On Wednesday the 8th of April our National Coach PJ Nolan visited probably the most famous and most successful Snooker Shed in the world when he held a free RIBSA Snooker Coaching Session in the Kilkenny Snooker Shed.
The Kilkenny shed were the latest club to avail of the free offer from RIBSA. The shed boasts of members such as professional player Davy Morris, RIBSA International players like John O Sullivan, Larry Drennan, Stephen Bateman, Luke Bateman, James McGuiness, Benny O Brien and many more. This year the Shed had four out of the five players that qualified for the Leinster team that played in the Inter Provincials last weekend.
Club Offer from RIBSA
This season the Republic of Ireland Billiards & Snooker Association are offering every registered RIBSA club a free coaching session with our National Coach to help promote the game around the country. Each club can avail of a session for three hours before 5pm and a two hour session after 5pm. The only cost to the snooker club is the travel cost of bringing PJ to the club at €20.00 per hour travel time to and from Carlow town. i.e., 2hr journey to the club from Carlow will be a total of €80.00.
If any RIBSA Affiliated Club would like to hold a coaching session they must contact RIBSA directly by Email to info@ribsa.ie and request this offer. PJ will then contact the club by email to arrange and confirm a suitable date and time.
The start time will be up to each club and once the date and time is confirmed within PJ’s Diary then the training session will be held and a report will be published on the RIBSA Web Site. Only emails sent directly to RIBSA can arrange a free session.
The Success Story
The Kilkenny shed won the 2015 Leinster Club Championship this year and was captained by James Bateman along with a team of Benny O Brien, John O Sullivan, James McGuiness and Stephen Bateman.
James Bateman is working hard to develop snooker in Kilkenny and he is regularly at events with his three sons, Stephen, Luke and Osin. Stephen is just back from representing Ireland in the Europeans in Malta. Twelve year old Luke has just qualified to represent Ireland in the Celtic Challenge and his younger brother nine year old Osin will be the team mascot.
John O Sullivan has just qualified for the European Singles Championship in Prague later this year. Benny O Brien has just won the Anthony Quinn Memorial in Newbridge and reached the final in the Ivy Rooms Easter Open. During the session this evening PJ worked on improving the players, Stance, Cue Action and Address Position plus they practiced routines to improve their cue ball control and break building.
PJ ” said he was very impressed with the success being achieved by the players in the shed. The winning attitude and the hard work done on the table is testimony to James Bateman and all his hard work ”
Only current 2015 registered clubs can avail of this free offer from RIBSA, if any club wishes to join this year and become a registered club they should download the Club membership form from the download section in the top menu of the site or contact RIBSA for a club registration form to be emailed to them.
If any player would like to book a private one to one lesson they should email PJ on pjcoach147@hotmail.com for his next available date.
The cost of holding a coaching session is €20.00 per hour travel time from Carlow plus €20.00 per hour coaching fee ( Min 2 hrs ). All tolls and parking fees must also be paid if needed. If you would like to travel to the Ivy Rooms Snooker Club in Carlow you can avail of a 2hr session for €65.00 which includes Lights, DVD of the lesson and Technique profile.
