End of 2019 report from the Trainer’s Commission By GM Jacob Aagaard, Chairman 2019 has been a year of mainly learning for the new Trainer’s Commission. While Peter Long was a member of the Commission over a decade ago, my own experience in FIDE was nil until the appointment. While we did start out with detailed plans for a reform of the Trainer’s System, we were constantly aware that continuous reforms were a poor idea and we felt a need for extra certainty on the actual status of everything before putting new rules in front of the Presidential Board. In 2019 we have had to investigate the true state of the titles, which is not good, the true state of the finances, which is sound, but not as rosy as the budget from the previous Commission gave the impression of. Worst was the status of the Academy programme, which had no benefit for the users except paying to use FIDE’s logo for marketing. This is not in the interest of FIDE at all, as the income is small and the value of the FIDE brand undermined. The same is the case for selling the logo to put it on books, a practice we have discontinued, although we have to stick to the previous contract. The current situation is the following. The Curriculum was universally disliked at the time we took over. We have spent the year running traditional seminars, as well as more experimental seminars, trying to find out what works and where we had to look for improvements. The plan was to start building a new curriculum in 2019 and some progress has happened already with hours of recorded material from seminars and online seminars. We have also made an agreement in principle with GM Dejan Bojkov of being the main editor of our new curriculum. I do not know Mr Bojkov well personally, but he comes highly recommended. The Seminars have been fewer than in 2018, which was an election year. The first half of 2019 was slow, but the interest is now immense. It is therefore important that we develop an appropriate curriculum and a title system that will work long term. The Title Licenses are a current mess. We have Grandmasters that are FI and one of the most famous Team Captains in the World is a Development Instructor, our lowest title. The titles do not make sense at the moment. The second problem is that in the current system, a FIDE Trainer is assumed to be better at everything than the Development Instructor. This is evidently not the case. The trainer of Grandmasters is not necessarily qualified to work with beginners. We have debated various solutions to this problem and are finally arriving at a limited set of better systems. The current favourite is to have only two titles, FIDE Trainer and FIDE Senior Trainer. In this system, the FST would only be given as acknowledgement of great achievement and contribution, but not be reliant on the level of the pupils. Both titles would come with a few licenses and accompanying curricula and seminars. They could be: ● Grass roots development ● Working with adult amateurs and talent development ● Working with professionals or those with these aspirations ● Team Captain/Delegation Head A training could pass all four licenses. Participation in the seminars would require a fee, but FIDE would only requite one license fee per trainer. The license would require revision every eight years. While this would require an alignment of title license fees, it is important to us that poorer nations are supported and some regional discounts are provided. The FIDE Trainer Awards were previously under criticism for not having a clear separation between those organising the awards and those winning them. Indeed, the Secretary won the award six times and the chairman three. This year the awards were handed out by a fully independent committee of seven highly respected individuals, former World Champions Kramnik, Stefanova, Zhu Chen and Susan Polgar, as well as legendary Grandmasters Torre, Bouaziz and Zapata. The committee was in this way gender balanced, with both players and trainers and representatives from all continents. The book of the year award will be decided soon. The Committee for this award consists of Yuri Averbakh, Artur Yusupov and Nigel Short. In 2020 we wish to run the awards earlier and to change them. It makes sense to abolish the Trainer’s Trainer award, replace it with an award for grass roots work. Also, we need an Academy of the Year award. Up to this point FIDE has not had a real Academy Programme, but have instead had a rather random collection of people paying the yearly fee. Hardly anyone have filled in the report and a lot of energy has gone into working out who were actually wanting to be a part of the programme. The previous principle office bearers were involved with an academy that was not a member of the programme. In 2020 we intend to create a serious programme, which can include Academy tournaments, regional academies receiving support in return for taking on various responsibilities, regional camps for talents and online lessons. PB has given their commitment for TRG to support a programme with €50,000 a year, as long as these funds are generated from TRG’s activities. Surveys will be sent to existing members of the Academy programme as well as potential future members to lay a strong foundation for the programme based on real knowledge of the wishes and needs of the academies. The Finances have not fairly reflected reality in the past. We have been unable to recreate the surpluses projected in the past. The incomes appear to be what was invoiced and not what was collected. On the other hand the outgoings were about 5-10% higher than indicated in the budgets, with a large part of the outgoings going to the remuneration of one individual. We have made various minor savings, such as reducing the cost of the license cards. They all add up. In 2019 our main expense has been the salary of our full time Secretary. The strain on him has been excessive and in 2020 we will limit the amount of foreign trips he is to undertake without extra payment to three. Our outgoing have been far lower than planned, as costs to the creation of a new curriculum and to expanding the Academy programme have not yet been undertaken. For this reason TRG has produced an unfortunate large profit. In 2020 we wish to invest in the new curriculum as well as start the Academy programme. While our spending is set to triple, we should still be solidly in the black. Changes to procedures are needed whenever we see a problem occurring. Some of the changes we will implement in 2020 are the following: Finances ● Direct payment to TRG via PayPal as the primary way of paying for titles or academy fees. Alternatively, separate payments from federation for to FIDE, earmarked TRG. ● Academy fees to increase from €200 to €500 pro annum, unless payment and yearly report is sent on time. ● Federations to pay first four year’s license of new trainers together with the seminar fees. Titles only approved when the fees have been paid. Exams, Title and Academy approval At the moment the exam procedure is a part of the FIDE Handbook and changes to them require the approval of PB or GA. The same is the case with the approval of titles and Academy Status. In our opinion, it makes more sense for this to be done by selected representatives from PB, MB and TRG, as there is not time for proper deliberation. BUDGET 2019 COMMISSION: TRAINERS COMMISSION (TRG) PERIOD: January 1, 2019- December 31, 2019 Projected* Actual Estimated Remarks Variance *Projected from when we knew how the at 20 at 31 December Estimated vs accounts actually worked. November Projected BUDGETED ITEM Proposed Budget Approved Budget Budget 2020 REVENUE Seminar Fees - In 2020 this will be called the examination € 162 000,00 € 129 600,00 € 66 520,00 € 27 120,00 € 35 000,00 Waivers & Discounts -€ 31 520 € 45 000,00 We expect increased activity and to have streamlined how we deal with vaiwers and others with management Incomefee from Secretary at Seminars € 6 000,00 € 6 000,00 € 0,00 € 5 250,00 € 7 000,00 4 Seminars, not including as 4 as examiner € 1 000 € 3 500,00 We have agreed that he will do two seminars for TRG and go to Olympiad as the three unpaid trips of 2019. For other trips we will pay him Income from Development Fund-Trainers'Course € 12 500,00 € 0,00 - € 10 200,00 € 16 200,00 via ACF € 16 200 € 20 000,00 We continue to help with the organisation of these courses. We think they do a lot of good. Academy fees € 8 000,00 € 7 800,00 € 9 900,00 Belarus, Germany & Gulf will eventually pay € 1 900 € 20 000,00 We presume there will be interest in participating in the programme once it will have content New titles € 20 000,00 € 70 000,00 € 50 000 € 50 000,00 Anticipation of a lowered fee. On the other hand, new titles have to be paid with the seminar fees in 2020 to be forwarded to confirmation. If rejected, refunds will be issued. Rejections will be less than 1% License renewals € 30 000,00 € 50 000,00 Safe estimate € 20 000 € 50 000,00 A much higher renewal rate because of the Olympiad, but at a lower fee for many TOTAL-REVENUE € 168 000,00 € 135 600,00 € 124 520,00 € 188 100,00 € 63 580 € 188 500,00 The increase in €400 is entirely accidental EXPENDITURE CORE Expenses Air Travel € 12 000,00 € 12 000,00 € 5 000,00 € 6 180,32 € 6 500,00 Inclusive of Hotel, Conferences & Meetings -€ 1 100 € 12 000,00 We expect a lot of activity.