Is there a specific age requirement for becoming a TD (I’m currently 17)?
Thanks,
Chuck
Chuck,
You are old enough. My 15-yr old is a certified Club TD.
Thanks!
There is no age requirement for becoming a USCF director.
Tim Just
Chair Tournament Director Certification Committee
According to USCF records, the youngest active club TD is 14.
We have a club TD who is 9 years old, but that person does not appear to have directed any events yet.
The youngest local TD is 15 and the youngest senior TD is 19.
The youngest ANTD is 24 and the youngest NTD is 38, but it takes years of experience to advance to either of those levels.
Do know one club tournament director, just a week before his 15th birthday became a club tournament director. It was a little shocking, at the age of 17, was declined as a tournament director. That was 1983, the times have changed – not knowing anyone untill this year of any tournament director under the age of 18.
Do have a little problem with not having a age limit. Having as stated a 9 year old as a ‘club tournament director’, then at the age of 12 need to take the local tournament directors test. At the age of 9, very sure would not rent a room, take care of the USCF memberships, or take care of the cash flow with entry fees and prize funds. Asking this 9 year old, when the director turns 12 too take the ‘local tournament directors test’ – can we feel this granting of a directorship is just.
Most or all of those are ‘organizer’ responsibilities, not TD responsibilities.
In the case of prizes at a large tournament, the TD determines the allocation of the prize fund, but it is the organizer (or perhaps the treasurer of the sponsoring affiliate) who writes the prize checks. Sometimes that’s the same person as the TD, but the rules don’t and can’t require that the TD write the checks.
I can come up with some 12 year olds who are more mature than some adult TD’s I know.
I would have no problem with having such a 12 year old, someone who has the experience and has passed the local test work as an assistant at a tournament I organized.
That is true, the ‘organizer’ can do the major work for the start-up of the tournament. There are a number of ‘tournament directors’ that only has the job of being at the tournament. The ‘pairings’ and problems that can happen on the floor are the only job that the ‘tournament director’ ever will happen.
In this case, the ‘organizer’ will be having a large tournament or a very important tournament. If the ‘organizer’ only plans on having 15 to 30 players: the ‘organizer’ should become a ‘tournament director’ on their own then finding someone. There are a number of states, like the rockey mountain states that never have more then 50 players during the states chess championship. True, the Wyoming Chess Association (or whatever affiliate that runs this tournament) could have this 9 year-old as the ‘chief tournament director’ for the 2005 Wyoming Chess Championship.
Only going to say, having this 9 year-old when he becomes 12 years-old. Would need to take the local tournament directors test: is it right and ethical. The directorship was something that for this one person did give self worth, making this person at the age of 12: for being forced into the test is not the best way to make the person feel wanted or important.
Thinking of the now 15 year old, because he looked up to me and then became a ‘club tournament director’ does make myself feel there was some common good that was done. Would want to help this youth, at this time over a 2 hour drive and have little that can be done. Did not tell him to become a ‘tournament director’ he just became one on his own free will.
There is this strange feeling, that a age limit should be placed onto the directorship. Having at this time a 9 year old as a ‘club tournament director’ is way so young and most players would never accept any director at this age. In a society we have smoking at the age of 18, voting at the age of 18, drinking at the age of 21.
Has the TDCC ever considered this issue?
Douglas, I don’t understand your last post at all.
I see no reason to make the local TD requirements any different based upon the age of the applicant.
Nolan:
If we do take this 9 year-old as a ‘club tournament director’ then at the age of 12 or even younger (if the person became a director before the age of 9). Even at the age of 12, very sure this person would not have the skills of being a local tournament director or that matter the skills to be even a ‘club tournament director.’
Feel at the age of 9, was done too lift the self-worth of this one person: then doing the work or the skills to perform as a director. Feel when the 9 year old does become 12: the person would not take this test. When this child does need to take this test, it would lower the self-worth of this one person.
Will take the idea of anyone can become a ‘club tournament director’, even at the age of 9 reading the rule book is not at or below the 4th grade level. Some players can have personal tournaments or have a match with someone: being with a few friends and pals. Needing to become a director past the level of club, would it be better to have the age level be at 18.