The suggested logotype is only a temporary draft. At the appropriate time it will be consulted with the respective Olympic Committee for the accordance with the Olympic Sign copyrights law.

„CUE SPORTS ACADEMY”

PROJECT

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1. INTRODUCTION:

The popularity of cue sports in Poland, especially snooker and pool-billiard, in comparison to other non-Olympic sports, has been steadily rising over the past several years. A considerable amount of European Championships and World Juniors Championships medals are the achievements of Polish players on an international arena. Unfortunately, for different reasons, the process of player’s career development is very “casual”. Many talents that had appeared over the past years were “wasted” due to little professionalism of their nominal “tutors”. Many young players, who were particularly predisposed to great success, did not have proper conditions; neither have been given enough opportunities to fully develop their potential.

Many factors determined this situation:

• Lack of qualified coaches, • Motivational deficiency of existing coaches, • Lack of appropriate infrastructure and it’s commercialisation, • Lack of appropriate training powerbase, • Lack of financial backup for further development, • Lack of parent’s support to pursue the career in existing conditions, • To late a start of serious practice, • Insufficient training and competition organisational systems and their incapability to maintain on a level that is up to international standards.

I bring to the attention the fact, that a fully professional training process is impossible to be carried out within an already existing infrastructure (like most billiard clubs in Poland). Although in few sporting (snooker and pool) tournaments there are close to proper conditions maintained (no smoking, no alcohol), the everyday training circumstances are completely different, quite unbearable for professional training process. No proper training equipment, poor quality tables and cloth, noisy and disturbing surroundings, lack of space, bad lighting, cigarette smoke and constantly interfering public are obvious examples.

I would like to come forward to meet constantly changing demands of development of cue sports professional training as I possess the necessary qualifications, knowledge, motivation and willpower. “Cue Sports Academy” will be a fulfilment of great expectations of those who will to develop the cue sports further and also of a Polish “general public”, already quite knowledgeable in this field. Also, it will be a great challenge to all of those who already are involved into a “cue sports society” in Poland.

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2. GUIDELINES AND GOALS:

„CUE SPORTS ACADEMY” will mainly operate on the following factors:

• It will tend to unify two parallel worlds: of snooker and pool-billiard, in Poland; so far there have been many misunderstandings between the two Organisations (Snooker Federation and Pool-Billiard Federation); the process is necessary to stimulate the market of cue sports in Poland and also internationally – for these disciplines to qualify into the Olympic Sports category , • Children (persons), being absolute beginners, will get proper preliminary coaching in the region of technique, rules and behaviour in the game (games) – with such, it is possible that they will not assimilate typical beginner’s technique errors thus, it will enable them to advance quickly and so, motivate them to “stay with the game”, • Children (persons) on an intermediate level will be coached through further advancement of skills, thus achieving faster and easier the expected, satisfactory level of playing, • Advanced players will be able to professionally test their skills and perfect their techniques, • The “top players” will be able to practice according to the original training program based on their erroneousness and individual abilities, using the most modern equipment available in the Academy only, • Possibly there will be courses for already existing in the cue sports field „tutors” to improve the overall cue sports’ training standards in Poland. • There will be exhibition matches and unique, special formulas tournaments organized with the good quality media recordings for internet and TV broadcast.

The main goal for the Academy is to promote cue sports amongst young people and general public. However, I believe that, with the current situation in regards to cue sports activities in Poland, its popularity and potential, this venture will shortly become the leading „story” in the country and thus, create a great marketing value.

3. DESCRIPTION:

CUE SPORTS ACADEMY should be placed in the “easy public transport access” area of the city; few free parking placed would be an advantage. The interior must fulfil the modern, professional training criteria.

The interior should accommodate 4 pool tables and 2 snooker tables, also small “spectators arena” around one of the pool tables must be created. The inside must be soundproof for concentration training, also for that the sound from the inside is not a nuisance for the outside world. The room must be air-conditioned for the constant humidity and temperature regardless of the season. Around each table there must be a special, original equipment fixed for the intensification of the training (cue stroke technique, “muscle and power feel” control, wrist control, etc.) and some multimedia “pieces” like a camcorder and a monitor, etc. Large, moveable mirror should be available.

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Some investment must be put into modern training equipment available in the market, like gravity cue, 360° pure action cue, pro-shot glove, etc.

The “spectators’ arena” with necessary recording equipment and special lighting will be build. Exhibition matches and special formulas tournaments will be organised there, with guests invited. Free access should be available for general public to watch these competitions. Recordings will be broadcasted through the Internet, Cable TV stations and possibly, in the future, on Regional TV stations and that should create a rather significant Brand Marketing opportunity. Such a formula is a “huge step-up” regarding the current situation of cue sports in Poland. Although it takes a lot of work and, undoubtedly, a lot of time to put cue sports through onto larger scale broadcasting, I believe the above is the right way of operating towards any significant brand promotion. The market of Poland should not be underestimated; it is several thousands of people interested in the game and hundreds of potential buyers for, relatively, the economic situation is reasonably good and the trends for having “own” pool table is becoming more and more “a custom”.

4. THE PROJECT’S ACCOMPLISHMENTS’ PLAN:

Because of the innovative factors and because of the fact that not so many individuals in Poland have grown up to the idea of „intentional, individual training” in snooker and pool, one must assume that the preliminary period of sub-zero financial balance may take from around one year up to even 2-4 years. After this period, depending on number of “students” and their profiles, the options of improvements should be considered (“pro bono publico”, top players and media only or, as before, the comprehensive, full-on activity).

The process of developing this venture should be as follows:

• To find appropriate quarters – good location, media, length of lease, price, • To find strategic sponsors – for equipment and to cover costs within the preliminary period, • To draw up and implement a marketing plan – multimedia presentation about the current status of cue sports and their potential for sports self-fulfilment for young but not so fit individuals, meetings with children at schools and youth centres, cooperation with the existing cue sports organisations on a local level, creating Academy’s website, making contacts with firms with offers to organize receptions and pool exhibitions for their employees, looking for further sponsors and contacts with mass media, further in time students of the Academy taking part in sports competitions countrywide, • To develop contacts with celebrities for their visits at the Academy, • To develop contacts on an international scale (foreign visits, taking part in courses, etc.) • To develop tournaments’ and exhibitions’ media broadcasting plans.

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5. AUTHOR’S PERSONAL PROFILE:

WALDEMAR DEBSKI

Rules Instructor of the European Pocket Billiard Federation

Head Referee of the European Pocket Billiard Federation

The Chief of the Referees’ Board of the Polish Billiards Association

Certified Pool Instructor of the Polish Billiards Association

6. SUMMARY:

The above information constitutes key elements for the CUE SPORTS ACADEMY.

The project was developed on the basis of: observations made in the USA, Great Britain and other countries; visits in many clubs; leading and refereeing many tournaments, discussions with many players, coaches, officials and other persons in any way connected to the cue sports society; personal experiences when officiating exhibitions, competitions and courses; studies at the Academy of Physical Education. I have been preparing for many years to be able to carry out such venture with full responsibility for its success.

The implementation of the project is very important to improve and motivate existing structures, also to determine the new standards in coaching cue sports as well as to keep young people within the game and attract newcomers.

Only professional approach suggested here can stimulate further development of cue sports which is not only the crucial factor in improving sales of manufacturers’ products but also the key to attract sponsors to the game and, more important, keep them. Current randomness and amateurish actions very often discourage any newcomers long before they get the real “feel of the game” and so put great limitations onto general progress. In my opinion, the presented formula is not only real to function well but also, it would bring “a lot of good” for the sports. The key elements are innovative character, professionalism in actions and the idea of combining few elements: business, education, sport and “pro public bono” activity.

As the final thought and an interesting fact I would like to mention the business conversation with Mr Neil Tomkins (at the time the Youth Manager of the World Snooker Organisation) I made during my stay in Great Britain. We discussed the usefulness of such a project in the snooker world. Few years later the Organisation put into life the World Snooker Academy in Sheffield; nowadays extremely popular place that brings splendour and marketing profits to everyone involved there.

Waldemar Debski os. Orla Bialego 91/5, 61-251 Poznan , Poland tel. (+48) 504 814 110 e-mail: [email protected] Poznan 2011-03-22

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