The St. Thomas chess club uses basketball phenomenon, Jeremy Lin, to promote its diverse club through a YouTube video produced by freshman David Zosel.

Lin’s last name has been plugged into many words such as “Linsanity” since he first broke out as a star point guard for the New York Knicks. Zosel, chess club vice president, used this recent trend to break the stereotypes of chess and promote the club’s diversity in a creative,  intriguing way.

“The term ‘Linsanity’ shows us that one person can have complete potential coming out of nowhere and create success and inspiration for others who haven’t had that opportunity yet.” Zosel said. “Take your one opportunity and make a difference just like Jeremy Lin has.”

Zosel’s video was filmed in the Anderson Student Center. He chose students for the video based on how they would represent the club.

Most of the YouTube video revolves around the students playing chess, and the club’s diversity shines when Zosel adds shots of the different players. Zosel’s inspiration for the video came from booths at the spring activities fair.

“You see everyone at the club fair with billboards, flyers and trinkets. I thought we could be creative and go above and beyond.” Zosel said.

Zosel pitched the promotional video to freshman Devon Quist, chess club president, who eventually approved an angle that would incorporate all students at St. Thomas.

“I really wanted (the video) to appeal to everybody because in the chess club there definitely is a stereotype.” Quist said. “When I saw the video I was just so happy with it. I watched it about 100 times the first day.”

Chess has a unique way of bringing diversity together that is relevant throughout the world.

“Chess is a universal sport,” Zosel said “It’s the most played board game across the globe.”

The chess club has new management at St. Thomas, Zosel and Quist are taking on this responsibility as freshmen. They hope to bring the chess club the attention it deserves. Last semester, Quist saw problems with the club.

“I came to the first (chess club) meeting and there wasn’t anybody there,” Quist said. “I knew (the old president) wasn’t doing a very good job at it.”

However, Quist and Zosel hope the video can bring in more members.

“Anybody from any clique at St. Thomas can play chess, like kids on the football team, the rowing team, and those that don’t do anything at all, should just get out there and play a game of chess,” Zosel said.

One of the narrators for the YouTube video, Dominique Najarian, agreed with Zosel.

“You don’t have to be in a sport clubs, and you don’t even have to know how to speak English,” Najarian said. “It doesn’t matter because you’re just playing the game.”

Laura Landvick can be reached at land7854@stthomas.edu.