Bishop’s Winning Moves

A school custodian in Hampden, Maine is also the winning part-time coach of his school’s elementary and middle school chess teams.  Appropriately, his name is David Bishop, and his teams are sweeping the competition.  His students agree that their goal is a national championship. He was interviewed by Reporter Kristen Dahlgren and the story was featured on NBC Nightly News on May 26, 2023.

Mr. Bishop, currently 61, says at first he did not like losing to his young students.  He called it humiliating and demoralizing.  Then he understood it was good for him to lose.  That meant his chess students were getting stronger.  He said he was a good chess player at a boy, but did not like to let his friends know.  He did not want to be called a ‘nerd.’

Mr. Bishop says he wants to see his students get better, even if that means losing to them more often.

After 30 years in telecommunications, he took a retirement package at age 50 and was immediately hired as a school custodian 11 years ago (2012). 

He said that was the best decision he’s ever made.

Note:  We appreciate writer Dan Friedell for his contributions to this story, based on a report by the Associated Press, as well as writer Jenn Gidman of the Newser staff.