Zanewood Rec Center Starts a Chess Club
Chess is played worldwide by all kinds of people of all ages. Now young people at Zanewood Recreation Center are getting in on the action after two staff members started a chess club in June.
“We started playing with a couple of kids at work, and we decided it would be really fun to start a chess club,” explained Chess Club Co-Founder Andrew Kempf.
Zanewood Recreation Center in Brooklyn Park, started a chess club. One of their rising stars did well in state tournament although he just learned the game.
The program caught the attention of 14-year-old Antione Golden. “I didn’t win any games at the start. But then I got better,” Golden said.
Golden took to it and immediately challenged the staff, who are all experienced players. “Antione started playing us, and within a month of learning the game, he was already beating us, and that was really exciting,” said Kempf.
The teen says the game helped him outside school and the rec center.
“It helps me to use my brain more instead of being focused on other things, and that just helps me to be overall smarter,” Golden said.
The newbie chess player recently tested his skills at the Minnesota State Chess Tournament, which was held in Plymouth.
Playing in the tournament was a big confidence booster for Golden and the other players. “I think I placed 6th out of 18,” said Golden.
The staff at Zanewood Recreation Center hopes more young people will join them, saying, “checkmate!”
