History in the making once more as Female Cue Sports Ireland get their Female Coaching plan up and running at the RILSA Academy Sharkx Newbridge recently.

Four Teachers attended the first Introductory level coaching course in Snooker & Billiards run by Female Cue Sports Ireland with the approval of the NGB SB Ireland

The course was conducted by Dan Carroll (World Snooker Coach) and Aidan Murray (World Billiards Coach)

The students in attendance were welcomed to the Academy by Dan Carroll and given a brief history on Female Cue Sports in Ireland.  This followed by giving the students instruction in basic Table Maintenance where they got a hand on session brushing and blocking the tables and general care of tables.  The students were shown the ancillary that comes with tables and their use.  A brief introduction to the use of various score boards including the electronic score board and following on from this they were shown how to set up the balls on the table for snooker and billiards.

A session on the basic rules of both snooker and billiards was given with the students setting up the tables before the lunch break

After lunch a good session on how to coach the very basics such as the Bridge, Grip, Stance and striking the cue ball in the centre with the students practicing these.

Dan explained the roll of the coaches in the school setting and what is required from them as coaches going forward and that they are now part of the coaching team of Female Cue Sports Ireland helping to grow the sport for females here in Ireland

The students were presented with an information pack and polo shirt from Dan and Aidan presented the students with their coaching certificates

At the end of the day the instructors and students had a debrief on the day while we were delighted with the course and welcomed these 4 ladies as part of the team, they were absolutely delighted to be part of the team and very excited to get started in their schools when the tables arrive in early 2024

Congratulations to Anne Breen and Miriam Scully of Mountrath Community School Co Laois and Kathleen Reddy and Marie Condon of the Holy Family School Newbridge Co Kildare for completing the course and we at Female Cue Sports Ireland look forward to working with them in the near future.  These coaches are at our grass roots and will help give young girls the opportunity to take up cue sports and keep them involved in sport in the future

Thanks to everyone involved and thanks to Bernie, Paul and staff of Sharkx for all their support