Exciting news for Paul Mount and everyone else involved at the South West Snooker Academy yesterday as the facility was named as the first WPBSA Centre of Excellence. Click below for more including quotes from WPBSA Chairman Jason Ferguson…
Regular readers of the blog will know that I have been down to the South West Snooker Academy on a number of occasions now, most recently last week for the PTC2 event when indeed I recorded my impromptu video tour of the venue with owner Paul Mount. As I am sure many of the professional players will testify it is hard not to be impressed with the venue and it comes as no surprise to see it recognised in such a way.
Jason Ferguson said at the announcement on Tuesday evening:
“The programme will create Centres of Excellence all over the world.”
“We will have an elite number of centres that will have achieved the highest standard of facilities and are committed to development of sport both at grassroots and professional level, providing opportunities for all.”
“This is an elite facility and the investment that Paul (Mount) has made here, not just in financial terms, but in the commitment into our sport far exceeds the standards that we require for a Centre of Excellence and I am sure will dovetail well into our schemes.”
“This facility is being used as a centre to train coaches. We are encouraging new coaches into the sport and we will be using the coaches already here and training new coaches.”
“Obviously having Terry here is the icing on the cake to be honest. He’s the best coach in the world and you couldn’t have a better person on board.”
Also in attendance at the announcement were players participating in this week’s Summer School at the venue, including four players from Hong Kong, a nine year old from France and his father, and players from Wales and England.
Later this week the South West Snooker Academy will also be working in Partnership with EBSA to run the inaugural European Junior Open Championship. This is a brand new event for Under 18s, intended to give further playing and developmental opportunities to young players from around the World and to give them a taste of international competition. Players are travelling from as far away as Hong Kong, France, Ireland, Poland, as well as the UK, to compete. The youngest competitor will be nine year old Romain Kuentz from France.
As part of the recognition of Paul Mount’s investment in snooker, he has been nominated by Jason Ferguson for the Gloucestershire Sports Awards, in the category of Services to Sport.