The Qbar Snooker Club in Walsall Wood has been making huge waves over the last couple of years after creating a junior academy to rival the best in the UK.
Set up by Faye Tapper and her sister Kerri Bradley approximately 18 months ago, the junior academy started off with just eight children and now boasts 70 kids who are trained by WPBSA coaches Dan Buskin and Andrew Highfield.
The Qbar Academy prides itself on its community feel by offering a safe, fun and welcoming place to children of all abilities.
“We wanted to create a platform to give children the opportunity, whether they’re a beginner or have already played the sport, to enjoy the benefits of professional coaching at an affordable cost in a fun and supportive environment,” Faye told Pioneer Magazines. “Also, just to give kids a chance to see what snooker is all about. Our free trials have been very popular with a lot of the children coming back for more.”
As well as providing snooker training, the young students have also benefitted from trips to snooker events and have met some of the stars, including Judd Trump and Qbar regular, Nigel Bond.
“We’re delighted so many children have joined the academy and we’ve had to adapt quickly by setting up more sessions,” said Faye. “We have classes for beginners right through to our junior elite players and split them up into smaller groups so that they all have quality time with our coaches and feel like they are progressing.”
The hard work has been recognised after the Qbar was shortlisted as a finalist in the National Community Sport and Recreation Awards and played host to an international snooker camp earlier this year, which saw talented players from Poland enjoy a one-week residency at the club to work with the WPBSA coaches and snooker professional Nigel Bond.
In addition to the regular academy, the Qbar also runs holiday clubs during the Easter, Summer and October half-term holidays. “As well as enjoying technical coaching, we have packed days of snooker loopy fun with plenty of tournaments, prizes and exciting challenges for seven to 17-year-olds.”
Additionally, the Qbar has been raising its profile with a series of VIP events for adults and kids. This has included a recent sold-out Steve Davis VIP experience and a VIP Nigel Bond and Andrew Highfield Coaching Session.
There are various sessions available throughout the week and weekends. To get in touch, please email: qbarevents@hotmail.com. You can also follow QBar on Facebook.
“We’ve tried to make our prices as affordable as possible,” said Faye. “Our Young Stars group, for example, is just £20 a month for four hourly sessions with some top coaches.”
The Qbar is situated at 146 Walsall Road in Walsall Wood and features 12 full-sized snooker tables, Pro Star tables, American pool and pool tables. There is also a bar serving drinks and food and a room to hire for parties.