Last weekend our National Coach PJ Nolan held another coaching workshop in the Le Safety Snooker Club in Chatelet in Belgium. This weekend was very special as the club was officially opened as the Sandrine Vlamynck Snooker Room in memory of the French number 1 lady player Sandrine Vlamynck who died earlier this year.
The ceremony was attended by all her friends and fellow players from Belgium and France. PJ had the honour of being presented with a plaque in her memory. Sandrine was a legend of the game in France and her memory will live on through this club that she founded.
A large mural painting was commissioned on one of the walls of the club and it is a fitting legacy to a person who was so highly thought of that so many people turned up to the official opening. PJ said he will personally never forget her and treasure all the good times he had coaching her the game, that she loved more than life itself.
During the coaching workshop eight players attended from all over Belgium. This workshop had one lady player, two top junior players, four experienced club players and an International Belgium player. PJ focused on fine tuning each of the players technique and used his alignment laser to perfect the cue in line in the address position. He also concentrated on their break building and cue ball control and each player achieved good clearances in his academy routines.
The players were of all different standards at the Workshop but they all practiced specific training academy routines and received a DVD of their session. PJ believes this is crucial in the players development as it allows them to watch themselves doing the skills correctly and clearing the academy practice routines.
PJ said he really enjoyed training the players and while it was a very emotional weekend for everyone I look forward to the next workshop in Belgium in February in the Sandrine Vlamynck Room to see how much the players have improved their snooker game.
Other clubs in Belgium have enquired about holding PJ Nolan coaching workshop next year as the interest of the game is so high in Belgium and it would be great to coach there in building up the game like he does in Chatelet. You can now watch all the players videos from the workshop on his you tube channel on www.147academy.com
