Wits chess ace turned YouTuber answers coaching call
- Tshepiso Mametela
Wits Chess Club’s (WCC) Koketso Mathebe is embarking on a new journey as a chess tutor after launching a YouTube channel dedicated to teaching the strategic board game more than a year ago.
The mining engineering student swapped his playing hat for a coaching stint by taking up the role of an instructor at Wits and at a religious Jewish Day School, Yeshiva College in Glenhazel, Johannesburg, where he lends his expertise to keen pupils across various grades.
Having leaned toward digital content creation to inspire a new hoard of forward-thinking board gamers, Mathebe aims to explore other social networking platforms such as Instagram to spread the power of chess.
“Because I’ve lost access to my email, I no longer post content on YouTube and TikTok,” said Mathebe. “So, I am now focusing more on private coaching at schools, but it is still available for those who want to learn.
“In the same vein, to make chess fun and for the mere thrill of it, I will post videos on Instagram. It won’t be as much about teaching, but show people playing bullet or blitz chess on campus (street chess).”
Mathebe said the impact of the tutorials he provides on social media surpassed his expectations, which he will use to leverage his current endeavours as a tutor. “Going from just YouTube to private coaching has been big for me,” said the gushing aficionado.
“I didn’t expect expanding to coaching at schools. It has been an honour, and Yeshiva College, specifically, is determined when it comes to sport and doing well. I’ve also started coaching WCC, but I have had to stop [temporarily] for personal reasons.
“Hopefully, I will continue with the club in the second term. Due to positive feedback, i.e., that people have learned how to play chess from scratch using my videos, I look forward to availing my services and teaching more.”
The student has clear objectives for spreading the reach of chess, especially in underdeveloped communities that lack resources.
“It seems like a long term goal, but I want to give back to my community; give them the necessary resources and exposure to participate in tournaments,” he said, noting his desire to assist WCC to excel this year, starting with the USSA Chess Challenge first round in May.
“I strongly believe in WCC and have seen a lot of potential there. My goal is to see them reach their ultimate goals by working with the club so they can do well at the USSAs.”
Koketso Mathebe in action