Members" page, you can choose to "Add Kids," manage the "Club Kids" or "Manage Coaches."
From the "Add Kids" tab, you'll see a list of all the kids you have guardianship of who are not already in this club.
Select the username for the Kid account that you'd like to add to the club, and click "Add" at the bottom of the list.

To add several kids to your club all at once from a pre-existing kids group:

Click on the small boxes next to "Add to Club" directly across from the Kids you would like to add.

To remove a kid from your Club:

From the top of the "Manage Members" page, select "Club Kids."
Select "Remove" from the drop-down list next to the kid's Username. This will remove the kid from your Club (but doesn't delete their account).

After you select "Remove" you will see a pop-up verifying the removal; click "Ok".

It is possible to put kids in multiple clubs. For example, if you teach at three schools, we recommend that you have four clubs. One "umbrella" club for all of your kids, and three distinct clubs, one for each school. You can also have an "Advanced Club" and "Beginner's Club" from the same school, where moving to the higher club is an incentive.

Parent & Coach accounts have the ability to create up to 5 clubs, and Big Program Coaches can create even more! Do you teach a large group? Contact our Coach Liaison Michelle Martinez for any set up assistance: [email protected]

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Adding Coaches/Parents:

You may add coaches to the Club. That way, you can have several Admins who can post news, add kids, create matches, and manage the Club.

To add a coach to your Club, you'll need to know his/her ChessKid Username.
Click on the "Manage" tab followed by "Clubs" and then click on the Club you wish to edit.

On the right, click "Members" followedy by "Manage".

Select the "Manage Coaches" tab.
Choose your search parameters by clicking on the selection arrow followed by what you would like to search by (Username, First Name, Last Name, Created (newest), etc.).
In the following example, I am choosing to search using the coach's ChessKid username. Enter the fellow coach's Username in the grey box and click "Search".

Once you see the coach's username, there should be an orange "Invite" button; click on that.

When that coach logs on to his/her ChessKid account the next time, he/she will see a red Message Alert on the Home screen. He/she must accept your invitation.
The message inbox can be found by hovering over the account username until the "Inbox" option appears. Click on that.

Here the coach can click on the red Message Alert and then accept your invitation.

You can give a coach Admin rights to your Club.

From the top of the "Manage Members" page, select the "Manage Coaches" tab.
Select "Admin" from the drop-down list next to the coach/parent Username.

Are you a parent or coach? Join our Parents & Coaches Feedback Club! Share ideas, ask questions & connect with other coaches and Clubs on ChessKid.com.

FunMasterMike's Advice:

Why are clubs so great? Contests! Social interaction! Team Spirit and Camaradarie! Easier "management" for you!

Club Admins can have contests with your kids to "solve the most puzzles in a week" or "play the most games in fast chess ("Play vs Kid)" for a month.

Both you and the students can see who is winning by going into the club and checking the "Club Leaderboard."

You can toggle by time period (last 7 days, last 30 days or all-time), and by type of activity - fast chess ("Play vs Kid"), slow chess, puzzles or stars.

This is perhaps the best way to incentivize the site and it only takes a few moments to check to see who won your contest!

You can also communicate to your Club & your Club Members will receive a Message Alert the next time they log on.

By clicking "News" on the right side of the screen, you can create an easy-to-read list of reminders or assignments. Want them to watch a particular video? Copy and paste the URL into a news post, and students will see a message waiting for them when they log on next.

By clicking "Forums" on the right side of the screen, you can post topic-sorted messages and your Members can answer and comment.

The next time your kid logs in, he/she will have a Message Alert pop up.

Finally, are you yourself are interested in teaching chess to kids? ChessKid has prepared an ebook for you if you have been asking, How do I even start a chess program and teach kids how to play chess? This resource is for teachers, coaches, and parents to give them guidance on starting a chess program for kids.