The first NCTC – RIBSA coach education course was held in the Ivy Rooms Snooker Carlow on Saturday the 1st of March. 10 trainee coaches from all around Ireland attended the Intro level seminar which was presented by PJ Nolan the RIBSA national coach.

The Current Number 1 senior player David Hogan from Co Tipperary attended the seminar and this shows that everyone can benefit from coaching. David has been coached by PJ since he was 10 years old and now he wants to learn how to become a coach and pass on his knowledge to the juniors in his club.

The new Limerick Association had Kevin McMahon attending this seminar and becoming a new Limerick Coach. It is hoped that more people from Limerick become qualified coaches to develop the junior structure within County Limerick

The seminar was broken into two areas with the first part of the seminar covering the playing techniques and all the trainee coaches received training on the role of the coach and the qualities of a good snooker coach. The second part covered coaching players at the table and designing practice routines to suit all standards.

All candidates will now become RIBSA / NCTC Intro level coaches and qualify from the National Coaching & Training Centre in Limerick University.

The following qualified from this seminar

Niall Scully – CARLOW

Paddy Murray – EDENDERRY 

Donal O Regan – CORK

David Beckett – CLONMEL

Clinton Faulkner – CAVAN

Paddy Murphy – KILLARNEY

Padraig O Neill – EDENDERRY

David Hogan – TIPPERARY

Kieran Cassidy – CORK

Kevin McMahon - LIMERICK 

RIBSA are planning to hold another four seminars around Ireland this year and anyone interested should contact RIBSA for an application form for the next seminar.