Chess is Life interview
Coach Jeff, co-founder of Chess is Life
Although Sun Tzu passed away 2500 years ago, his principles live on in today's leaders who embody those principles. Famous people including Presidents, CEOs, and sports stars have been referred to as being modern-day Sun Tzus. However, we believe any leader who is able to unlock extraordinary accomplishments from ordinary people represents most the strategic wisdom of Sun Tzu, who himself unlocked the smaller state of Wu's potential to conquer the largest state of Ch'u in 506 BCE.
Along the line of unlocking the potential of small entities, two leaders, Coach Jeffrey L. Butts and Coach Myles Jay, founders of Chess is Life, have been transforming disadvantaged children into successful dynamos since 2011 through teaching them the game of chess. The wisdom they embody align well with Sun Tzu's; here are three good examples:
(1) Coach Jeff said, "Little pawns 'our children' are NOT the expendable piece most people would tend to believe they are. They are the ONLY piece in the game that can promote to a bigger and stronger piece if/when they put in the necessary hard work and dedication."
Sun Tzu treated his troops like his own beloved children, ensuring their good health through difficult campaigns. Many corporations today can learn from Coach Jeff's wisdom. Despite what they say, they treat their employees like expendable pawns. It only takes an enlightened competitor to disrupt the entire industry by treating their employees well and develop them such that the employees would advance to the deepest valleys and even to death ground so their company can prevail.
(2) Coach Jeff said, "If you can learn to speed up your 'thinking' and slow down your actual 'moves,' you will be enlightened with a foresight that enhances your vision to see down the street, around the corner, up the block, over the bridge and through the alley on the other side of the river."
Sun Tzu is always active, even when he isn't moving. This activity is focused on constantly paying attention to changing conditions and taking into account as many variables as possible to ensure the decision that is being made is the most appropriate and thus most potent.
(3) Coach Jeff said, "You will never hear me tell a kid to 'think outside the box' or ask is 'the glass half full or half empty.' I have an extremely different approach and view on 'how' to raise the success of our youth and it closely resembles the thinking of someone who never once considered or even knew the 'box' existed."
Sun Tzu believes a good leader transcends the rules, not because he or she doesn't understand the basics but because he or she has mastered the basics and knows when to adjust to be more effective in a new situation. Life, like war and chess, offers an unfathomable amount of choices. Don't be your own enemy by limiting yourself to only a few. Engage with the orthodox, prevail with the unorthodox. The paths to success are many but only if you can open your mind and widen your vision to see them. With similar creativity, Sun Tzu only needed average individuals but positioned them into a team with clear strategic advantages, analogous to rolling a round boulder down a steep mountain. This team would be unstoppable and success along their path is inevitable. In short, Sun Tzu sets people up for success. He makes the ordinary extraordinary.
In addition to the three examples above, both Coach Jeff and Coach Jay are proud sons of US Marines, one of the most fearsome and intellectual warriors on the planet. For many decades, Sun Tzu's Art of War was mandatory reading for all US Marine Corps officers. The current US Secretary of Defense James Mattis said, "The Marine Corps has always been more Eastern-oriented. I am much more comfortable with Sun Tzu and his approach to warfare."
The US Marine Corps's love for strategic wisdom isn't because it sounds nice but that it is practical and useful. When young people are armed with this advantageous tool, they would later become contributing citizens in society. Since they are critical thinkers, they are not trouble makers but rather problem solvers and formidable competitors in an increasingly competitive global environment.
Therefore, with the magnificent motto of "Critical Thinking in Progress," Coach Jeff and Coach Jay's Chess is Life is a powerful vehicle where the children they mentor can have fun and at the same time acquire invaluable strategic skills they can rely on now and into the future. With nicknames like "The Ghost," "The Shark," "Lady CHESSca," "The Physicist," and "Strikes Like Lightening" -- all part of Dream Team and The Knights of the Round Table at Chess is Life -- the world better watch out because it only gets better. In our interview with Coach Jeff and Coach Jay below, you will see the real-world results from their teaching young people chess, where being overachievers is the norm.
Both coaches' love for God, country, family, and children rings true, and frankly that means more in this ephemeral world than all the material possessions combined. Based in Warren, Ohio, USA, their cause is one built on a strong foundation and the benevolence they have been able to achieve so far and the incredible future they have ahead are immeasurable. We urge each and every one of you reading this to contact Chess is Life should you feel that a similar youth chess program is needed in your community.
We at Sonshi hereby proclaim that Coach Jeff's new nickname is "Sun Tzu," to go along with his other nicknames of "The Real Iron Man" and "The Nine7Phoenix." Coach Jay doesn't seem to employ nicknames so we'll reserve one in the future if he wants one.
Below is our interview with Coach Jeffrey L. Butts and Coach Myles Jay at Chess is Life. Enjoy!
Along the line of unlocking the potential of small entities, two leaders, Coach Jeffrey L. Butts and Coach Myles Jay, founders of Chess is Life, have been transforming disadvantaged children into successful dynamos since 2011 through teaching them the game of chess. The wisdom they embody align well with Sun Tzu's; here are three good examples:
(1) Coach Jeff said, "Little pawns 'our children' are NOT the expendable piece most people would tend to believe they are. They are the ONLY piece in the game that can promote to a bigger and stronger piece if/when they put in the necessary hard work and dedication."
Sun Tzu treated his troops like his own beloved children, ensuring their good health through difficult campaigns. Many corporations today can learn from Coach Jeff's wisdom. Despite what they say, they treat their employees like expendable pawns. It only takes an enlightened competitor to disrupt the entire industry by treating their employees well and develop them such that the employees would advance to the deepest valleys and even to death ground so their company can prevail.
(2) Coach Jeff said, "If you can learn to speed up your 'thinking' and slow down your actual 'moves,' you will be enlightened with a foresight that enhances your vision to see down the street, around the corner, up the block, over the bridge and through the alley on the other side of the river."
Sun Tzu is always active, even when he isn't moving. This activity is focused on constantly paying attention to changing conditions and taking into account as many variables as possible to ensure the decision that is being made is the most appropriate and thus most potent.
(3) Coach Jeff said, "You will never hear me tell a kid to 'think outside the box' or ask is 'the glass half full or half empty.' I have an extremely different approach and view on 'how' to raise the success of our youth and it closely resembles the thinking of someone who never once considered or even knew the 'box' existed."
Sun Tzu believes a good leader transcends the rules, not because he or she doesn't understand the basics but because he or she has mastered the basics and knows when to adjust to be more effective in a new situation. Life, like war and chess, offers an unfathomable amount of choices. Don't be your own enemy by limiting yourself to only a few. Engage with the orthodox, prevail with the unorthodox. The paths to success are many but only if you can open your mind and widen your vision to see them. With similar creativity, Sun Tzu only needed average individuals but positioned them into a team with clear strategic advantages, analogous to rolling a round boulder down a steep mountain. This team would be unstoppable and success along their path is inevitable. In short, Sun Tzu sets people up for success. He makes the ordinary extraordinary.
In addition to the three examples above, both Coach Jeff and Coach Jay are proud sons of US Marines, one of the most fearsome and intellectual warriors on the planet. For many decades, Sun Tzu's Art of War was mandatory reading for all US Marine Corps officers. The current US Secretary of Defense James Mattis said, "The Marine Corps has always been more Eastern-oriented. I am much more comfortable with Sun Tzu and his approach to warfare."
The US Marine Corps's love for strategic wisdom isn't because it sounds nice but that it is practical and useful. When young people are armed with this advantageous tool, they would later become contributing citizens in society. Since they are critical thinkers, they are not trouble makers but rather problem solvers and formidable competitors in an increasingly competitive global environment.
Therefore, with the magnificent motto of "Critical Thinking in Progress," Coach Jeff and Coach Jay's Chess is Life is a powerful vehicle where the children they mentor can have fun and at the same time acquire invaluable strategic skills they can rely on now and into the future. With nicknames like "The Ghost," "The Shark," "Lady CHESSca," "The Physicist," and "Strikes Like Lightening" -- all part of Dream Team and The Knights of the Round Table at Chess is Life -- the world better watch out because it only gets better. In our interview with Coach Jeff and Coach Jay below, you will see the real-world results from their teaching young people chess, where being overachievers is the norm.
Both coaches' love for God, country, family, and children rings true, and frankly that means more in this ephemeral world than all the material possessions combined. Based in Warren, Ohio, USA, their cause is one built on a strong foundation and the benevolence they have been able to achieve so far and the incredible future they have ahead are immeasurable. We urge each and every one of you reading this to contact Chess is Life should you feel that a similar youth chess program is needed in your community.
We at Sonshi hereby proclaim that Coach Jeff's new nickname is "Sun Tzu," to go along with his other nicknames of "The Real Iron Man" and "The Nine7Phoenix." Coach Jay doesn't seem to employ nicknames so we'll reserve one in the future if he wants one.
Below is our interview with Coach Jeffrey L. Butts and Coach Myles Jay at Chess is Life. Enjoy!
Sonshi: Coach Jeff, please share with us about your background (e.g., your upbringing, your father who was a Marine, "the real Iron Man," your philosophy on life).
Coach Jeff: Every single time we walk into a classroom for the first time, I always tell our students how I was raised by a Marine (my father), which means I’m a little crazy and can’t get right! OO-RAH, Semper Fi, which means always faithful or always loyal. Respect is at the highest order of every single fiber in my DNA and growing up in a household with a sweet and very loving mother gave rise to a balance in my life that brought forth the man the kids know today as Coach Jeff a.k.a. “The Real Iron Man” a.k.a. “The Nine7Phoenix”.
I could not be more thankful for my parents, James “Do-hard” Butts and Cozyetter “Cozy” Ferebee Butts who both passed away in 2010 and 2000, respectively. May God forever and eternally bless both of their souls. They raised three boys and one girl in a very strict but loving family who was taught to deeply respect our elders, love and respect each other, honor and obey our parents, stay out of grown folks’ business and to always know “when” and “when not”.
I can remember as early as 4 years old getting my first big wheel over my grandparents’ house. Shortly after that is when my Grandma Ferebee passed away and my uncle, my mother’s youngest brother Shawnel “Bunna” came to live with us. At the time it was just my mother & father, my older brother Jimmie “Stuff” and our baby sister Coretta “Punkin” living at our house. My parents would later adopt Bunna and he has always from that point forward and forever will be my brother.
My father was a very hard-working man who was very tough on us and to this day I thank God for him being that way because it taught me how to always stand up for myself and never let anything or anyone take advantage of my me or my kindness. After serving in the US Marine Corps, he worked at Republic Steel for nearly 30 years. My father used to say things like “The loudest one in the room is the weakest one in the room”, “All money ain’t good money” and “To be a man, you have to see a man”!
My father, my mother’s other brother Milton “Uncle June” and my two brothers were very tough on me as a young boy and teenager. They thought I was a momma’s boy because I would follow my mother everywhere when I was very little and according to “them” I would cry a lot, which was strictly forbidden by boys back then. I was the skinniest kid in the neighborhood and when we would play football, we called it rough and tumble because it was like a game of 21 in basketball where it was played like every man for himself. They would tackle me just as hard as the older and much bigger kids and they would never allow me to cry. I remember my father showing me how to play pool and saying to me “boy, you can’t just shoot that ball any kinda way. You have to set yourself up for your next shot”. He would also tell me “boy, you’re too smart for your own good. You can’t just be book smart, you have to be street smart too”.
My mother is where I learned to embrace my softer side and I thank God for her daily for giving me such an empathetic and wise perspective on family, friends, life and the world at large. When we would go on family vacations she would always say “stop sleeping so much and wake up so you can pay attention to and take in everything around you”. I embody and embrace her nickname “Cozy”, because this is how she always made me feel. Her smile could light up the darkest room and she had a heart of solid gold. She was a devoted Christian woman who loved the Lord and absolutely with no equivocations loved her family. She taught me to love myself for who God made me to be. She made me embrace the beauty from within and feel a love for myself that makes me miss and love her with everything I am. My father was rough, rugged and hardcore straight from the street, but my mother tamed that wild beast and together ultimately gave me my philosophy on life that makes me look at the world through the eyes and mind of Jesus who said “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you” and “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another”, or Gandhi who said “Be the change that you wish to see in the world” or Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. who said “Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
I can’t thank God enough for allowing both of my parents live long enough to see me graduate from YSU with a bachelor’s degree in CIS (Computer Information Systems) and I have been a Software Engineer for 18 years, working as a contractor for nearly 12 years where I would work 6 months or 1-year contracts. Most people with my upbringing and background would be gripped by a fear that would paralyze any such thoughts of not working a full time or “permanent” job, but thanks to the teachings and upbringing of my parents who, in their unknown infinite wisdom taught me the game of chess throughout my entire life and the irony is that neither of them ever knew how to actually play the game themselves. My heart beats eternally for you both!
Sonshi: Coach Jay, would you do the same (e.g., your cousin Jamaal, boxing, your philosophy on life)?
Coach Jay: My cousin Jamaal taught me how to play chess when I was around 13 or 14 years old. He showed me how to be patient, how to take my time and to never rush into actions. As a youth, I got in trouble and that trouble landed me in JJC which is a juvenile detention facility. When I learned the game of chess I began to learn how my thoughts could and will shape my reality! I don't think my cousin Jamaal knew that by teaching me the game of chess he was teaching me life skills. He never yelled at me when I moved the piece wrong. He always corrected me and showed me that in order to play the game right I must understand the first rule is to know how to move the pieces correctly.
I began boxing when I was 13 years old when a family friend took me to the boxing gym because my mom asked him if he could help me stay out of trouble. I went to the gym and applied myself mentally and physically. I pushed myself to the Limit as an amateur boxer and I understood that when I stepped into the ring I must be prepared for whatever my opponent threw my way. I learned that I must have the willpower to overcome any obstacle that is put in front of me and that boxing and chess are the same parallel realities. My coach always told me I can train you how to fight, but I can't fight for you. It's on you the individual to execute your life's game plan inside or outside of the squared circle.
My father KJ Kim Johnson is a Marine of 22 years from New Orleans Louisiana. He has six brothers and one sister and they were all raised by my grandmother Virginia Johnson with six brothers and one sister. Being raised by a single mother, I believe my dad always knew he had to do something with his life and the Marine Corps was my dad's calling. My dad was a Gunnery Sergeant in the Corps and he most definitely applied his skills with his family. He raised us like Marines with structure, discipline and respect. My dad always embodied the famous Marine Corps slogan “Semper Fi”, which means always loyal!
Sonshi: Officially in 2011, you started Chess is Life. How is chess like life (and how is life like chess)?
Coach Jeff: I wrote something for my father when he passed away in 2010 and though poetry was not his thing, it was mine. This was like a final farewell and rest in peace to him. If I pay attention to life and pay attention to time. Will I figure out these thoughts perplexed in my mind? In life things aren’t always what they seem. For the true definition of “success” is the glimpse of reality inside of a dream!
I start with this first because it embodies the one question we ask every single one of our students. What is success to “you”? Success is very subjective, which makes it personal to one’s own perspective of life and not what has been drilled into our heads about money, fame and power. I personally strive to be a true leader in every sense of the word and give the kids what I refer to as the 4D’s of success (Determination, Dedication, Discipline and Drive) necessary to elevate the “CRITICAL THINKING” of our youth.
Coach Jay and I are walking affirmations of why Chess is Life. Chess is like life because just like the game, we must always be thinking ahead to see what our next move is going to be. Little pawns “our children” are NOT the expendable piece most people would tend to believe they are. They are the ONLY piece in the game that can promote to a bigger and stronger piece if/when they put in the necessary hard work and dedication.
Life is like chess in that we are all in search of the “truth”. Why am I here? What is my purpose? How can I help bring about positive change in this world? Chess is the analogous “truth” to the game of life. If you can learn to speed up your “thinking” and slow down your actual “moves”, you will be enlightened with a foresight that enhances your vision to see down the street, around the corner, up the block, over the bridge and through the alley on the other side of the river. It’s this type of thinking that ultimately has our students starting to see light in making the proper choices in life which will in turn have the same positive outcome in life just as it did for them on the chess board.
Sonshi: How is Chess is Life complementing children's lives at home and at school? In other words, what gaps do you see you are filling that are sometimes missing in those two areas?
Coach Jeff: We are constantly building relational credibility with our kids we come in contact with. What this means is we firmly believe and “show” all of our kids we work with just like our own children at home how much we love them and just how much they mean to us. We are building relationships that show the people who matter the MOST how credible and genuine we are. We pray for them daily and we don’t have to “tell” them we love them, because they can “feel” our love when we meet them right where they are on their own terms and turf ten toes down boots laced up and ready to DO WORK! What I’m saying is we are not on the sidelines.
Several years ago, we looked up and prayed to God…Coach, put me in the “game”!!! And we’ve been in the game ever since working with these kids up close and personal. This is something they can see and feel! They KNOW we would go to war for them! There are a lot of children hurting out here and going through things at far worse than we could even imagine. The disparity is far greater than kids just growing up in single parent homes. Some of the immediate gaps we know we are filling without any equivocation is in our message/ministry of “love” that our children feel with everything they are.
You will never hear me tell a kid to “think outside the box” or ask is “the glass half full or half empty”. I have an extremely different approach and view on “how” to raise the success of our youth and it closely resembles the thinking of someone who never once considered or even knew the “box” existed.
In fact, it is my firm belief that the true definition of success is the glimpse of reality inside of a dream. Success is truly a state of mind and something that can be attained by ANYONE, depending on the perspective of what it means to them personally. The strategic use of metaphors and analogies of chess and life along with positive thinking and the ability of always “Seeing the Liquid in the Glass” allow me to personally use my passion to passion to elevate the cultivation of critical thinking of our youth.
What we are doing is God’s work. We are teaching these children how to become critical thinkers and how to apply successful strategies from the board to their everyday lives. We firmly believe that chess is more than just a strategic game in a battle of war and wit. It is a proven learning tool that can assist with the development of critical thinking, cognitive thinking, concentration, logical thinking, memory, endurance, self-discipline, and everyday life skills like self-confidence, patience, self-development, problem solving and thinking things through thoroughly before reacting.
Being successful is a dream shared by all children and with our philosophy “Chess is Life” along with our unique approach to focus on more than just the game of chess, we have seen a tremendous amount of success working with and MENTORING children in after-school programs, libraries, our chess lessons at the mall food court, school & summer enrichment programs and in beautiful downtown Courthouse Square in Warren, OH.
We dare kids to spread their wings and soar like an eagle by adopting our fundamental and underlying core belief that “The true definition of success is the glimpse of reality inside of a dream!” “Don’t move until you see it.” …Critical thinking in progress.
Sonshi: Would you give us a few examples of the positive effect Chess is Life has on your kids?
Coach Jeff: My wife Kris and I have two children; Corey and Josslin plus four nephews and nieces (Jimmie, Shanise, Ciera and Jarrale) who I personally taught how to play chess and gave them my personal philosophy on chess and how it relates to life all at a very early age. They truly over time believed in and gripped the concept, which is why I have to believe it was a part of their very core foundation that continues to mold them all into the successful individuals they are. Ciera and Shanise have been added to the very short list of people on my side of the family, my baby sis Punkin included, who have graduated from college. And Shanise is the first person in our family to get her master’s degree.
Several of our Knights of the Round Table are either in college or on their way (Bec’klen, Gibby, Alex, Michael, “The Real” Michael Jordan, Spiro, CHESSca, Devante, Javeon, Lishahn, Vic, Christian, Darryl “DC No Limit”, Devante “The Genius”, Young Tavy, Cam, Tienna, Envy “Detroit”).
Some of our younger Knights (Cadence “Cadie”, Joey “The Shark”, Jacob “The Marine”, Elion “The Physicist”, Serroyan, Sejjan “The Quiet Storm”, Gavin “Sir Dance-A-Lot”, Jabril “Strikes Like Lightening”, Matt “The Ghost”, Joshaway) are getting phenomenal grades in school and doing a ton of extra-curricular activities.
Sonshi: Your team recently won three first place trophies, and several second and third places. How did you prepare them, what happened during and after? Conversely, how do you coach them whenever they lose matches?
Coach Jeff: We’ve taken the Knights to tournaments in the past, but this was our first tournament as a team. With life being as harsh and difficult as it is to navigate, we fall back to the teachings of Zulu Boxing where Coach Jay trains young aspiring boxers that there is a very distinct difference between being knocked down and knocked out. IF you get knocked down, it’s a MUST that you GET BACK UP! So, in the words of Donnie McClurkin…We Fall Down, But We Get Up!!!
Sonshi: In your recent video interview with Rayshone Oliver, she brought up the idea of having more girls involved in chess. What are your thoughts and any plans on that idea?
Coach Jeff: I absolutely embrace the idea of getting more young ladies involved in a game where most of them think of it as being nerdy or geeky. We love the fact that we get to teach in several schools where we have access to more reaching more young ladies. This is a special shout out to our ladies of CiL fam (FranCHESSca, Cadie, Lishahn, Ashley, Envy).
Sonshi: At present, Chess is Life has five coaches. Do you need more assistance in finding more coaches in the Warren, Ohio, area? What other assistance (financial, resources, etc.) do you need help in your efforts?
Coach Jeff: We refer to our coaches as the 5 Lions. When we come together, we form Voltron! Coach Jeff, Coach Jay, Coach Ed, Coach Darien and Coach Charles…and our newest addition with Jr. Coach Bec’klen. Keep up the fantastic job you are doing with the kids Coach Bec. He was the very first student we taught chess and now he is an example of the leaders we are mentoring through Chess is Life.
We currently teach or have taught in several schools and libraries in Warren, Cleveland and we’re partnered with United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley and Success After 6 teaching in several schools in Youngstown. We are always in search of individuals to help volunteer/mentor with the same heart and spirit as ours as it relates to these kids in our community.
As for our need or assistance with resources and or finances, we more than welcome any and all donations, in our ongoing efforts to secure the level of funding necessary for us to reach “A Million Children”.
We would like to send our most humble and sincere thanks to Thomas Huynh and Sonshi.com for granting us the opportunity and platform to get the word out there about the work we are doing in our communities and with our children.
[End of interview]
Coach Jeff: Every single time we walk into a classroom for the first time, I always tell our students how I was raised by a Marine (my father), which means I’m a little crazy and can’t get right! OO-RAH, Semper Fi, which means always faithful or always loyal. Respect is at the highest order of every single fiber in my DNA and growing up in a household with a sweet and very loving mother gave rise to a balance in my life that brought forth the man the kids know today as Coach Jeff a.k.a. “The Real Iron Man” a.k.a. “The Nine7Phoenix”.
I could not be more thankful for my parents, James “Do-hard” Butts and Cozyetter “Cozy” Ferebee Butts who both passed away in 2010 and 2000, respectively. May God forever and eternally bless both of their souls. They raised three boys and one girl in a very strict but loving family who was taught to deeply respect our elders, love and respect each other, honor and obey our parents, stay out of grown folks’ business and to always know “when” and “when not”.
I can remember as early as 4 years old getting my first big wheel over my grandparents’ house. Shortly after that is when my Grandma Ferebee passed away and my uncle, my mother’s youngest brother Shawnel “Bunna” came to live with us. At the time it was just my mother & father, my older brother Jimmie “Stuff” and our baby sister Coretta “Punkin” living at our house. My parents would later adopt Bunna and he has always from that point forward and forever will be my brother.
My father was a very hard-working man who was very tough on us and to this day I thank God for him being that way because it taught me how to always stand up for myself and never let anything or anyone take advantage of my me or my kindness. After serving in the US Marine Corps, he worked at Republic Steel for nearly 30 years. My father used to say things like “The loudest one in the room is the weakest one in the room”, “All money ain’t good money” and “To be a man, you have to see a man”!
My father, my mother’s other brother Milton “Uncle June” and my two brothers were very tough on me as a young boy and teenager. They thought I was a momma’s boy because I would follow my mother everywhere when I was very little and according to “them” I would cry a lot, which was strictly forbidden by boys back then. I was the skinniest kid in the neighborhood and when we would play football, we called it rough and tumble because it was like a game of 21 in basketball where it was played like every man for himself. They would tackle me just as hard as the older and much bigger kids and they would never allow me to cry. I remember my father showing me how to play pool and saying to me “boy, you can’t just shoot that ball any kinda way. You have to set yourself up for your next shot”. He would also tell me “boy, you’re too smart for your own good. You can’t just be book smart, you have to be street smart too”.
My mother is where I learned to embrace my softer side and I thank God for her daily for giving me such an empathetic and wise perspective on family, friends, life and the world at large. When we would go on family vacations she would always say “stop sleeping so much and wake up so you can pay attention to and take in everything around you”. I embody and embrace her nickname “Cozy”, because this is how she always made me feel. Her smile could light up the darkest room and she had a heart of solid gold. She was a devoted Christian woman who loved the Lord and absolutely with no equivocations loved her family. She taught me to love myself for who God made me to be. She made me embrace the beauty from within and feel a love for myself that makes me miss and love her with everything I am. My father was rough, rugged and hardcore straight from the street, but my mother tamed that wild beast and together ultimately gave me my philosophy on life that makes me look at the world through the eyes and mind of Jesus who said “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you” and “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another”, or Gandhi who said “Be the change that you wish to see in the world” or Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. who said “Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
I can’t thank God enough for allowing both of my parents live long enough to see me graduate from YSU with a bachelor’s degree in CIS (Computer Information Systems) and I have been a Software Engineer for 18 years, working as a contractor for nearly 12 years where I would work 6 months or 1-year contracts. Most people with my upbringing and background would be gripped by a fear that would paralyze any such thoughts of not working a full time or “permanent” job, but thanks to the teachings and upbringing of my parents who, in their unknown infinite wisdom taught me the game of chess throughout my entire life and the irony is that neither of them ever knew how to actually play the game themselves. My heart beats eternally for you both!
Sonshi: Coach Jay, would you do the same (e.g., your cousin Jamaal, boxing, your philosophy on life)?
Coach Jay: My cousin Jamaal taught me how to play chess when I was around 13 or 14 years old. He showed me how to be patient, how to take my time and to never rush into actions. As a youth, I got in trouble and that trouble landed me in JJC which is a juvenile detention facility. When I learned the game of chess I began to learn how my thoughts could and will shape my reality! I don't think my cousin Jamaal knew that by teaching me the game of chess he was teaching me life skills. He never yelled at me when I moved the piece wrong. He always corrected me and showed me that in order to play the game right I must understand the first rule is to know how to move the pieces correctly.
I began boxing when I was 13 years old when a family friend took me to the boxing gym because my mom asked him if he could help me stay out of trouble. I went to the gym and applied myself mentally and physically. I pushed myself to the Limit as an amateur boxer and I understood that when I stepped into the ring I must be prepared for whatever my opponent threw my way. I learned that I must have the willpower to overcome any obstacle that is put in front of me and that boxing and chess are the same parallel realities. My coach always told me I can train you how to fight, but I can't fight for you. It's on you the individual to execute your life's game plan inside or outside of the squared circle.
My father KJ Kim Johnson is a Marine of 22 years from New Orleans Louisiana. He has six brothers and one sister and they were all raised by my grandmother Virginia Johnson with six brothers and one sister. Being raised by a single mother, I believe my dad always knew he had to do something with his life and the Marine Corps was my dad's calling. My dad was a Gunnery Sergeant in the Corps and he most definitely applied his skills with his family. He raised us like Marines with structure, discipline and respect. My dad always embodied the famous Marine Corps slogan “Semper Fi”, which means always loyal!
Sonshi: Officially in 2011, you started Chess is Life. How is chess like life (and how is life like chess)?
Coach Jeff: I wrote something for my father when he passed away in 2010 and though poetry was not his thing, it was mine. This was like a final farewell and rest in peace to him. If I pay attention to life and pay attention to time. Will I figure out these thoughts perplexed in my mind? In life things aren’t always what they seem. For the true definition of “success” is the glimpse of reality inside of a dream!
I start with this first because it embodies the one question we ask every single one of our students. What is success to “you”? Success is very subjective, which makes it personal to one’s own perspective of life and not what has been drilled into our heads about money, fame and power. I personally strive to be a true leader in every sense of the word and give the kids what I refer to as the 4D’s of success (Determination, Dedication, Discipline and Drive) necessary to elevate the “CRITICAL THINKING” of our youth.
Coach Jay and I are walking affirmations of why Chess is Life. Chess is like life because just like the game, we must always be thinking ahead to see what our next move is going to be. Little pawns “our children” are NOT the expendable piece most people would tend to believe they are. They are the ONLY piece in the game that can promote to a bigger and stronger piece if/when they put in the necessary hard work and dedication.
Life is like chess in that we are all in search of the “truth”. Why am I here? What is my purpose? How can I help bring about positive change in this world? Chess is the analogous “truth” to the game of life. If you can learn to speed up your “thinking” and slow down your actual “moves”, you will be enlightened with a foresight that enhances your vision to see down the street, around the corner, up the block, over the bridge and through the alley on the other side of the river. It’s this type of thinking that ultimately has our students starting to see light in making the proper choices in life which will in turn have the same positive outcome in life just as it did for them on the chess board.
Sonshi: How is Chess is Life complementing children's lives at home and at school? In other words, what gaps do you see you are filling that are sometimes missing in those two areas?
Coach Jeff: We are constantly building relational credibility with our kids we come in contact with. What this means is we firmly believe and “show” all of our kids we work with just like our own children at home how much we love them and just how much they mean to us. We are building relationships that show the people who matter the MOST how credible and genuine we are. We pray for them daily and we don’t have to “tell” them we love them, because they can “feel” our love when we meet them right where they are on their own terms and turf ten toes down boots laced up and ready to DO WORK! What I’m saying is we are not on the sidelines.
Several years ago, we looked up and prayed to God…Coach, put me in the “game”!!! And we’ve been in the game ever since working with these kids up close and personal. This is something they can see and feel! They KNOW we would go to war for them! There are a lot of children hurting out here and going through things at far worse than we could even imagine. The disparity is far greater than kids just growing up in single parent homes. Some of the immediate gaps we know we are filling without any equivocation is in our message/ministry of “love” that our children feel with everything they are.
You will never hear me tell a kid to “think outside the box” or ask is “the glass half full or half empty”. I have an extremely different approach and view on “how” to raise the success of our youth and it closely resembles the thinking of someone who never once considered or even knew the “box” existed.
In fact, it is my firm belief that the true definition of success is the glimpse of reality inside of a dream. Success is truly a state of mind and something that can be attained by ANYONE, depending on the perspective of what it means to them personally. The strategic use of metaphors and analogies of chess and life along with positive thinking and the ability of always “Seeing the Liquid in the Glass” allow me to personally use my passion to passion to elevate the cultivation of critical thinking of our youth.
What we are doing is God’s work. We are teaching these children how to become critical thinkers and how to apply successful strategies from the board to their everyday lives. We firmly believe that chess is more than just a strategic game in a battle of war and wit. It is a proven learning tool that can assist with the development of critical thinking, cognitive thinking, concentration, logical thinking, memory, endurance, self-discipline, and everyday life skills like self-confidence, patience, self-development, problem solving and thinking things through thoroughly before reacting.
Being successful is a dream shared by all children and with our philosophy “Chess is Life” along with our unique approach to focus on more than just the game of chess, we have seen a tremendous amount of success working with and MENTORING children in after-school programs, libraries, our chess lessons at the mall food court, school & summer enrichment programs and in beautiful downtown Courthouse Square in Warren, OH.
We dare kids to spread their wings and soar like an eagle by adopting our fundamental and underlying core belief that “The true definition of success is the glimpse of reality inside of a dream!” “Don’t move until you see it.” …Critical thinking in progress.
Sonshi: Would you give us a few examples of the positive effect Chess is Life has on your kids?
Coach Jeff: My wife Kris and I have two children; Corey and Josslin plus four nephews and nieces (Jimmie, Shanise, Ciera and Jarrale) who I personally taught how to play chess and gave them my personal philosophy on chess and how it relates to life all at a very early age. They truly over time believed in and gripped the concept, which is why I have to believe it was a part of their very core foundation that continues to mold them all into the successful individuals they are. Ciera and Shanise have been added to the very short list of people on my side of the family, my baby sis Punkin included, who have graduated from college. And Shanise is the first person in our family to get her master’s degree.
Several of our Knights of the Round Table are either in college or on their way (Bec’klen, Gibby, Alex, Michael, “The Real” Michael Jordan, Spiro, CHESSca, Devante, Javeon, Lishahn, Vic, Christian, Darryl “DC No Limit”, Devante “The Genius”, Young Tavy, Cam, Tienna, Envy “Detroit”).
Some of our younger Knights (Cadence “Cadie”, Joey “The Shark”, Jacob “The Marine”, Elion “The Physicist”, Serroyan, Sejjan “The Quiet Storm”, Gavin “Sir Dance-A-Lot”, Jabril “Strikes Like Lightening”, Matt “The Ghost”, Joshaway) are getting phenomenal grades in school and doing a ton of extra-curricular activities.
Sonshi: Your team recently won three first place trophies, and several second and third places. How did you prepare them, what happened during and after? Conversely, how do you coach them whenever they lose matches?
Coach Jeff: We’ve taken the Knights to tournaments in the past, but this was our first tournament as a team. With life being as harsh and difficult as it is to navigate, we fall back to the teachings of Zulu Boxing where Coach Jay trains young aspiring boxers that there is a very distinct difference between being knocked down and knocked out. IF you get knocked down, it’s a MUST that you GET BACK UP! So, in the words of Donnie McClurkin…We Fall Down, But We Get Up!!!
Sonshi: In your recent video interview with Rayshone Oliver, she brought up the idea of having more girls involved in chess. What are your thoughts and any plans on that idea?
Coach Jeff: I absolutely embrace the idea of getting more young ladies involved in a game where most of them think of it as being nerdy or geeky. We love the fact that we get to teach in several schools where we have access to more reaching more young ladies. This is a special shout out to our ladies of CiL fam (FranCHESSca, Cadie, Lishahn, Ashley, Envy).
Sonshi: At present, Chess is Life has five coaches. Do you need more assistance in finding more coaches in the Warren, Ohio, area? What other assistance (financial, resources, etc.) do you need help in your efforts?
Coach Jeff: We refer to our coaches as the 5 Lions. When we come together, we form Voltron! Coach Jeff, Coach Jay, Coach Ed, Coach Darien and Coach Charles…and our newest addition with Jr. Coach Bec’klen. Keep up the fantastic job you are doing with the kids Coach Bec. He was the very first student we taught chess and now he is an example of the leaders we are mentoring through Chess is Life.
We currently teach or have taught in several schools and libraries in Warren, Cleveland and we’re partnered with United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley and Success After 6 teaching in several schools in Youngstown. We are always in search of individuals to help volunteer/mentor with the same heart and spirit as ours as it relates to these kids in our community.
As for our need or assistance with resources and or finances, we more than welcome any and all donations, in our ongoing efforts to secure the level of funding necessary for us to reach “A Million Children”.
We would like to send our most humble and sincere thanks to Thomas Huynh and Sonshi.com for granting us the opportunity and platform to get the word out there about the work we are doing in our communities and with our children.
[End of interview]