Europeans visit the Matchroom

PLAYERS from across the world are coming to the Matchroom for coaching. Would-be coaches from all over Europe have traveled to Llanelli in the past year. A centre of excellence for the continent has been set up at the club.

The aim is to introduce structured snooker coaching into dozens of countries as growing numbers are taking up the game worldwide. The Matchroom is the first centre of excellence to be launched by the European Billiards and Snooker Association. Terry Griffiths has been named chairman of the EBSA’s newly formed coaching foundation.

His son Wayne, already an experienced Welsh Association coach, is heading up the coaching programme from Llanelli. He is the only senior trainer in Europe and delivers intensive coaching to national trainers.

Visitors from France (pictured above), Malta, Switzerland, Iceland, the Netherlands and Israel have completed the programme and qualified as European coaches. Successful coaches receive national certificates enabling them to instruct players and other trainers. They also gain the expertise needed to set up and run coaching foundations in their own countries.

Wayne said: “I am delighted to be involved in this exciting project. One of the main aims is to help set up and develop a network of qualified snooker coaches right across Europe."
 
It is not only coaches who are prepared to travel to the Matchroom. Players from across the world are also traveling to the club for training. Visitors from India, Russia, Czechoslovakia and Germany have been tutored by Wayne in recent months.