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(I've FINALLY managed to get a decent internet service, 5Mb down/500Kb up, so I can now post this.)
I would like to thank everyone at the Southwest Academy for showing me such a great time. Of special mention is Janie Watkins who helped me set the whole thing up and then during my stay Paul Williams for taking care of me and getting me to the Academy each day (Janie and Paul Mount were in Sheffield for most of my stay).
Also I would like to thank all those students who came to get some coaching from me and to all of them I would like to reiterate 'KEEP IT SMOOTH'.
The Academy is a first-class facility with a total of 13 Star tables, all with #10 match cloths and all well looked after. Coming from the normal amateur environment the only two major adjustments I had to make were the speed of the tables and the tighter pockets. Even though I have a #10 on my own table at home in my basement facility, I found the Academy tables to be much faster. (I've since checked my temp/humidity in my basement and found the temp was low and the humidity too high so I'm going to install heaters similar to the Academy's and also a de-humidifier to get the humidity down to around 35-40% as it's now up around 50% which is much too high and slows the table down).
The staff of the Academy, Janie, Paul Williams, Debbie and John all were very helpful and bent over backwards to ensure my time there was enjoyable, even taking care of those weekend coaching appointments which were outside of normal business hours. I would also like to thank Paul Mount for giving me a great rate for accommodation and practice time. The accommodations were first-rate and of course so were the practice facilties.
If there are any overseas or even UK players who would like to take a 'snooker vacation' for a week or more I would highly recommend they contact Janie at the Academy and organize accommodation and practice time or even coaching time as there are resident coaches (Paul Mount is certified Terry Griffiths Matchroom) and if you really want some heavy coaching of course Terry Griffiths will likely be taking bookings although I suspect he is a very busy man so you may have to be flexible on your dates.
I enjoyed myself so much that I'm seriously thinking of doing a similar thing next year although this time I may book myself for after the Worlds and perhaps I can play in the Pink Ribbon 2012 event, or maybe even try my hand at a PTC or two if the timing is right. It all depends on how well I can save up some ready cash.
One word of warning for any overseas players. Try and book any airline OTHER than British Airways, as I took BA from Toronto and they charged me 40quid EACH BLOODY WAY for my cue case. The thing only weighed about 2.5kilos and is a 3/4-case and I would hate to think what a 1-piece case would cost as they said it was more dimensions than weight.
Cheers,
Terry
I would like to thank everyone at the Southwest Academy for showing me such a great time. Of special mention is Janie Watkins who helped me set the whole thing up and then during my stay Paul Williams for taking care of me and getting me to the Academy each day (Janie and Paul Mount were in Sheffield for most of my stay).
Also I would like to thank all those students who came to get some coaching from me and to all of them I would like to reiterate 'KEEP IT SMOOTH'.
The Academy is a first-class facility with a total of 13 Star tables, all with #10 match cloths and all well looked after. Coming from the normal amateur environment the only two major adjustments I had to make were the speed of the tables and the tighter pockets. Even though I have a #10 on my own table at home in my basement facility, I found the Academy tables to be much faster. (I've since checked my temp/humidity in my basement and found the temp was low and the humidity too high so I'm going to install heaters similar to the Academy's and also a de-humidifier to get the humidity down to around 35-40% as it's now up around 50% which is much too high and slows the table down).
The staff of the Academy, Janie, Paul Williams, Debbie and John all were very helpful and bent over backwards to ensure my time there was enjoyable, even taking care of those weekend coaching appointments which were outside of normal business hours. I would also like to thank Paul Mount for giving me a great rate for accommodation and practice time. The accommodations were first-rate and of course so were the practice facilties.
If there are any overseas or even UK players who would like to take a 'snooker vacation' for a week or more I would highly recommend they contact Janie at the Academy and organize accommodation and practice time or even coaching time as there are resident coaches (Paul Mount is certified Terry Griffiths Matchroom) and if you really want some heavy coaching of course Terry Griffiths will likely be taking bookings although I suspect he is a very busy man so you may have to be flexible on your dates.
I enjoyed myself so much that I'm seriously thinking of doing a similar thing next year although this time I may book myself for after the Worlds and perhaps I can play in the Pink Ribbon 2012 event, or maybe even try my hand at a PTC or two if the timing is right. It all depends on how well I can save up some ready cash.
One word of warning for any overseas players. Try and book any airline OTHER than British Airways, as I took BA from Toronto and they charged me 40quid EACH BLOODY WAY for my cue case. The thing only weighed about 2.5kilos and is a 3/4-case and I would hate to think what a 1-piece case would cost as they said it was more dimensions than weight.
Cheers,
Terry
who improved the most, who has no hope etc lol
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