Coaching Camp with Karen Richards
      For ages 10 – 18 (Grades 4 – 12)
        October 24th & 25th 2011
     Dubai International Academic City
Tournament Scrabble
•   4000 competitive Scrabble clubs around the world.
•   Tournaments all year round in various locations; top players travel extensively.
•   Biggest tourney in the world: King’s Cup in Thailand (8000 players)
•   Most prize money: Causeway Championships Malaysia (USD 180,000)
•   Governed by WESPA,World English Scrabble Players Association.
•   WESPA manages international rankings, laws, schedule, youth outreach.
•   World Championship (WSC) every 2 years – almost 100 players, 25 countries)
•   2011 tournament in Warsaw, Poland.
Scrabble In The Gulf
•   Played competitively in the UAE and the Gulf since 1989.
•   High ranked players who take part in and win international opens.
•   UAE has been at each World Championship since 1991.
•   UAE players ranked 5th, 8th and 20th in the world in the past.
•   UAE debut at 2010 World Youth Championship: 12 year old Dylan D’Souza.
•   Gulf Scrabble Championships (GSC) held annually since 1990
•   Gulf player demographics: ages10-75, 80% men 20% women
•   Nationalities: USA, UK, Australia, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Philippines etc
21st Annual GSC in Dubai
• Took place on 24th and 25th June at Etisalat Academy
• 36 players from 6 GCC countries played 16 rounds
• Sponsors: Jashanmal Books, Thomsun Group, Khaleej Times
• Winner was UAE’s Mohammad Sulaiman, will represent UAE at WSC
• Results of each game affected world rankings
• Widespread media coverage in Khaleej Times, Gulf News, TheNational, Radio 4,
  DubaiEye, City 7 TV, Dubai One
• 4 of the 36 (2 from UAE, 1 from Kuwait, 1 from Oman) were school students
• Prizes worth 25,000 AED awarded
Youth Scrabble
• WESPA maintains a separate Youth Scrabble Committee with the intent of
  promoting tournament Scrabble among school students worldwide
• Scrabble has proved a valuable tool in personal development of gifted children,
  providing challenges and mental stimulation whilst fostering a variety of skills
  including strategy, discipline, spatial awareness, mental math and vocabulary
• The WYSC has taken place annually since 2006
• 2011 tournament in Malaysia; UAE in the running to host 2013 tourney
• The UAE aims to send at least 4-6 participants to this year’s event
• UAE Scrabble Club collaborating with schools in local initiative
• http://www.youthscrabble.org/
Karen Richards
• Karen Richards has been playing Scrabble
  competitively for 13 years in Australia
• After retiring from her job as a management trainer,
  Karen devotes her time to travelling the world to
  coach young people in the art of playing Scrabble
• She chairs WESPA’s youth committee and organizes
  the WYSC every year (has done so since 2006)
• Karen’s 17 year old son Alastair has been playing competitively since the age
  of 7 under her mentorship and is now one of the top players in Australia
• Karen has agreed to conduct a free 2 day camp for students in Dubai on the
  24th and 25th of October 2011
• She is also keen to assess Dubai as a potential venue for the 2013 WYSC
• With that in mind, a tournament with veterans and youngsters will be held on
  the 21st of October, with Karen and Alastair taking part
The Camp
•   Takes place at DIAC Recreation Room
•   9AM – 5PM on both days with interactive lectures and practice sessions
•   Lunch and refreshments provided at venue during the course of the camp
•   All Scrabble equipment provided
•   Giveaways for students provided by Jashanmal Books, Amity University and
    Karen
•   Certificates and T-shirts to be presented to all participants
•   Attending the camp is mandatory for qualification to WYSC 2011 (for those
    without prior competitive experience)
•   UAE Scrabble Club will follow up locally to groom participants for future
    tournaments and will be happy to include them in our monthly sessions at
    WildPeeta; the aim is to kickstart a long term initiative with the camp
•   Participants advised to take part in all day beginners tournament on Oct 21st ;
    separate prizes and trophies for beginners

Free Scrabble Coaching Camp on Oct 24th/25th 2011

  • 1.
    Coaching Camp withKaren Richards For ages 10 – 18 (Grades 4 – 12) October 24th & 25th 2011 Dubai International Academic City
  • 2.
    Tournament Scrabble • 4000 competitive Scrabble clubs around the world. • Tournaments all year round in various locations; top players travel extensively. • Biggest tourney in the world: King’s Cup in Thailand (8000 players) • Most prize money: Causeway Championships Malaysia (USD 180,000) • Governed by WESPA,World English Scrabble Players Association. • WESPA manages international rankings, laws, schedule, youth outreach. • World Championship (WSC) every 2 years – almost 100 players, 25 countries) • 2011 tournament in Warsaw, Poland.
  • 3.
    Scrabble In TheGulf • Played competitively in the UAE and the Gulf since 1989. • High ranked players who take part in and win international opens. • UAE has been at each World Championship since 1991. • UAE players ranked 5th, 8th and 20th in the world in the past. • UAE debut at 2010 World Youth Championship: 12 year old Dylan D’Souza. • Gulf Scrabble Championships (GSC) held annually since 1990 • Gulf player demographics: ages10-75, 80% men 20% women • Nationalities: USA, UK, Australia, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Philippines etc
  • 4.
    21st Annual GSCin Dubai • Took place on 24th and 25th June at Etisalat Academy • 36 players from 6 GCC countries played 16 rounds • Sponsors: Jashanmal Books, Thomsun Group, Khaleej Times • Winner was UAE’s Mohammad Sulaiman, will represent UAE at WSC • Results of each game affected world rankings • Widespread media coverage in Khaleej Times, Gulf News, TheNational, Radio 4, DubaiEye, City 7 TV, Dubai One • 4 of the 36 (2 from UAE, 1 from Kuwait, 1 from Oman) were school students • Prizes worth 25,000 AED awarded
  • 5.
    Youth Scrabble • WESPAmaintains a separate Youth Scrabble Committee with the intent of promoting tournament Scrabble among school students worldwide • Scrabble has proved a valuable tool in personal development of gifted children, providing challenges and mental stimulation whilst fostering a variety of skills including strategy, discipline, spatial awareness, mental math and vocabulary • The WYSC has taken place annually since 2006 • 2011 tournament in Malaysia; UAE in the running to host 2013 tourney • The UAE aims to send at least 4-6 participants to this year’s event • UAE Scrabble Club collaborating with schools in local initiative • http://www.youthscrabble.org/
  • 6.
    Karen Richards • KarenRichards has been playing Scrabble competitively for 13 years in Australia • After retiring from her job as a management trainer, Karen devotes her time to travelling the world to coach young people in the art of playing Scrabble • She chairs WESPA’s youth committee and organizes the WYSC every year (has done so since 2006) • Karen’s 17 year old son Alastair has been playing competitively since the age of 7 under her mentorship and is now one of the top players in Australia • Karen has agreed to conduct a free 2 day camp for students in Dubai on the 24th and 25th of October 2011 • She is also keen to assess Dubai as a potential venue for the 2013 WYSC • With that in mind, a tournament with veterans and youngsters will be held on the 21st of October, with Karen and Alastair taking part
  • 7.
    The Camp • Takes place at DIAC Recreation Room • 9AM – 5PM on both days with interactive lectures and practice sessions • Lunch and refreshments provided at venue during the course of the camp • All Scrabble equipment provided • Giveaways for students provided by Jashanmal Books, Amity University and Karen • Certificates and T-shirts to be presented to all participants • Attending the camp is mandatory for qualification to WYSC 2011 (for those without prior competitive experience) • UAE Scrabble Club will follow up locally to groom participants for future tournaments and will be happy to include them in our monthly sessions at WildPeeta; the aim is to kickstart a long term initiative with the camp • Participants advised to take part in all day beginners tournament on Oct 21st ; separate prizes and trophies for beginners