Check Mate- Chess Club

Check mate. These are the words that end the game of chess. A game which many high school students had no idea how to play. Incoming freshman, Kodiac Hainline, wanted to change that. Hainline brought chess club to the high school. Open for anyone interested to join. With the help of our new English teacher Mr. Showalter, Hainline made his first move. Anyone up for a game?

“I actually started chess club, they didn’t have one and I like playing chess and thought why not get a group of people together and play chess?” Hainline said.

New to Paola, Will Showalter was addressed By Phil Bressler about possibly starting a chess club. Hainline had previously talked to Bressler about the idea. Together they all worked on getting a chess club started. After starting the club, Showalter was surprised on how many students loved to play.

“Mainly to help out Kodiac, but once we got started I saw how many people were interested in it and it took off” said Schowalter.

Showalter holds meeting every Tuesdays and Thursdays. They now have around 15-18 members. Including a president Chris Atterbury, vice president Lance Sobek, secretary Kiarra Bannon, and treasurer Dana Schartz.

Paola High School chess club has big plans for the future. Hoping that in the years to come they will be able to compete against other districts and at competitions around the area. They plan to gain more members and possibly host a tournament at Paola for other schools to come and play.

Showalter said that he hopes to make it to one of the big competitions around the Kansas City area. Bringing home trophies back is something that the chess club is working towards.
Both Hainline and Schowalter share a love for chess and both started at an early age Both remember loving chess and finding the game very strategic and full of potential.

“It takes a sense of strategy which I don’t have but am willing to learn, It’s just something that I remember playing when I was a small kid.” Hainline said. “It takes a lot of forethought and strategy, the same game of chess is never played twice. There’s so many possibilities, it’s never boring.” Schowalter said.

Showalter wants his members to gain an opportunity to be leaders and participate in something together as a team.

“I have a senior who’s really into it, he loves it. He’s getting something different, he’s getting the experience of being a leader, getting to organize a group and things like that. Underclassmen have the opportunity to compete in later years and hopefully bring home some glory to the Paola chess team,” Schowalter said.