Atkins Chess Coach Takes on the Coach of a Rival Team

By Scott Plaster

Atkins Academic & Technology High School

As a part of a friendly rivalry between two high school chess teams, Atkins High School coach Scott Plaster and Northern Vance coach Johnny Williams battle over a chess board in the Atkins team room at the 2016 NC K-12 State Chess Championship. In the words of Williams, the two schools are "like the Duke and Carolina of chess." 

Sitting over the board, a player from each team had been paired in an early round of the tournament and Plaster was walking his player through his moves (some good and some not). The analysis took a different turn when the Northern Vance player came in the room. Plaster got up and the player took his seat, with Plaster taking his spot behind the Atkins player. As Williams came in the room, no words were needed as the "general" of his team positioned himself in the prime spot at his player's shoulder. The battle began again...only this time, Part Three. This time, Plaster was assisted by his assistant coach Tony Sanders. In the end, Atkins proved that it would be impossible to prevent a passed pawn and the victory.

It all began two years ago when Plaster and Williams met at the state tournament in Raleigh. Plaster documented his experience meeting his remarkable rival in an article in the Camel City Dispatch. The two men returned to their schools holding a mutual respect for the other man's trials and path to the state tournament. Plaster's team battled in two separate divisions, and Williams' team finished higher in the Divison II that year.

The next year, the two teams battled more closely in the same division, but Plaster's team from Atkins finished third this time over Northern Vance in a closely packed heat in the top five. But the real battle was on the sidelines in a friendly game between Plaster and Williams. It took each coach's entire team's contribution, but the chess game between them was epic. The real victors were the kids, of course.

This year's battle was typical in a game between giants. Northern Vance's top player was accepted into NCSSM. Atkins has built strength and is stronger than ever. When Plaster beckoned Williams into the Atkins team room, the rival coach knew what was waiting. From his cooler, Plaster pulled two mini-jugs of orange juice; to the victor go the spoils. The Atkins HS team narrowly missed a state championship against behemoth Durham Academy, and Northern Vance had slipped out of third after day one. The traditional wager between the two coaches has been a simple jug of orange juice. Nothing fancy, but still as sweet. 

The Atkins team also hosted a school from the Bahamas this year, who came all the way to Winston-Salem, NC as a part of their Global Chess Partnership waged through the Chess.com website. Plaster and team hosted a reception for their guests on the Friday evening before the tournament, and the two teams played in a first-annual, three-round international tournament. The partnership, organized through the Sister Cities organization, continues with online play between the Atkins HS team, Freeport, Bahamas, and Ungheni, Moldova. Schools from Shanghai, China, Ghana, and Liberia might be added later. 

"This weekend has been an experience for us to remember for a lifetime," said Plaster. "Chess truly is a game that spans age, gender, race, creed, gender, and background."