DR. KIRSHNER RECEIVES RECOGNITION FOR HIS CHESS CONTRIBUTIONS--February 27, 2016

At the recent Polgar Foundation National Chess Open for Girls and Boys Alan Kirshner, Weibel Chess Director since 1989, received a Lifetime Achievement Award. He shared the platform with the coach of the Mission San Jose Elementary School Team who began his program in 1990. The program for the Polgar Championships stated: "Dr. Alan Kirshner founded the chess club at Weibel Elementary School in 1989 after his eldest son (sic) expressed interest in chess. Ever since, various teams from Weibel have consistently placed at the top of local, state and USCF National Championships. Outside of Weibel, Dr. Kirshner is widely respected for his meticulously run chess tournaments which continuously set new standards of quality for scholastic chess in California and for his award winning chess photography which perfectly captures the spirit of Northern California's vibrant youth chess scene."

NOTE FROM ALAN: I added the (sic) as the chess program was started because of my middle son, Micah. He was the chess enthusiast. My eldest son is Lev Kirshner who is the soccer enthusiast. For what it is worth, Lev is in the Mission San Jose High School's Hall of Fame for his soccer achievements and is presently the head coach of San Diego State's Division I soccer team. He got me coaching soccer--that short lived career didn't get me any awards.