Snooker Coaches Achieve 1st4sport Success
Five WPBSA World Snooker coaches have achieved the new 1st4sport Level 2 Certificate in Snooker Coaching.
The new qualification was launched in April this year with 43 new or existing coaches having so far undertaken an initial training programme.
To attain the qualification coaches must work in the field with two levels of player, completing a series of linked lessons with each player and demonstrating that their coaching skills have improved their player’s performance.
Once they have completed this, together with other written tasks within their portfolio, coaches then attend an assessment day where they are assessed delivering a lesson to a pupil who they have never met previously to demonstrate a snooker lesson chosen by their assessor.
WPBSA Coaching Consultant Chris Lovell said “This is a major step forward in the development of coaching within snooker. The 1st4sport Level 2 Certificate in Snooker Coaching and its delivery is regulated in the same way as over 50 other major sports qualifications including football, cricket and rugby, which gives the team and its coaches the assurance that we are developing coaches at the same level as other sports”.
Upcoming course dates
The next training courses are scheduled for:
- 25-28 November 2017 (Northern Snooker Centre, Leeds)
- 10-13 February 2018 (The Capital Venue, Gloucester)
Assessment days are held four times per year.
What the successful coaches said:
“I very much enjoyed completing the 1st4Sport Course for Snooker Coaching. I see this curriculum as a journey in my snooker coaching/professional career while, at the same time, integrating a new level of professionalism from 1st4sport credibility.
“As an engineer with a scientific background, I found the course very enlightening as it compliments my technical snooker coaching expertise with other aspects of coaching such as team coaching management, mental coaching/sports psychology, child/youth protection, sports nutrition, etc. As a coach who works in countries outside the U.S., the course provides a positive reinforcement as it provides a consistent curriculum guideline for “WPBSA Coaches.
“I have participated in, and even designed, numerous courses during my over 30 years of coaching experience. I would rate the course as “Excellent.” It was well structured, thought provoking, challenging and realistic. It moved through the relevant problems and challenges of Snooker Coaching and management, confirming and highlighting the fundamentals, and guiding Snooker coaches in new directions in terms of being innovative.
“The course was more involved and required a lot more documentation than I initially expected. I spent a few months completing the course’s ten tasks and found it very beneficial as it reinforced my coaching methodology and provided creative new paths to improve coaching skills and stressed the importance of team coaching management, communications, sports psychology, etc.
“For the betterment and future of the sport, this course gives WPBSA Coaches additional recognition as a professional integrated with 1st4Sport, and allows us to promote Snooker alongside other mainstream sports in 1st4Sport.”
Joseph Mejia
“I think the content of the course is excellent and along with the back-up available afterwards should see coaches get through the portfolio stage okay. The amount of paperwork initially seems daunting but does get easier with use and familiarity as the two pupils progress through the eight lessons required.
“Regarding the Assessment Day, I felt well supported throughout and the Northern Snooker Centre was a good choice of venue. Andrew Highfield was excellent at putting me at ease in what felt like quite a strange situation having never met the pupil before or seen them play. It was also a great relief to hear the outcome of the assessment on the day itself rather than having to wait.
“I strongly feel that the WPBSA World Snooker coaching course is the definitive version within the sport. It has to be the prime goal of anyone seriously thinking about becoming a professional snooker coach. Coaching quality, consistency and accountability all had to be standardised in order to meet future challenges head-on. The new course provides this and more, and should see snooker draw level with other popular sports such as cricket, football and tennis. Personally, I feel very proud to have completed the course and represent the WPBSA, World Snooker and our sport in general as a professional coach.”
Steve Robinson
“I love this sport and had always wanted to become a snooker coach. I wrongly supposed that because I wasn’t of professional standard, I had little to offer. It was only when a couple of requests landed at my door regarding potentially coaching beginners that my interest piqued.
“Having now fully completed and successfully achieved the WPBSA, 1st4sport, Level 2 Certificate in Snooker Coaching qualification, I would encourage anyone with an interest in snooker coaching to take advantage of the bespoke knowledge and information that this course provides. It is not only great fun, but includes scope for personal and professional development long after the course has finished.
“Personally, I sought three things from the course: firstly, to give me the best possible foundation to run a snooker coaching enterprise; secondly, to obtain the tools, knowledge and confidence to improve the standard of anyone that I was coaching; And thirdly to ensure that I was able to effectively contribute something back to this wonderful sport!
The course delivered on all these fronts and my nascent snooker coaching career is now successfully up and running. Also, as the course is recognised by 1st4sport, which means that I have the confidence in knowing that I have received a top notch professional qualification to boot!
“I am proud to now be recognised as part of the WPBSA coaching network and having such a established, well known and respected organisation behind me can only benefit myself and those who I am lucky enough to coach.”
Steven Stamp
“I thought the course was excellent and the standard and quality of the coaching that I deliver has improved since qualifying.”
David Horrix
“I am so pleased and proud to being one of the first to pass the 1st4sport level 2 certificate in snooker coaching.
“The criteria needed to achieve this qualification covered everything from Health and Safety and Child Protection through to the importance of fitness and taking the correct nutrition intake.
“I am hoping that future clients will include future and current professionals on the tour. Passing this course will show future clients that we are coaches with great experience and expertise in being a WPBSA World Snooker Coach.
“I am so proud to wear the correct attire and to represent World Snooker and the WPBSA in the correct professional way. This course highlights that there is so much more involved in being a snooker coach than just showing someone how to hold a cue etc.”
Pete Odell
There will be a formal graduation ceremony at the 2018 World Snooker Championships where all the Coaches who have achieved their award by April 2018 will be presented with their certificates.
For further information on the WPBSA coaching programme and to apply visit our coaching section.
