I am on the one hand really proud of him and on the other feeling gradually a bit more overwhelmed by what I am beginning to recognize is 1) a lot of potential and 2) a lot of potential for him to compete, be coached, and travel because of where he goes to school and where we live (a city with a lot of chess happenings and a school with a strong chess team).
When I was growing up I played mostly in adult chess clubs and tournaments in my town, rather than in state or national scholastic tournaments requiring expensive travel. Now it's even easier to find a competitive game online. It's arguably more important to become a better player, which will be reflected in a higher rating, than to become the national or state 1st grade champion (individual or team) or whatever. (Arguable because for some children, being on a team and winning trophies may be more rewarding than just becoming a better player.)
If your son is still serious about chess in high school, winning national scholastic titles may help him get into selective colleges.
