STAR Academy... Pottr's perspective

[alabadi]

5 days accommodation and meals too

[Chappy5]

5 days accommodation and meals too coupled with as many bottles of Pepsi Max one kid can drink.

Edited that for you mate!

lol

[alabadi]

Edited that for you mate!

lol

I'm afraid you will have to buy your own drinks

[pottr]

It's not meals... it's a meal per day... which is provided in the £90 day rate you pay for the Academy... You still have to pay for breakfast and your evening meal.

The accommodation was £30 per night and to be honest, with around 10 people in the rooms combined that's a minimum of £1200 per week to cover accommodation costs. You can book luxury villas to house that many for half the cost of that...

I don't think it was value for money is all I'm saying.

I wouldn't have paid £30 a night for that accommodation had I been afforded the opportunity to view it before. No wonder there are no pictures of it on the website.

I also wouldn't have paid £90 a day for a canteen meal, coaching from an incompetent coach and the rest of the time hitting balls around a table without direction...

I understand you're very friendly with the guys who run the place and that's great... But to me, you're defending a position where my lad and I were sold one thing and received something not up to scratch.

[DeanH]

pottr, have you contacted the supplying party yet to discuss your grievance?

[tomwalker147]

Pottr how have you not thrown your new laptop at the wall yet with some of these responses!

[Chappy5]

It's not meals... it's a meal per day... which is provided in the £90 day rate you pay for the Academy... You still have to pay for breakfast and your evening meal.

The accommodation was £30 per night and to be honest, with around 10 people in the rooms combined that's a minimum of £1200 per week to cover accommodation costs. You can book luxury villas to house that many for half the cost of that...

I don't think it was value for money is all I'm saying.

I wouldn't have paid £30 a night for that accommodation had I been afforded the opportunity to view it before. No wonder there are no pictures of it on the website.

I also wouldn't have paid £90 a day for a canteen meal, coaching from an incompetent coach and the rest of the time hitting balls around a table without direction...

I understand you're very friendly with the guys who run the place and that's great... But to me, you're defending a position where my lad and I were sold one thing and received something not up to scratch.

This is where they are making their money mate.

Like you stated Top dollar prices for rubbish accommodation facilities and canteen type food.

For those prices you would want at least a 3 Star type set up at least for the kids to live in and decent food that is cooked by some sort of person that knows what they are doing not canteen type stuff and Microwave dinners etc.

Rubbish Canteen food and the supply of endless fizzy drinks like you stated is hardly helping any child to concentrate and be coached properly like what the dollars they demand for a stay are worth. Seems more like a school camp in what you have stated so far where the kids just run amok with Tables there to play on and a VERY relaxed coaching session to go with it!

I feel for you and if i shelled out the money you did as parent myself and a Snooker lover i would be feeling the EXACT same way as you are.

[alabadi]

It's not meals... it's a meal per day... which is provided in the £90 day rate you pay for the Academy... You still have to pay for breakfast and your evening meal.

The accommodation was £30 per night and to be honest, with around 10 people in the rooms combined that's a minimum of £1200 per week to cover accommodation costs. You can book luxury villas to house that many for half the cost of that...

I don't think it was value for money is all I'm saying.

I wouldn't have paid £30 a night for that accommodation had I been afforded the opportunity to view it before. No wonder there are no pictures of it on the website.

I also wouldn't have paid £90 a day for a canteen meal, coaching from an incompetent coach and the rest of the time hitting balls around a table without direction...

I understand you're very friendly with the guys who run the place and that's great... But to me, you're defending a position where my lad and I were sold one thing and received something not up to scratch.

there a few pics of the accommodation and what's included in the price here http://www.starsnookeracademy.com/pa...r-schools.html
I haven't been to the accommodation so can't comment on its condition.
on the site it says 3 meals included in the price, if you didn't receive that I would complain directly to the academy.

I am friends with Keith and Garry, I am not trying to defend them, I am just giving my opinion of the place and the quality of coaching they do provide. I have seen many junior players come to the academy and improve immensely.

I do appreciate your son might have not got the service you expected for what you paid for, and you have a right to air your grievance, I just don't think that one bad experience makes the place bad and others are forming opinions that the it's not a good place take a kid to learn snooker.

[pottr]

That is not the accommodation Luke stayed at!

[alabadi]

That is not the accommodation Luke stayed at!

oh ok I didn't know, I thought that's where everyone stays, I think they should update their site , I will mention that to them the next time I see them.

[pottr]

Just checked my Satnav in the car.

Norfolk Road, Sheffield is where he stayed... I'll find a picture on streetview of the apartment...

[pottr]

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.37...7i13312!8i6656

That's exactly where he stayed.

[pottr]

I do appreciate your son might have not got the service you expected for what you paid for, and you have a right to air your grievance, I just don't think that one bad experience makes the place bad and others are forming opinions that the it's not a good place take a kid to learn snooker.

For the last time... I have not said this once, nor will I... I am sure it was just a bad week... Again, I feel that is unacceptable.

I'm not taking it up with the Academy because I am a firm believer that I should have asked more questions than I did.

But, I saw the accommodation on the website and would have been happy with that. I saw that it was 'grade A' accredited coaches and would have been happy with that.
I never got either of that.

My review is that... it is a review. It's not a complaint... I'm not even saying my experience is typical... It's an honest account... Take it as you will. I am seeking no recompense... just putting my thoughts across.

[Neil Taperell]

Sounds like an extremely poor effort by The Academy .

I believe that you need to air your grievances with them , that's a lot of money that you paid out there . And

i would have expected a far , far better service than the one your lad received .

If you don't tell them.....how will they improve it for other kids ?

[pottr]

This is what they state on the website, I will give my own assessment...

The Junior Schools at the Star Snooker Academy offer a unique experience for young aspiring snooker players of all standards. From technical coaching on the table to nutritional advice and a psychological insight off of it, the 5 day long course covers every aspect of Snooker.

One lad couldn't grip or stand properly after a week... Kids running past other people playing... One lad's tip fell off four times in a week.

Players receive daily coaching from a top 'Grade A' World Snooker accredited coach to aid improvement in their technical ability and match play. The coaching involves group coaching with all the students, building social interaction and confidence, as well as individual coaching to offer more personal advice to every player.

Coach couldn't speak English, couldn't make a ton on the lineout, taught my boy nothing. Luke did make friends though. Kids thought doubling the black on a respot was the way to go.

Depending on numbers there is a tournament held at the end of the week to give the students the opportunity to apply new techniques they have learnt over the course. The tournament is handicapped by the coach to give all standards a fair chance with a prize going to the winner.

This tournament, was the lads left in a room with two tables... One piece of paper and deciding who would play who and then just bashing them about til the balls were gone...

All students receive a certificate for completing the course.

I guess Luke didn't complete the course coz he received no such certificate...

Nutritious lunch is provided within the Academy building at approx 12 noon. Breakfast is taken before practice at 9.30am before returning to the accommodation around 7-8pm

Breakfast you have to provide and prepare yourself. Also, the day I was there, we were out of the place at 18:00? That might just have been coz it was Sunday but I think Yusef said it shuts at 18:00

Students are housed (see below) approx. 2-3 miles from the Academy with daily transport to and from the Academy provided. Alternatively students who do not require accommodation can arrive at the Academy daily at 10am

.
No complaints here... Other than the accommodation on the website is not where my lad stayed.