Landmark WPBSA / EBSA Coaching Development
The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) and the European Billiards & Snooker Association (EBSA) have just completed the first European Coaching Course to accredit EBSA coaches with WPBSA World Snooker Level 1 coaching accreditation at the Crowne Plaza in Belgrade, Serbia.
Chris Lovell (WPBSA Coaching Consultant) held a special one-day course to educate 21 of our qualified EBSA Coaches on roles of coaches plus the importance of Child Protection to coaches from 11 countries which included France, Ireland, Malta, Slovenia, Serbia, Netherlands, Poland, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Iceland and Hungary.
Success
The course was hailed as a huge success by Maxime Cassis (EBSA Chairman) who said he was delighted to see EBSA Coaches becoming part of the WPBSA Coaching team which will help them to grow the game all across Europe.
In attendance were Péter Varga, Géza Zakariás, László Bekk, Balazs Kiss, Richard Balo, Gergő Almási, Palmi Einarsson, Tryggvi Erlingsson, Jean – Marie Hustin, Tomas Kejla, Bratislav Krastev, Kazimierz Olejniczak, Manon Melief, Dušan Knežević, Milan Rasljic, Sasa Stojanovic, Marko Stoilkovic, Marc Chouillier, Matej Dakol Korosin and Kevin J Vella.
Course Content
An overview of snooker in today’s world and its increasing growth around the world as the fastest growing sport globally.
- The development of World Disability Billiards and Snooker & World Women’s Snooker
- WPBSA – Integrity & Social Media
- Drugs in Sport
- Mental Health in Snooker
- The WPBSA Code of Conduct for Snooker Coaches
- How to set up your own successful part/full time snooker coaching business
- Safeguarding and Protecting Children – A Guide for Snooker Coaches
Groundbreaking steps to safeguard junior snooker
Coaches will receive certification from UK Coaching with regards to this aspect of Level 1 Certification process. This aspect of the course is the first time that UK Coaching has sanctioned the delivery of this part of the course out side the UK.
UK Coaching working together in partnership with the WPBSA is pioneering the education of snooker coaching with regards to safeguarding and protecting children within the sport.
Coaches were also presented with a seminar attendance certificate WPBSA World Snooker Coaching badge to add to their official EBSA coaching polo shirt.
Professional Coaching Pathway
Chris Lovell, WPBSA Coaching Consultant said: ‘’Working together with PJ Nolan we have created a pathway to support the professional development of coaching within Europe. With the support of their NGB and the EBSA coaches can attend the well-established and successful European coaching programme and achieve WPBSA world snooker level 1 status, opening the door to the Level 2 1st4sport Certificate in Snooker Coaching delivered by the WPBSA coaching team led by six-time world snooker champion Steve Davis.”
Jason Ferguson, WPBSA Chairman said: “I am delighted to see our relationship with the EBSA getting stronger and delivering greater new initiatives such as this across European nations. The unification of our coaching qualifications is sure to provide more opportunities for aspiring coaches in our drive to provide new players to the World Snooker Tour.
“I would like to thank the EBSA for their efforts in continuing to grow as our partner in Europe.”
