The following members of the OSCF Board were elected at the 14th Annual OSCF State Championship on April 2, 2022. To reach the board, use this form — we look forward to hearing from you!
Chad Lykins (President 2022-2024, Vice President 2020-22, Member-At-Large, 2018-20) is a Coach and Tournament Director for Rose City Chess. Chad started as a volunteer for Chess for Success at Hayhurst Elementary School in 2016, where all three of his children played on the school’s award-winning chess team. He holds a PhD in Educational Leadership and Policy and has published research on out-of-school learning. Chad is a devoted adult-improver with peak ratings of USCF 1650 and Lichess Rapid 2106.
Rebecca Holt (Vice President and Past President, 2022-2024, President 2015-22, Member-At-Large, 2014-15) is a fundraiser for Lewis & Clark College, musician, Spanish speaker, and trained school psychologist. She was led into the chess world by her four-year-old son who begged her to teach him the game, not knowing it would lead to so much fun and fellowship with other chess families. She has seen her son gain confidence and pride in his abilities, all while learning the value of working hard to reach a goal. Rebecca looks forward to encouraging more kids and families to play chess for fun and friendly competition.
Renee Chang, (Treasurer 2017-23) is a dermatologist in private practice in Portland, Oregon. She learned to play chess at age 39 from her five year old son and has not been able to beat him since shortly after that. She attributes his success to his love of the game and hard work as well as the dedication of so many volunteers in the amazing chess community in Oregon. Now that her kids are a little older she is excited to give back to this community in order to encourage others to learn the game.
Tinuade Adebolu (Member-At-Large, 2022-2024)
Dwayne Boyce (Member-At-Large, 2017-23) learned to play chess at a young age and grew up playing on the Templeton Elementary School Chess Team in Tigard. In Junior High and High School, he played less as other interests took over. He hadn’t played a game in over 15 years until he decided to teach his son Alexandre when he was in 2nd grade at Hope Chinese Charter School in Beaverton. Alexandre took to chess immediately and loved the game. He connected with a few other parents at HCCS and they started a Chess Team. Initially it was for fun, but it soon grew to be the most popular club activity at the school. They went from about 5 players the first year, to over 30 in 2017. Each year they compete in 5-6 OSCF tournaments as they try hard to have all players qualify for the State Tournament in Seaside. In 2017, 24 of players competed at the State Tournament – the most thus far.
Dwayne firmly believes that chess is a lot more than a board game between two players, especially for younger players. Chess helps build character by teaching players that you don’t always win all the time, and if you want a medal or trophy, you need to earn it. Chess teaches real life lessons, including the value of practice and hard work, concentration, strategy, and sportsmanship. One of the most rewarding aspects of being a volunteer chess coach is seeing a new player that doesn’t know a knight from a rook at the beginning of the season, transform into a competitive champion that is standing as proud as can be on the stage with a trophy in hand by the time they reach Seaside. Those are the moments we cherish as coaches.
Nancy Keller (Liaison to Oregon High School Chess Team Association, Member-At-Large, 2019-23) is a retired doctor and the head coach and organizer for the Coquille Chess Club. Nancy’s teams welcome all abilities and compete successfully throughout the state and nation.
Mike Myers (Member-At-Large, 2016-24) is a former engineer turned high school math teacher. He attributes his involvement in scholastic chess all to Harry Potter’s wizard’s chess scene. In the summer of 2005, my 5-year old son asked to learn how to play chess after seeing the movie. Shortly thereafter his 7-year old sister and 3-year old brother were playing, too. That fall some students asked to start a chess club at Willamette High School and when no one else stepped forward, I chalked it up to destiny and volunteered after learning that there was a Midwestern Chess League to compete in locally. Somewhere along the way I wound up taking over the TD duties for the league. Over the past few years I have been putting on tournaments in the Bethel area of west Eugene that are open to all ages. As a board member I plan to continue expanding chess opportunities in the southern Willamette valley.
Phil Schapker (Member-At-Large, 2017-23) got his first experience competing at his high school in Kansas City with a team of friends who were as dedicated to helping each other as they were to improving their own game. Although no one on the chess team was incredible, a large group attained 1300-1500 ratings, and with our deep bench they won the Missouri state championship twice, and the U1500 national championship in his senior year. For 3 years, he was recognized as the team “captain,” in charge of welcoming new members and teaching the foundations. he has been teaching chess and founding chess clubs ever since–most recently at Corvallis High School. As a board member, he works passionately to bring his skills and experience to help foster the opportunities for team play that he had as a scholastic chess player, and to help strengthen chess in the rural parts of the Willamette Valley surrounding Corvallis.
Lilly Zhang (Member-At-Large, 2022-24) a chess mom of two avid chess kids. She appreciates the dedication chess players have to possess to keep improving, which is the foundation for any future endeavor. Chess teaches them sportsmanship, fairness, respect, patience and self-confidence, especially when facing losses. Chess also connects the kids with players worldwide, young and old, male and female, which makes attending chess tournaments a perfect excuse to travel around the world. She couldn’t be more thankful for the after school chess club run by parent volunteers, which is where everything started. Lilly looks forward to helping more kids enjoy the charm of chess.
