Introductory level leading to the beginning of level 1 Snooker Coaching Official RIBSA Coaching Manual for NCTC approved

Introductory Level Coaches

Technical

Tactical

Mental

Emphasis on basic skills Strong emphasis on skill development Refining basic skills Practicing skills Practice routines Recording progress

Simple rules and ethics Modified games Small-sided games Key game principles

Emphasis on enjoyment Concept of concentration Practices designed for high success rates in order to encourage positive reinforcement and increase confidence

Be familiar with the Code of Ethics for Coaches

Approved by

Forward Every Introductory level coach who teaches this course, will have completed Introductory level coach training which now includes child protection and safety measures. Garda clearance will have been obtained and recruitment procedures followed. Accreditation will have been granted by the NCTC. The technical material and practice routines in this manual are aimed at new snooker players between the ages of nine and fourteen years. The manual also attempts to standardize the introductory level leading to the beginning of the level one (under development) coaching course as advocated by the National Coaching and Training Center in their National Coaching Development Plan 2004. All coaches would be expected to teach this basic content to ensure that the young player sets about playing the game with confidence on the basis of a proper foundation. The work in this manual derives largely from the preparatory materials collected by P.J Nolan, Coaching Tutor Level One. This draft, February 2005, will naturally undergo much transformation before it is finally endorsed and launched, nevertheless, it may be regarded as a starting point and an attempt to put a structure on snooker coaching in Ireland, as well as promoting the game positively among young people, at a time when interest in the game is accelerating globally. In the next few weeks, many experienced snooker persons will be approached and canvassed for an input of knowledge into the next effort (level 1) and this will define the direction we take next. Acknowledgements to Jim Leacy Chairman of RIBSA for facilitating this progress, to the late Tommy Goulding whose tried and tested routines we adapted, and of course the Irish Sports Council for the necessary funding.

Contents Forward Introduction Lesson 1 The Sighting Eye Lesson 2 The Stance Lesson 3 The Line of Aim Lesson 4 The Object Ball Lesson 5 The Cue Ball Lesson 6 The Bridge Hand Lesson 7 The Grip Lesson 8 Playing the shot Lesson 9 The Main Technique Lesson 10 Rest shots and Cushion Shots Routine 1 Clear the Table 1 Routine 2 Clear the Table 2 Routine 3 21 Ball Line-Up Routine 4 Screw Shots Routine 5 Long Pink Routine 6 Long Blue Routine 7 Pink off the Spot Routine 8 Around the Black Concept of Mental Fitness Observation and Assessment Code of Ethics and Guidelines 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 2440

Introduction This manual accompanies your final certification from the National Coaching and Training Center, as an approved Introductory Level Snooker Coach. The manual is a summary of the course content and attempts to standardize what we want to teach at this level. The code of ethics and child protection procedures are also included, be familiar with this. Formal training In child protection will be available at a later date from an external source.

Basic Skills

Lesson 1: The player identifies his/her sighting eye

Sighting the cue with the right eye

Sighting the cue with the left eye

Pull paper towards your face

Get a sheet of paper. Put a hole in the middle of the sheet, about the size of a euro coin. Holding the sheet at arms length, look through the hole at a distant object (a poster on a wall). Slowly bring the sheet of paper towards your face, all the time looking at the object through the hole in the paper, until it is in front of your eye. Towards which eye did you pull the sheet? This is your master eye or sighting eye.

Point at a distant object

Point your forefinger at a distant object or spot, with both eyes open. Cover your left eye. If you are still pointing at the object you are almost certainly right-eyed. If you had to adjust your aim at the distant object, you are not 100% right-eyed, but if the readjustment of aim was small, the right eye is still the dominant one. Now, cover your right eye. You are now using the left eye only. How much of a readjustment to the aim do you have to make now? If both readjustments were the same you may well be even-sighted. Nevertheless, the sighting eye, which demanded the smallest adjustment of aim, compared with sighting with both eyes together, as a rule of thumb, is your master eye.

Sighting the cue with the right eye

Even-sighted player

Basic Skills

Lesson 2: The player learns his/her most suitable stance The way a player sights the cue ball, will determine the way he/she stands. This is called Stance. The Stance recommended for right eyed players is the Square Stance and the stance recommended for left-eyed players is The Boxer Stance. Boxer Stance The right leg is braced and the left leg is bent. The line running between both feet is at a 45 degree angle to the line of the shot. This traditional boxing stance enables the left eye to sight down the cue. Solid balance is again the most important factor, avoid both knees bent or legs too close or too far apart.

Boxer Stance

Square Stance

Square Stance The right leg is braced and the left leg is bent. The line running between both feet is at a 90 degree angle to the line of the shot. This line is parallel to the table. The legs are comfortably apart for balance and we say that this stance is square on to the line of the shot The right foot is pointing down the line of the shot

Basic Skills

Lesson 3: The player understands the line of aim of a shot Definition The line of aim for any shot, runs from the butt of the cue to the tip of the cue, through the middle of the cue ball, and on to the target spot, on the object ball. When a player is addressing any shot, he/she must come in on this line. This is also known as alignment. For convenience, we will break this line into two parts. Line one runs from the butt of the cue to the tip of the cue, Line two runs from the tip of the cue, through the white ball, and onto the contact point on the object ball

Important It is important that your eyes must stay on line two and not look at the object ball going into the pocket. Always keep your eyes along the line of aim during cue delivery, and after cue delivery. Never move your eyes from this line after selecting the shot you are going to play.

The Potting Angle The potting angle is the angle made between the line running from the middle of the pocket back through the object ball (line three) and line two.

Line of aim
Line three

Line two tip Line one Cue ball Butt of cue cue Object ball

Basic Skills

Lesson 4: The player is familiar with the contact points on the object ball, and the angles of shot they make. He/she understands full ball, quarter ball, half ball, and three quarter ball contact.

Full ball contact: When the cue ball impacts the object ball in the middle, the object ball travels in a straight line

The Object Ball

Quarter ball contact: When the cue ball strikes the object ball at quarter ball point, it sends the object ball at a little angle

half

full

half

3/4

1/4

1/4

3/4

Half ball contact: When the cue ball hits the object at half ball point, it sends the object ball at a greater angle to the line of aim.

Remember we can have 1/4 ball, half ball and 3/4 ball contact on both sides of the object ball.

Three quarter ball : This point guarantees a sharper angle and anything beyond this is described as a thin cut.

Basic Skills

Lesson 5: The player understands the effects of striking the cue ball at different points.

The Cue Ball

5 4

Stun: The cue ball has a sweet spot, just a fraction below the middle (point 3). When struck at this point it stops dead or stuns, when it hits the red. Why?

Screw: When the cue ball is struck at point 2, on impact it screws back off the red, because it has been given a backward anticlockwise spin
Right-hand side

Left-hand side

Follow through: When the cue ball is struck at point 4 or 5, it runs on off the red, because it has been given a forward clockwise spin

When the cue ball is struck on any of the points 1,2,3,4 or 5, in other words, up and down the middle of the ball, we call it plain ball striking. We are always trying to strike through the ball at these points. We do not strike the ball on the LHS or RHS, as this would be putting unintentional side on our shot, and the cue ball might not travel in a straight line.

Deep screw: When the cue ball is struck at point 1, on impact with the red, the backspin is severe, and it takes a longer path backwards.

Basic Skills

Lesson 6: The player is able to form a good bridge hand

Formation of the bridge hand is a very important part of your technique. We build it to support the line of aim. The bridge should be between 913 inches away from the cue ball on a normal shot. A good bridge is one with all the fingers well spread and the thumb pressed tight against the first finger and the thumb well cocked to give a good channel or groove. A good groove makes it easy for the cue to slide through. Make sure you grip the cloth with all your fingers, always drop the bridge hand for screw shots and raise the bridge for top spin shots. The bridge must be solid and firm.
Awkward Bridging Difficult Bridging

Common Faults 1. 2. 3. 4. Bridge fingers bunched together Poor grip on the cloth with the bridge fingers Thumb badly cocked Bridging too near or far away from the cue ball

Basic Skills

10

Lesson 7: The player understands the importance of a good grip on the cue.
The cue grip is an important step in the formation of a good technique. The grip has to be firm but not too firm. The cue is held lightly by all the fingers with the thumb resting on the first finger. The first finger and the thumb form a ring and the knuckles should be parallel to the cue. Insure that the wrist is hanging down in a straight line from the elbow. Ensure that there is a full grip before you start your cue action. Deliver the cue the same way on every shot and make sure there are no movements in your wrist other than the backward or forward motion on the line of the stroke.

On the back swing the second, third and little finger may be loosened from the cue, in order to maintain the line of aim, but by the time of impact with the cue ball, they should be back on the cue to guarantee firmness of contact. The thumb and first finger should remain constant throughout the stroke.

Remember, the grip is all about feeling the cue, and that feeling or touch has got to come through the cue, when you are playing different types of shots.

Notice that the thumb and first finger make a ring and the wrist is hanging down in a straight line.

Remember, the right grip allows you to cue in a straight line along the line of aim, and allows the cue to get through the cue ball.

Basic Skills

11

Lesson 8: The player understands cue action, the address position, the follow through and the importance of keeping the head down.

The address position: Having the proper address position and getting down on the shot properly is important. The bridge arm should be slightly bent. This allows the player to be steady on the shot. When you are feathering the cue, or waggling the cue, feather as close to the cue ball as possible.

The follow through The player has delivered the cue and gone through the cue ball. Note the position of the tip and cue ball now. The balance of the back swing and the follow through must be the same. If you bring the cue back six inches, then the follow through must be six inches. Always finish on the line of the shot and keep your head down. Never lift your head until the object ball has gone into the pocket. Keeping the head down contributes to stillness or no movement on the shot from start to finish, other than the cue action itself.

The player has finished the last back swing and is ready to go through with the cue. Note the distance between tip and ball.

Remember, the cue maintains a horizontal position throughout the cue action .

Remember, the key to keeping the cue horizontal lies in the grip.

Basic Skills

12

Lesson 9: The player understands the reasons for introducing pauses into his\her cue action technique. The player is taught a formal technique which includes pauses.

A Good Technique
This suggested technique is a sound technique to begin using. Naturally as players improve, they will refine it, in their own individual way. The main objective in learning a technique is to produce consistency. In other words, the player repeats the exact same thing, over and over again, until it becomes automatic and built into their game, without having to think about it.

When a player is feathering the cue ball or waggling the cue, a front pause and a back pause can be introduced on the last forward swing and back swing before he delivers the cue through the cue ball. The front pause is strictly for focus. The benefit of the front pause is to give the player time to focus his\her eyes on the intended impact spot on the object ball, and not just on the object ball generally. You must be looking at the exact spot you want to hit. Looking at this spot also contributes to straight cueing, because the spot is the completion point of the line of aim. The back pause is strictly for timing. If the back pause is too short or non existent, the players technique always appears to be jerky or the timing appears to be too fast, this could hinder straight cueing. If the back pause is too long, the timing could become too slow and the player could lose focus on the shot. Most players will find their own natural back pause, but whatever the duration, it should be consistent.

Mnemonic Waggle Waggle Waggle Waggle Stop (front pause) Stop (back pause) Push Head Down Decoded; after waggling the cue about 4 times, use a front pause and then a back pause before delivering the cue. Keep head down for 2 seconds.

Basic Skills

13

Lesson 10: The player can execute shots using the rest and from the cushion
Rest Shots When using the rest it is important to get the head of the rest properly positioned. Where possible the head of the rest should be between 913 inches away from the cue ball. Keep your elbow parallel to the bed of the table and at the same height as your cue. Use the low side of the rest to run the cue, because you do not want the cue to dip too much. Where possible, keep the shaft of the rest on the bed of the table with the cue on the same line. The cue should stay on line with the shaft of the rest during the feathering and the delivery. Avoid raising the butt too high or following through as much, because there is a natural tendency for the forearm to pull the cue across the line of the shot.

Tight on the Cushion Striking the cue ball accurately when it is tight under the cushion places great demands on your technique. It forces you to bridge on top of the cushion, which may add unwanted side. Bridging on the cushion also cuts down on the length of the back swing available and can lead into delivering the cue too fast. You can only hit the top of the cue ball so control is limited. The Solution Get your eyes up on the object ball before you strike the cue ball. Drop your wrist down on the side of the cushion leaving only the fingers on top and cue smoothly from the cushion. Place your hand flat on the cushion and place the cue between your first finger and thumb. Hold the cue shorter when tight on the cushion. Do not attempt anything beyond the minimum.

Cushion Shot Practice

Learning to Train

14

Practice Routine One: Clear The Table

The Player Spread the 22 balls around the table in open positions Pot any ball, using any other ball, in other words any ball can act as cue ball Count how many pots it takes to clear the table Keep your record Beat your record The Coach The player is encouraged to use a range of shots, little follow throughs, little soft stuns, little touches of screw. Play off the cushions and encourage the player to approach the shot in a straight line. Make sure the stance is correct. Two or Three Player Mini-Game: Same rules as above, the first player to pot 11 balls wins (2 player), the first player to reach 8 pots wins (3 player)

Keep Your Record: Date Number of Pots to Clear

Learning to Train

15

Practice Routine Two: Clear The Table

The Player Spread the 22 balls around the table in open positions Pot any ball, using the cue ball only. Count how many pots it takes to clear the table Keep your record Beat your record The Coach The player is encouraged to use a range of shots, little follow throughs, little soft stuns, little touches of screw. Play off the cushions and encourage the player to approach the shot in a straight line. Make sure the stance is correct. Use the terminology, good 1/4 ball pot. Two or Three Player Mini-Game: Same rules as above, the first player to pot 11 balls wins (2 player), the first player to reach 8 pots wins (3 player)

Keep Your Record: Date Number of Pots to Clear

Learning to Train

16

Practice Routine Three: 21 ball line-up

The Player The player sets out an easy 21 ball line-up, 10 balls evenly spaced each side of the blue The player clears all the balls in any order and counts his \her misses Start with any pot, and the objective is to clear without any miss Keep your record Beat your record The Coach This is an ideal routine to teach the game correctly from the beginning. The coach can modify this routine for young players by replacing each ball potted back on its spot, and make the player pot 100 balls. Encourage the player to leave the cue ball in the middle of the table. Encourage the use of all the little touch shots, including little stun throughs. Pass comment on all the technical errors as they happen, for example, head down! or back pause?.

Mini Games Same line-up, first player to 11 wins (2 player), first to 6 wins (4 player). This is an efficient use of table time for young players, because they need to spend most of the time practicing their potting skills.

Learning to Train

17

Practice Routine Four: 9 Ball Line-up for Screw Shot Skills

The Player 9 balls are evenly spaced on half the table with black, pink and blue spots included The player has to pot into pocket 2 and pocket 3 alternately, but has to stay on his\her own side of the table To stay on his\her own side of the table, the player has to play screw or deep screw shots. The balls are always replaced, so there are always 9 balls on the table Stop after 40 pots The Coach The player has to learn the feel on this shot to get it right. The player may be hitting the cue ball at the right points to impart the back spin, but the shot is all about timing and not force, if the cue ball is to be controlled. The coach can replace the balls for the player and it offers an ideal observational opportunity for technical monitoring. Be patient, this is a difficult practice and many sessions with this drill will be undertaken before mastery is achieved. If the player pots 10 balls in a row without a miss, a watershed has been reached. Build up consistency.

Mini Game One player at each side of the table. Stay on your own side. When you miss or lose control of the white, its your opponents turn. Replace the balls for her\him. First to 40 pots.

Learning to Train

18

Practice Routine Five Hard Work: Straight Cueing and Long Potting
The Player Markers are set up down the table numbered 1,2,3,- - 19,20. A marker is any stamp sized piece of paper with a number. The first red is placed on the pink spot, and the cue ball is placed around marker 1. Place the cue ball so as to make it a dead straight pot. This is your first shot. Now we are going to work back through the markers and increase the length of the shot bit by bit. Place the cue ball around marker 2. You may have to move the red slightly along the pink line to make it a straight pot, but this doesnt matter. This is your second shot. Work back along the markers. Each time it is the same pot but the level of difficulty is increasing because it is getting longer. Note where you begin to miss consistently (which marker). This is your breakdown point on the shot. If you miss three in a row, move forward on the line again to make a shorter pot. Keep a record of the progress on this shot because it is a good indicator of how strong or weak your cueing is. The Coach Every technical error will be exposed on this shot. Correct them one at a time. Observation alone will indicate how the player is progressing. This is a brutal exercise, very hard work, and there is nowhere to hide any lack of ability. Place the red ball for the player and give positive encouragement.

Pink spot

markers

Learning to Train

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Practice Routine Six Hard Work 2: Straight Cueing and Long Potting
The Player The object ball is placed on the blue spot Markers are placed down the table in the direction of the baulk line Start at number 1, and make it a straight pot to pocket number 2 Do each pot twice Work your way back through the markers, each time ensuring that it is a straight pot. It is the same pot each time except the level of difficulty is changing with the distance. Note the breakdown point on the shot Keep a record of your progress At the point you are missing consistently, move back nearer in distance again When you pot all the balls without a miss, do each pot 3 times. The Coach To pot these balls, the player must be doing everything right. When the player begins to miss, its nearly always obvious what he\she is doing wrong. Not striking the cue ball plain ball is a frequent culprit. The timing has to be good. Let the cue do the work, stroke it rather than force it. Taking your eye off the object ball, or too much movement on the shot are common errors. Always place the object ball for the player and let the player make the pot straight by placing the cue ball. Progress on this shot is a good indicator of good cueing.

markers

Learning to Train

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Practice Routine Seven Pink off the Spot

The Player Pot continuously off the pink spot into pockets 1,2,3 and 6. Only use the cushions when you really have to, otherwise get the angles with little stuns that keep you around the pink spot. Pot fifty balls Record how many you can pot consecutively The Coach This is all about cue ball control. The player has to discover his\her own feels and touches on this shot . The player will use the whole range of shots, including thin cuts, deep screw and cushion shots when position is lost. Replace the object ball each time for the player. Mini Game Two players, first to fifty wins. Replace the ball for your opponent.

Learning to Train

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Practice Routine Eight Around The Black

The Player Place three reds evenly spaced above the black Pot reds and blacks consecutively Replace reds and black in their respective positions after potting, so that there are always four balls on the table Pot 60 balls (30 reds, 30 blacks) Remember, play to be straight or high on the red Remember, play for a good angle on the black The Coach This practice brings tactical awareness into focus. The player is required to think one shot ahead. In other words, as well as potting the ball, the angle on the next ball must be correct. This also brings into focus all the required shots needed on the black. Running off the cushions, soft stuns etc. The player should learn the golden rule, never miss a black off the spot. Replace the balls for the player and remark on good position. The player may begin to use touches of check side and running side off the top cushion to gain this good position. Explain the effects of side, but advise never to sacrifice the pot at the expense of side. Twenty minutes of this practice is a must, in any coaching session.

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Mental Fitness Mental fitness offers a good opportunity for improved performance. At the highest levels of the game, the difference between players in skill and tactical awareness can be very small and mental factors can account for a winning difference. Mental Fitness can be taught, developed and improved so the main ideas are introduced at level one. Commitment Commitment is the effort and energy that goes into turning goals into reality. Young players are naturally enthusiastic so there is never a shortage of commitment. Confidence Confidence is the belief that you have the ability or resources to meet the demands of any situation you are likely to face. This is a very significant factor in snooker. Every practice we design to match the players ability, is also designed with building up the players confidence. We never jump to difficult practices, but introduce them sequentially in terms of difficulty. The player gets used to high success rates at every step. This builds confidence. Control Control is taking charge. We only take charge of the things that we can take charge of. Players must take charge of their own thoughts and feelings in order to perform well, so we teach them concentration and focus Concentration Concentration is the ability to direct your attention to the business at hand and maintain it for the appropriate amount of time. The player must focus on what is relevant and ignore all the side shows. Just do only what you must do.

What is the player concentrating on?

On every shot the player is taught to do 5 things only:

Stand back and decide on the shot Walk in on the line of the shot Focus on the spot on the object ball Execute the shot Head down
This is the only business at hand, and if the player is not doing this he\she is not concentrating. When we tell the player to concentrate, we want the player to simply bring the attention back to the same 5 things. This drill must be taught, learned and become automatic.

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Players Name:

Players Name:

Coach's Name:

Coach's Name:

Assessment of Player Approach to the table Stance Grip Wrist Bridge hand Thumb Pauses Backswing Follow Through Head Timing Focusing on spot Commitment Confidence Self-control Concentration Control of cue ball Shot selection Break-building Speed of play Using the Rest Top spin shots Stun shots Screw shots Overall improvement

V. Good Good Poor

Assessment of Player Approach to the table Stance Grip Wrist Bridge hand Thumb Pauses Backswing Follow Through Head Timing Focusing on spot Commitment Confidence Self-control Concentration Control of cue ball Shot selection Break-building Speed of play Using the Rest Top spin shots Stun shots Screw shots Overall improvement

V.Good Good

Poor

Comments:

Comments:

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Draft Code of Ethics & Good Practice in The Republic of Ireland Billiards and Snooker Association

The guidelines in this document are based on the guidelines as outlined in the following documents Code of Ethics and Good Practice for Childrens Sport, Irish Sports Council / Sports Council Northern Ireland, 2000. Children First: National Guidelines for the Protection and Welfare of Children, Dept. of Health & Children 1999 Our Duty to Care, DHSS, 2000
The Children (Northern Ireland) Order, 1995

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Core Values in Sport for Young People The work of the Republic of Ireland Billiards and Snooker Association is based on the following principles that will guide the development of sport for young people. Young peoples experience of sport should be guided by what is best for the young person. The stages of development and the ability of the young person should guide the types of activity provided within the organization. Integrity in relationships Adults interacting with young people in sport should do so with integrity and respect for the child. All adult actions in sport should be guided by what is best for the child and verbal, physical, emotional or sexual abuse of any kind are unacceptable within snooker. Quality atmosphere and ethos Snooker for young people should be conducted in a safe, positive and encouraging atmosphere. A child-centred ethos will help to ensure that competition and specialisation are kept in their appropriate place. Care will be taken to ensure that competitive demands will not be placed on children too early so that excessive levels of pressure and high levels of dropout from sport can be avoided. Equality All children should be treated in an equitable and fair manner regardless of age, ability, sex, religion, social and ethnic background or political persuasion. Children with disability should be involved in sports activities in an integrated way, thus allowing them to participate to their potential alongside other children. Fair Play Fair play is the guiding principle of the Code of Ethics and Good Practice for Children's Sport. All childrens sport should be conducted in an atmosphere of fair play. Ireland has contributed and is committed to the European Code of Sports Ethics, which defines fair play as: much more than playing within the rules. It incorporates the concepts of friendship, respect for others and always playing with the right spirit. Fair play is defined as a way of thinking, not just behaving. It incorporates issues concerned with the elimination of opportunities, excessive commercialisation and corruption. (European Sports Charter and Code of Ethics, Council of Europe, 1993). Competition A balanced approach to competition can make a significant contribution to the development of young people, while at the same time providing fun, enjoyment and satisfaction. Leaders should aim to put the welfare of the child first and competitive standards second. A child-centred approach will help to ensure that competition and specialisation are kept in their appropriate place.

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Policy Statement Republic of Ireland Billiards and Snooker Association The Republic of Ireland Billiards and Snooker Association is fully committed to safeguarding the well being of its players and officials. Every individual in the Republic of Ireland Billiards and Snooker Association should at all times, show respect and understanding for players and officials rights, safety and welfare and conduct themselves in a way that reflects the principles of the organisation and the guidelines contained in the Code of Ethics and Good Practice for Childrens Sport. In the Republic of Ireland Billiards and Snooker Association, our first priority is the welfare of the young people and we are committed to providing an environment which will allow participants to perform to the best of their ability, free from bullying and intimidation. The Republic of Ireland Billiards and Snooker Association wishes to provide the best possible environment for all young people involved in snooker. Young people deserve to be given enjoyable, safe sporting opportunities, free of abuse of any kind. These participants have rights, which must be respected, and responsibilities that they must accept. Young people should be encouraged to realise that they have responsibilities to treat other participants and sports leaders with fairness and respect. Guidelines for Managers / Coaches / Referees / Ribsa officials Managers, coaches and referees in childrens sport should strive to create a positive environment for the children in their care. They have an overall responsibility to take the steps necessary to ensure that positive and healthy experiences are provided. The Republic of Ireland Billiards and Snooker Association recognises the key role that coaches, referees and team managers play in the lives of children in sport. All coaches, managers, referees and Ribsa officials should have as their first priority the childrens safety and enjoyment of the sport and should adhere to the guidelines and regulations set out in this Code of Ethics. All coaches, managers, referees and Ribsa officials must respect the rights, dignity and worth of every child and must treat everyone equally, regardless of sex, ethnic origin, religion or ability.

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All coaches, managers, referees and Ribsa officials working with young people in snooker should be suitable and appropriately qualified. They will be expected to go through appropriate recruitment and selection procedures, (see attached application and reference forms), that apply to all persons with substantial access to young people, whether paid or unpaid. References will be needed and will be followed up. There will be a sign-up procedure, whereby the appointed/reappointed leaders agree to abide by the Code of Ethics and Good Practice for Children in Sport and to the policies and code of the Republic of Ireland Billiards and Snooker Association. . All coaches, managers, referees and Ribsa officials will be given a copy of the Republic of Ireland Billiards and Snooker Associations Code of Ethics. They should make themselves aware of the procedures contained within this Code, and comply with them. Once appointed, a coach / manager / selector / club official must act as a role model and promote the positive aspects of sport and of snooker and maintain the highest standards of personal conduct. The use of drugs, alcohol and tobacco must be actively discouraged as being incompatible with a healthy approach to sporting activity. Remember that your behaviour to players, other officials, and opponents will have an effect on the players in your care. Be generous with praise and never ridicule or shout at players for making mistakes or for losing a game. All young players are entitled to respect. Be careful to avoid the star system. Each child deserves equal time and attention. Care must be taken not to expose a child to embarrassment or disparagement by use of sarcastic or flippant remarks about the child or his/her family. Physical punishment or physical force must never be used. Never punish a mistake by verbal or physical means, or exclusion.

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Insist that players in your care respect the rules of the game. Insist on fair play and ensure players are aware you will not tolerate cheating or bullying behaviour. Remember that young players play for fun and enjoyment and that skill development and personal satisfaction have priority over highly structured competition. Never make winning the only objective. Encourage the development of respect for opponents, officials, referees and other coaches and avoid criticism of fellow coaches. When travel/overnight travel is involved, the management team travelling with children must sign a separate agreement. Parents and participants will also be asked to sign permission forms in these instances. It is important to realise that certain situations or friendly actions could be misinterpreted by the participant or by outsiders. Avoid working alone and ensure there is adequate supervision for all activities. Coaches, managers, referees and Ribsa officials are responsible for setting and monitoring the boundaries between a working relationship and friendship with players. It is advisable for coaches not to involve young players in their personal life i.e. visits to coachs home or overnight stays. When approached to take on a new player, ensure that any previous coach-student relationship has been ended by the student/others in a professional manner. When young players are invited into adult groups/squads, it is advisable to get agreement from a parent/guardian. Boundaries of behaviour in adult groups are normally different from the boundaries that apply to junior groups/squads. Managers, coaches or referees who become aware of a conflict between their obligation to their players and their obligation to their governing body must make explicit the nature of the conflict and the loyalties and responsibilities involved, to all parties concerned. In any such instance, priority must be given to the rights of the players. Managers / coaches / referees should communicate and co-operate with medical and ancillary practitioners in the diagnosis, treatment and management of their players medical or related problems. Avoid giving advice of a personal or medical nature if you are not qualified to do so. Any information of a personal or medical nature must be kept strictly confidential unless the welfare of the child requires the passing on of this information

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The nature of the relationship between managers/ coaches / referees and a participant can often mean that they may learn confidential information about a player or players family. This information must be regarded as confidential and except where abuse is suspected, must not be divulged to a third party without the express permission of the player/family Set realistic goals for the participants and do not push young players. Create a safe and enjoyable environment Do not criticise other officials, coaches, managers, and referees. You are the role model for the children in your care Managers / coaches / referees should refrain from smoking and consuming alcohol before and during coaching sessions. Managers / coaches / referees should familiarise themselves with the Code of Ethics and Good Practice for Childrens Sport and with the Republic of Ireland Billiards and Snooker Associations Code of Conduct and follow the procedures if they suspect or receive complaints of abuse of any sort

Code of Conduct for Managers / Coaches / Referees Managers / Coaches /Referees should be Positive during session, praise and encourage effort as well as results Plan and prepare appropriately Put welfare of young person first. Encourage fair play, treat participants equally Recognise developmental needs Qualified and up-to-date with knowledge and skill of sport for young people Involve parents where possible and inform parents when problems arise Keep record of attendance at training Keep a brief record of injury(s) or accidents, and action taken Keep a brief record of problem/action/outcomes, if behavioural problems arise

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Where possible Managers / Coaches / Referees should avoid: Spending excessive amounts of time with children away from others Taking sessions alone Taking children to your home Taking children on journeys alone in their car Managers / Coaches / Referees must not: Use any form of punishment or physical force on a child Exert undue influence over a participant in order to obtain personal benefit or reward Engage in rough physical games, sexually provocative games or allow or engage in inappropriate touching of any kind, and /or make sexually suggestive comments about, or to a child Take measurements or engage in certain types of fitness testing without the presence of another adult Undertake any form of therapy (hypnosis etc.) in the training of children Managers, coaches and referees have a right to: Ongoing training and information with regard to child protection issues Support in the reporting of suspected abuse Access to professional support services Fair and equitable treatment by the RIBSA Be protected from abuse by children / youths , other adult members and parents Not to be left vulnerable when working with children Any misdemeanours or general misbehaviour will be dealt with immediately and reported verbally to the designated person. Persistent breaches of the code will result in dismissal from the RIBSA. Dismissals can be appealed with the final decision being taken by the Executive of the RIBSA.

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Guidelines for Parents The Republic of Ireland Billiards and Snooker Association believes that parents / guardians / carers should: Be role models for your child and maintain the highest standards of conduct when interacting with children, other parents, with officials and organisers Always behave responsibly and not seek to affect unfairly the game / player Never intentionally expose any young participant to embarrassment or disparagement by the use of flippant or sarcastic remarks Always recognise the value and importance of the volunteers who provide sporting/recreational opportunities for your child. Do not question publicly the judgement or honesty of referees, managers, or coaches. Respect referees, coaches, organisers and other players Encourage your child to play by the rules. Teach your child that honest endeavour is as important as winning and do all you can to encourage good sportsmanship. Set a good example by applauding good play on both sides. Encourage mutual respect for team mates and opponents Support all efforts to remove abusive behaviour and bullying behaviour in all its forms. Read RIBSA policy guidelines on bullying and comply with its contents. Complete and return the Consent Form pertaining to their childs participation with the RIBSA Detail any health concerns pertaining to their child on the consent form. Any changes in childs state of health should be reported to member of management team before coaching sessions Ensure that their child is punctual for coaching sessions and games Collect their child on time Ensure that their child is properly attired . Parents or Guardians have the right to: Be informed of problems or concerns relating to their child Be informed if their child is injured Have their consent sought on issues relating to tours Any misdemeanours or breach of this code of conduct will be dealt with immediately by an RIBSA official. Persistent concerns or breaches will result in the parent / guardian being asked not to attend snooker games / coaching if their attendance is deemed to be detrimental to their childs welfare. The ultimate sanction should a parent / guardian continue to be breach of the code of behaviour may mean the RIBSA refusing permission for the child to continue their involvement in representative snooker.

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Guidelines for Young Players For the purposes of this document, young players are defined as those who are eligible to play in u-19 competitions. Young players are entitled to: Be safe and to feel safe Be listened to Be believed Be treated with dignity, sensitivity and respect Participate on an equal basis Have fun and enjoy sport Experience competition at a level at which they feel comfortable Make complaints and have them dealt with in relation to abuse of any kind Get help against bullies Say No To protect their own bodies Confidentiality Recruitment and Selection Policy

The Republic of Ireland Billiards and Snooker Association will take all reasonable steps to ensure that people working with young people are suitable and appropriately qualified. Recruitment and selection procedures are therefore necessary and these procedures apply to all persons with substantial access to young people, whether paid or unpaid. All adults taking responsibility for children in sport should undergo a recruitment process. The responsibilities of the role and the level of experience/qualifications required should be drawn up and clearly stated beforehand. Volunteers should fill in an application form, giving names of two referees that can be contacted. (See sample application form attached). An interview will be conducted by two members of the RIBSA Executive / Snooker Committee. There will be a probationary period of 6 months.

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There will be a sign-up procedure whereby the newly recruited volunteers agree to abide by the Code of Ethics and Good Practice for Children in Sport and to the Republic of Ireland Billiards and Snooker Associations Code of Conduct. Education and training in the basics of child protection will apply to all personnel working with children or young members. The RIBSA or each constituent snooker association affiliated will ensure that all new coaches attend child protection awareness workshop. Every effort should be made to manage and support appointed coaches / managers / referees. Adequate supervision should always be provided. A coach/ manager / official should not have to work alone. A decision to appoint a coach/ manager/ official is the responsibility of the various clubs within the Republic of Ireland Billiards and Snooker Association and not of any one individual within it. Each affiliated association / the RIBSA should ratify recommendations for appointments.

Anti-Bullying Policy What is Bullying? Bullying can be defined as repeated aggression be it verbal, psychological or physical conducted by an individual or group against others. It is behaviour that is intentionally aggravating and intimidating and occurs mainly in social environments such as schools, clubs and other organisations working with children and young people. It includes behaviours such as teasing, taunting, threatening, hitting and extortion behaviour by one or more children against a victim.

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How would you know if a child is being bullied? All bullies operate using furtiveness, threats and fear. Bullying can therefore only survive in an environment where the victim does not feel empowered to tell someone who can help or in which it is not safe to do so. The following indicators are warning signs that a young person might be getting bullied. Reluctance to come to a venue or take part in activities Physical signs (unexplained bruises, scratches, or damage to belongings) Stress-caused illness headaches, and stomach aches which seem unexplained Fearful behaviour (fear of walking to a meeting, going different routes, asking to be driven) Frequent loss of, or shortage of, money with vague explanations Having few friends Changes in behaviour (withdrawn, stammering, moody, irritable, upset, distressed) Not eating Attempting suicide or hinting at suicide Anxiety (shown by nail-biting, fearfulness, tics) Who should deal with bullying? While the more extreme forms of bullying would be regarded as physical or emotional abuse and are reported to the health board or An Garda Sochana, dealing with bullying behaviour is normally the responsibility of officers within affiliated associations or the Executive of the RIBSA. How can it be prevented? Ensure that all members follow the code of conduct, which promotes the rights and dignity of each member. Deal with any incidents as they arise. Use a whole group policy or no-blame approach, i.e., not bullying the bully but working with bullies and the group of young people, helping them to understand the hurt they are causing, and so make the problem a shared concern of the group, (see below) Reinforce that there is a permission to tell culture rather than a might is right Encourage young people to negotiate, co-operate and help others, particularly new or different children Offer victim immediate support and put the no blame approach into operation Never tell a young person to ignore bullying, they cant ignore it, it hurts too much Never encourage a young person to take the law into their own hands and beat the bully at their own game Tell the victim there is nothing wrong with them and it is not their fault

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Child Welfare and Protection Procedures The Republic of Ireland Billiards and Snooker Association accepts that organisations, which include young people among its members, are vulnerable to the occurrence of child abuse. Below are the procedures for dealing with any welfare or protection issue that may arise. Child welfare and the protection of young people is the concern of all adults at all times, irrespective of their role within the organisation. Personnel appointed by the RIBSA to oversee child protection procedures are listed in Appendix 12. If there are grounds for concern about the safety or welfare of a young person you should react to the concern. Persons unsure about whether or not certain behaviours are abusive and therefore reportable, should contact the duty social worker in the local health board or social services department where they will receive advice. Grounds for concern include a specific indication from a child, a statement from a person who witnessed abuse or an illness, injury or behaviour consistent with abuse. A report may be made by any player / official /member of the RIBSA but should be passed on to the Designated Person or to the Childrens Officer who may in turn have to pass the concern to the local Statutory Authorities. It is not the responsibility of anyone working within the Republic of Ireland Billiards and Snooker Association, in a paid or voluntary capacity, or those working in affiliated organisations, to take responsibility or decide whether or not child abuse is taking place. That is the job of the local statutory authorities. However, there is a responsibility to protect children by assisting the appropriate agencies so that they can then make enquiries and take any necessary action to protect the young person. Everyone should follow both procedures outlined below, firstly the procedure for responding to a child in distress and secondly the procedure for reporting the concern.

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Response to a Child Disclosing Abuse Note: Unlike the open approach which is advocated with regard to dealing with bullying, if a young person indicates that they wish to make an allegation of abuse, it is recommended that the person to whom the allegation is being made, be accompanied by one other person. When a young person discloses information of suspected abuse you should: (a) deal with any allegation of abuse in a sensitive and competent way through listening to and facilitating the child to tell about the problem, rather than interviewing the child about details of what happened (b) stay calm and not show any extreme reaction to what the child is saying. Listen compassionately, and take what the child is saying seriously (c) understand that the child has decided to tell something very important and has taken a risk to do so. The experience of telling should be a positive one so that the child will not mind talking to those involved in the investigation (d) be honest with the child and tell them that it is not possible to keep information a secret (e) make no judgmental statements against the person whom the allegation is made (f) not question the child unless the nature of what s/he is saying is unclear. Leading questions should be avoided. Open, nonspecific questions should be used such as Can you explain to me what you mean by that (g) check out the concerns with the parents/guardians before making a report unless doing so would endanger the child (h) given the child some indication of what would happen next, such as informing parents/guardians, health board or social services. It should be kept in mind that the child may have been threatened and may feel vulnerable at this stage. (i) carefully record the details (j) pass on this information to the Designated Person or the Childrens Officer (k) reassure the child that they have done the right thing in telling you

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Reporting Suspected or Disclosed Child Abuse The following steps should be taken in reporting child abuse to the statutory authorities: (a) Observe and note dates, times, locations and contexts in which the incident occurred or suspicion was aroused, together with any other relevant information (b) Report the matter as soon as possible to the Designated Person with responsibility for reporting abuse. If the Designated Person has reasonable grounds for believing that the child has been abused or is at risk of abuse, s/he will make a report to the health board/social services who have statutory responsibility to investigate and assess suspected or actual child abuse (c) In cases of emergency, where a child appears to be at immediate and serious risk and the Designated Person is unable to contact a duty social worker, the police authorities should be contacted. Under no circumstances should a child be left in a dangerous situation pending intervention by the Statutory Authorities (d) If the Designated Person is unsure whether reasonable grounds for concern exist s/he can informally consult with the local health board/social services. S/he will be advised whether or not the matter requires a formal report. A Designated Person reporting suspected or actual child abuse to the Statutory Authorities will first inform the family of their intention to make such a report, unless doing so would endanger the child or undermine an investigation The Protection for Persons Reporting Child Abuse Act, 1998 provides immunity from civil liability to persons who report child abuse reasonably and in good faith to the Health Board or the Gardai (See 5.13.1 ISC. Code). The act also covers the offence of false reporting. The main provisions of the Act are: 1. The provision of immunity from civil liability to any person who reports child abuse reasonably and in good faith to designated officers of Health Boards or any member of An Garda Siochna; 2. The provision of significant protections for employees who report child abuse. These protections cover all employees and all forms of discrimination up to and including, dismissal; 3. The creation of a new offence of false reporting of child abuse where a person makes a report of child abuse to the appropriate authorities knowing that statement to be false. This is a new criminal offence designed to protect innocent persons from malicious reports.

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Allegations Against Sports Leaders The Republic of Ireland Billiards and Snooker Association has agreed procedures to be followed in cases of alleged child abuse against Sports Leaders. If such an allegation is made against Sports Leader working within the RIBSA, two procedures should be followed: The reporting procedure in respect of suspected child abuse The procedure for dealing with the Sports Leader (carried out by the Chairman or the CEO of the RIBSA)

The safety of the child making the allegation should be considered and the safety of any other children who may be at risk. The association should take any necessary steps that may be necessary to protect children in its care The issue of confidentiality is important. Information is on a need to know basis and the Sports Leader should be treated with respect and fairness. The reporting procedure If the Designated Person has reasonable grounds for concern, the matter should be reported to the local health board / social services, following the standard reporting procedure. The Sports Leader While the Designated Person makes the report to the local health board, the Chairman or the CEO of the RIBSA should deal with the Sports Leader in question. The Chairman and the CEO should privately inform the leader that (a) an allegation has been made against him / her and (b) the nature of the allegation. He / she should be afforded an opportunity to respond, and to be accompanied by another adult. The leader should be asked to step aside pending the outcome of the investigation. When a person is asked to step aside it should be made clear that it is only a precautionary measure and will not prejudice any later disciplinary proceedings. The governing body should be informed by the Designated Person that the leader has been asked to stand aside Governing bodies can consider disciplinary action on the leader but should ensure that this does not interfere with the investigation of the Statutory Authorities. It is important that governing bodies consider the outcome of the investigation and any implications it might have. The fact that the alleged abuser has not been prosecuted or been found guilty does not mean that they are appropriate to work with young people in the future.

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Guidelines on General Issues Travelling with children There is extra responsibility taken on by leaders when they travel with children to events. When travelling with young people you should: Ensure that there is adequate insurance cover Not carry more than the permitted number of passengers Ensure use of safety belts Avoid being alone with one participant, put passenger in the back seat, drop off at central locations or seek parental permission to transport an individual participant on a regular basis and clearly state times of pick- up and drop off Supervision Make sure there is an adequate adult: child ratio. This will depend on the nature of the activity, the age of the participants and any special needs of the group. Where there are mixed groups there should be leaders of both genders Avoid being alone with one participant, if you need to talk separately do so in an open environment, in view of others Clearly state time for start and end of coaching sessions or competitions Leaders should remain in pairs until all participants have been collected Keep attendance records and record of any incidents / injuries that arise Away trips / Overnight stays Separate permission forms should be signed by parents and participants, containing emergency contact number All participants should sign a behaviour agreement Management team (manager / coach / selector) will make a report on returning home Communicate with parents and participants with regard to travel times, competition details, other activities, gear requirements, medical requirements, special dietary needs and any other necessary details Rooming arrangements adults should not share rooms with children, children share rooms with those of same age and gender and adults should knock before entering rooms All group socialisation should take place in communal areas (i.e. no boys in girls rooms and vice versa). There must be at least one adult of each gender with a mixed party Lights out times should be enforced Young players should be under reasonable supervision at all times and should never leave the venue or go unsupervised without prior permission

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Safety Coaches / managers have a responsibility to ensure the safety of the players with whom they work Ensure activities are suitable for age and stage of development of participants Keep a record of any specific medical conditions of the participants Keep a record of emergency contact numbers for parents / guardians Ensure any necessary protective gear is used Ensure First Aid kit is close at hand with access to qualified first-aider Know the contact numbers of emergency services Keep first aid kit stocked up Ensure access to medical personnel if needed and have a emergency plan If an incident occurs, make a brief record of injury and action taken. Make a brief record of the problem/action/outcome. Contact the players parents and keep them informed of all details Officials (referees) should ensure the conduct of the game Managers / Coaches should hold appropriate qualifications required by the RIBSA Ensure parents / guardians are informed with regard to finishing time of sessions or events Physical Contact Avoid unnecessary physical contact Any necessary contact should be in response to the needs of the child and not the adult It should be in an open environment with the permission and understanding of the participant It should be determined by the age and developmental stage of the participant - Dont do something that a child can do for themselves Never engage in inappropriate touching