What do you expect from a snooker coach ??

[Ramon]

Well, I had a discussion with a very good player about this topic and I found the following piece on internet!!
so I decided to start this thread!!
is not intended to offend any snooker coach in the world and I hope members who answers to this thread, respect that nature !!!

<<<< Each coach has to undergo specific training on demonstrating and explaining playing techniques, roles of a world snooker coach, rules of the game, Good Coach Vs Bad Coach, Child Protection/ Safeguarding, Assessing and developing players, Equality and Diversity.>>>>

well, this is very impressive!! You can read anywhere and listen to different stories about snooker coaches and their glorious certificates and experiences with legends such as S Davis!! very nice.
But the real and most important question is: what do you want or expect of your coach?? Did your coach ever asked this question?? have you ever met a coach who just could'nt meet your expectations??? and most importantly , he admits it to you in a fair way ??
have you ever had a coach who just reject you from the first meeting and says: you'r not realistic and what you want to achieve is (given your talent or level or whatever ..) is impossible???
What kind of player are you?? someone with a strang mentality? someone who can convert the criticism of a coach in a positive act??? or are you someone who just want to hear wonderful stories about yourself plus a cup of coffee??
did ask your coach this kind of questions before he decided to do business with you??
Or was it something like this: I have 9000 certificates and I just can turn you in ROS within 2 months???

any thoughts or experience about this topic ( members and coaches ) ,, looking forward to see it !!
many thanks,,,, Ramon

[Master Blaster]

147s and match winning single visit clearances. Not much to ask is it?

[Byrom]

All depends on where you are at in the game - The coach should first ask what you want to achieve what you think the problems are and then study your game for a few minutes on a range of shots.

A good coach can spot faults and correct things instantly -

I would myself probably expect a few little bits to work on - not to be overloaded with too much information or anything too technical. I would want the benefits demonstrated and him to show an exaggeration of what I was doing and why what he suggested would help me.

I would expect after my game would or might then take a few steps back until I had put enough hours in to make those little bits part of my natural setup in my own game.

Like having a MOT for a car I would hope he then would say - work on them bits for the next few months or so and come back and see me again if you like.

[Ramon]

147s and match winning single visit clearances. Not much to ask is it?

No it's Not ,, Do you think a coach would be satisfied with money for that kind of breaks ?? , or ,,,,

[Master Blaster]

No it's Not ,, Do you think a coach would be satisfied with money for that kind of breaks ?? , or ,,,,

They do it for free.
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And the clues on how to finish the hardest exercises in MB's cueing challenges, especially the Vast Array test. Tek fly, boss walk, jam nitty gritty, they say the Blaster's a pro from London City.

He he he he he he he he he!

* stop messin wiv da special needs Blaster!

[Ramon]

They do it for free.
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And the clues on how to finish the hardest exercises in MB's cueing challenges, especially the Vast Array test. Tek fly, boss walk, jam nitty gritty, they say the Blaster's a pro from London City.

He he he he he he he he he!



* stop messin wiv da special needs Blaster!

Good post my friend !! a man with vision !!

[CoachGavin]

What do you expect from a snooker coach ??

personally i like to feel that the coach listens to what i have to say and the problems i may have. I would hope that the coach explains his points as simply as possible and doesn't give me too much to work on. I would also only go to a coach who i respected and gave a personalised lesson each time. I know of a few coaches I know who seem to repeat the same lesson to everyone and have their own agenda. That's just my opinion.

[pottr]

I know of a few coaches I know who seem to repeat the same lesson to everyone and have their own agenda. That's just my opinion.

The majority of people I have seen giving lessons only seem to do this...

[vmax4steve]

I would expect him to know the game, know his own game, get to know my game and give solid logical and genetic (hand/eye) reasons to everything he teaches.
I would not expect him to just quote from the course he took and show me certificates, and I would expect him to learn something from me as well.

[Crixus]

Exactly. I approached an ex-pro who plays in our league for some coaching. I like the way he plays & keeps it simple. That'll do for me!

[vmax4steve]

And another thing, I would expect him to practise what he preaches so that I could see that that it actually does work.

[Master Blaster]

And another thing, I would expect him to practise what he preaches so that I could see that that it actually does work.

That's a load of nonsense. Next you'll be telling me Del Hill should have landed 5 world titles to be able to coach Ronnie? There are no written rules in coaching but there is best practice. A coach will adapt technique and playing advice to the suitability of the players, e.g. foot-in-line for some, boxer for others and maybe JT for the really talented.

[Master Blaster]

The majority of people I have seen giving lessons only seem to do this...

But a coach has to say some things over and over if the student doesn't listen or if they have persistent problems, e.g. not cueing properly, using the upper arm not the fingers, crap walk-in, not sighting well and not standing properly. If this occurs, the coach has no choice but to drill the student over and over and over again with the same routines. It happens in horse riding in the ring. Best practice given the student's choice of set-up is crucial. Remember, it can take two years or more just to learn how to cue properly. Add in 3 mths for each of stance, bridge, grip etc and you can see why coaches have to spend so long on the same exercises and this doesn't include the time correcting bad habits creeping back into a student's game.

[Master Blaster]

The first thing a coach (ISBF or WS) should do is ask the student what they want from the game. To improve what they have or to make that hydraulic jump and achieve their potential. Most good coaches ask this before a ball is hit. If the student chooses the former, they should expect to make some improvement but not a huge amount. If they choose the latter, they should expect and look forward to big improvements, lots of practice, lots of coaching and lots of money spent.

Coaching is the best money you can spend. In anything, musical instruments, sports, academic tuition, it makes a huge difference to performance. There are so many players who could make 147s but will only make tons because of poor technique. Hundreds of thousands of players who will make 50s instead of tons.

[CoachGavin]

What do you expect from a snooker coach ??

Master Blaster. When i said I hear some coaches repeating the same things i didn't mean to the same student. I meant some coaches seem to just teach the same few things to everyone. It doesn't matter what the student wants or needs they just seem to have a limited amount of knowledge which they repeat to everyone.