David Koetsier
Senior Coach and Founding Member of Chesslife
David has been a chess coach for over 30 years. Born and raised in the Netherlands, he started playing chess as an 8 year old and immediately fell in love with the game. He found his passion in teaching others the skills of the game while he was still competing in tournaments around the world. David is passionate about the many benefits chess can provide to students – helping them increase their forward, creative and logical thinking, developing their mathematical skills and providing a tool to communicate in autistic students. Since moving to Australia, he established Chess Life Academy and works as a Certified Senior Junior Chess Coach. David is also a registered FIDE instructor and past President of the Morialta Rotary club. David represented Australia at the 2016 World Youth and the 2019 U16 World Olympiad as the Australian Coach. David is well known for his lively delivery, wide chess knowledge and incredible enthusiasm.
Sabrina Koetsier
Operational manager
Sabrina was taught how to play chess by her father as a child. She is now an assistant chess coach who helps beginners with the basics of the game and encourages parents to teach the skills to their children. She helps organise and run local Chess Life Academy tournaments and activities. Her main role lies in liaising with schools, parents and students regarding upcoming events and classes. She also maintains the website, social media and newsletter, ensuring everyone is updated on the achievements and upcoming events.
Max Pritchard
Chess Coach
Max was taught chess at 6 by his Dad, falling in love with the game’s strategic nuances. Going to a local primary school, chess remained a hobby to play with friends and online until 2021, where he was encouraged to play in tournaments, meeting David and joining Chess Life Academy. His interest in chess then exponentially grew, coming back in 2022 to win the SA Junior State Championships. Since then, he has played interstate and won some tournaments in SA. Max believes chess is a great way to meet similarly-minded people and train yourself to think critically, a great skill to have throughout life. Max wants to help others achieve their goals and improve their skills, playing the game he’s loved since childhood.
Nikola Britvic
Chess Coach
Nikola first came into contact with the game of chess around the age of 10. Whilst Nikola enjoyed his brief stint with chess as a junior, it wouldn’t be until 2020 when Nikola properly delved into the world of chess. Since then his love for chess has skyrocketed and he has dedicated countless hours to improve as a player. Nikola is also a co-ordinator at the University of Adelaide Chess Club and he loves teaching chess to others. He believes chess is a fantastic mechanism for improving memory, concentration and problem solving skills.
Mitchell Parrington
Chess Coach
Mitchell has been playing chess recreationally since a young age. He enjoys the nuance of the game, where a small set of seemingly simple rules unveils vast and complex gameplay and strategies. Helping to teach children the fundamentals of the game and enhance their problem-solving skills excites him, as he knows this is paramount to future success.
Yutian Yu
Junior Chess Coach
Yutian first started playing chess at the age of 10, he first found out about chess when his school formed a chess team. Yutian was never the best player and after a year he didn’t achieve much but he still loved to play chess and spent countless hours invested in chess. Once Yutian joined Chess Life Academy he realised there was more to chess then winning and losing, chess is a way of meeting new people and is something to bond over. He believes that chess is a fantastic game that has so many benefits and now wants to help others to enjoy the game that he’s loved for a long time.
Zhuoshen Zhao
Junior Chess Coach
Zhuoshen first started to get into chess at the age of 12. He was amazed by the logic and allegiance he could see behind chess. His interest in chess comes from his friends from primary school. He looks forward to meeting different people through the opportunities to socialize that chess provides him. His interest in chess gave him the energy to spend countless hours playing chess with his friends, classmates, and teachers in his school. He joined Chess Life Academy purely because of his love of chess. Although being very busy at high school, he looks forward to teaching others the fun and amazement he could see in chess.
Amutha Ragul
Chess Coach
Ragul discovered his passion for chess at the age of 8, introduced to the game by his brother. During the COVID pandemic, he dedicated time to deepen his knowledge and refine his skills. He enjoys playing Evans Gambit, and is inspired from his all-time favorite player, the legendary “Magician from Riga,” Mikhail Tal. Since June 2024, Ragul has been working as a chess coach for school children, sharing his love for the game and continuing his journey in chess.
Chess Coach Wanted!
Do you enjoy a game of chess? Would you like to teach others? Chess Life Academy is looking for an enthusiastic coach to join the team. Never taught before? No problem – full training provided. Send your resume and cover letter stating your experience and availability to admin@chesslife.com.au
Contact us
Phone: 0424 593 737
Email: chesslife@bigpond.com
ABN: 32495878027