Editing Maurice Ashley (section)

== Early life ==
Ashley was born in [[Saint Andrew Parish, Jamaica|St. Andrew]], [[Jamaica]]. He attended [[Wolmer's Schools|Wolmer's Boys School]] in Jamaica, and then moved to the United States when he was 12.<ref name=JamaicaStar-Pitterson-2007>{{cite news |last1=Pitterson |first1=Jomo |title=Pitterson defeats Grandmaster to take Cameron Open |url=http://old.jamaica-star.com/thestar/20071219/sports/sports6.html |access-date=18 February 2016 |newspaper=[[The Jamaica Star]] |date=19 December 2007}}</ref>

He went to [[Brooklyn Technical High School]].<ref name=MashableDoc-Ashley-2015>{{cite news |last1=Larson |first1=Eric |title=Chess' First African American Grandmaster. The World Is A Chessboard: The Infectious Wisdom of Maurice Ashley |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGUhbmne7Vw |access-date=18 February 2016 |work=[[Mashable]] |date=24 April 2015}}</ref> Ashley graduated from [[City College of New York]] (CCNY) with a B.A. in Creative Writing. While at City College, he represented the school in intercollegiate team competition.

Ashley said he discovered chess in Jamaica, where his brother played chess with his friends. He got more serious about chess during high school, where he grew up in [[Brownsville, Brooklyn]], and played in parks and clubs throughout [[New York City]].<ref name=MashableDoc-Ashley-2015 />

Ashley coached the Raging Rooks of Harlem, and the Dark Knights (also from Harlem), both of which won national championships under his guidance.<ref name=SportIllustrated-HarlemRagingRooks-1991 /><ref name=ChessClubStLouis-FootballPlayers-2014>{{cite web |last1=Ashley |first1=Maurice |title=Demetrious Johnson Charitable Foundation Lecture with GM Maurice Ashley: Chess for Football Players |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8ppOFLpSYM |website=Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis. |access-date=18 February 2016 |date=13 August 2014}}</ref>