Wellington County Catholic students face off in board-wide chess tournament

Students compete in the Catholic District School Board chess tournament on March 1 in Guelph. (Ali Wilson/Wellington Catholic District School Board)

Students from 17 Wellington County Catholic schools faced off in the board’s annual chess tournament earlier this week.

The event welcomed 230 competitors in grades two to eight, filling the gym at St. Peter Catholic Elementary School in Guelph.

“You come to an event like this and you see 230 kids all at tables, all quiet, concentrated on the game. It’s such a unique experience,” teacher Bob Schmalz, who convened the tournament, said in a media release.

“It’s just beautiful.”

Players from St. Mary Catholic School in Elora – where a whopping one-third of the student body is in the chess club – were also in attendance.

St. Mary staff have speculated the game’s growing popularity could be at least partially due to the pandemic, which saw clubs temporarily suspended.

“I think the excitement does come from the fact we can finally participate in these things,” St. Mary teacher and chess club organizer Chelsey Cayen told CTV News last month.

Seventeen of the school board's 18 elementary schools participated in the tournament. (Ali Wilson/Wellington Catholic District School Board)

While the tournament is competitive, organizers said it’s about more than just who takes home a medal.

“I look at how they interacted with each other, how they came together as a community and shook hands before the event, and learned things like ‘if I lose it’s okay’ I can keep going. If I win, it’s great, I’m still going to congratulate the person I played against,” Schmalz said.