Australian Billiards & Snooker Council

News

PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2007
20 Oct 2007

After six years in my position as President of the Australian Billiards & Snooker Council (ABSC) this is my final President’s Report, as my term of office concludes at this AGM. I am sure that you will all agree that we have again moved further forward in our efforts and commitment to promoting our sport of Snooker and Billiards throughout Australia.

To conclude the 2006 Australian Championships that occurred after my last report, the Bob Hawke Australian Open Snooker Championship was won by Steve Mifsud who defeated New Zealand’s Dene O’Kane in another great final which went to the last frame, with Steve finally winning 8-7. In the 2006 Australian Open Ladies Snooker Championship, Kathy Parashis defeated Anne Green 4-2 in another closely fought final. Once again, it was a real honour for our sport to have the presence of Bob Hawke at the Final of the Championships, as it is also always a pleasure to stage our premier Open Snooker Championships at the magnificent Mounties Club.

The 2007 Australian Ladies Snooker Championship was held in the Maroochy Club in Maroochydore, Queensland, which was again won by Australia’s most consistent and decorated lady player of recent times Kathy Parashis, who beat Linda Lucas 4-3. The Australian National Men’s Snooker Championship was again staged in the prestigious surroundings of the RACV Club in Melbourne, where Glen Wilkinson won the Australian National Championship by beating the ever popular Shawn Budd in yet another close final by 6-5. The Australian under 21 Snooker Championship was played in Perth with Vinnie Calabrese again outgunning Michael Lupton 6-4 in the Final. The Junior Championships were played at the Commercial Club in Albury this year and the Under 18 Championship was won by Shaun Dalitz, Jessica Woods won the Under 18 Girls Snooker Championship, Kurt Brown won the Under 15 Snooker Championship and Kyle Dalitz the Under 12 National Snooker Championships. The Under 18 Billiards Championship was won by Kurt Brown. In the CL&S Mitchell Cloth Junior Teams Challenge, the Queensland team beat the NSW 3-2 in the Final. The Australian Masters Championships were held Perth, when Australia’s current no 1 player Glen Wilkinson again won the Australian Masters Championship by defeating Nathan Webb.

The Australian Billiards scene was again dominated by Matthew Bolton who notched up another great win in the Australian National Billiards Timed Championships by beating the evergreen player David Collins in the Final. The Australian Open 150 up Billiards Championship was won by Matthew Bolton who defeated Mark Hammer. Both of these events were staged at the Club Marconi in Sydney.

It was Australia’s turn to hold the Oceania Billiards & Snooker Championships and this time it was at a new venue in Beenleigh, Queensland. Our sport was indeed very fortunate to have the input and commitment of a new sponsor and promoter Gemstar Allsports Pty Ltd, who staged this year’s Oceania Championships at a level of professionalism that has not been seen in Australia for a long while. Our sincere and grateful thanks must go to the Directors of Gemstar, Mr. Ray Marks and Mr. Kevin McCann and we will all look forward to working with this company for the benefit of our sport in the future. The very important Oceania Men’s Snooker Championship was again won by New Zealand’s Dene O’Kane, who beat Australian domiciled, but New Zealander Daniel Haenga in what is becoming the normal in Australia, of another close match with a 6-5 victory. In the Oceania Ladies Snooker Final, New Zealand’s Ramona Belmont defeated Kathy Parashis 4-2. The Oceania Billiards Timed Championship was won by Danik Lucas by defeating Steve Mifsud in the Final.

The 2006 Bob Marshall Medal was again awarded to Steve Mifsud after another very solid year of overall performance on the Australian Snooker and Billiards scene.

The 2006 IBSF World Snooker Championships was in Jordan last November, and Australia was again represented by a quality team of Australian players. In the Men’s event Australia was represented by Aaron Mahoney, Steve Mifsud and James Mifsud, the Masters representatives were Glen Wilkinson and Paul Asher and the Ladies were represented by Kathy Parashis and Janine Rollings. Every Australian player represented their country with commitment and honour, with the overall highlight being Glen Wilkinson who was the World Masters Runner Up. It was also my honour as well to be elected the IBSF Vice President for the following two years at the IBSF AGM.

In India at the IBSF World Under 21 Snooker Championships Daniel Faddoul and Adam Grabish were our representatives, in Singapore for the IBSF World Billiards Matthew Bolton, Joe Minici and Frank Humphreys were our representatives. At the 2007 IBSF World Championships in November to be held in Thailand, Australia will be represented by Aaron Mahoney and James Mifsud in the Men’s event, Kathy Parashis and Kathy Howden in the Ladies and Glen Wilkinson and Robby Foldvari in the Masters.

What a great year that Neil Robertson has given to not only our sport, but to Australia as well. Neil has in the last 12 months won two WSA Main Tour Tournaments that has resulted in Neil jumping to be the current number 7 in the world Ranking List. Congratulations to you again Neil, you are a great ambassador for our sport and Australia and a true role model for all of us to follow. It was also great to see Steve Mifsud be rewarded with a place in the 2007/8 WSA Main Tour, following the application by the Oceania Billiards & Snooker Federation after the Oceania Championship was won by Dene O’Kane, who was ineligible as he had played on the previous year’s Main Tour.

The accounts of the ABSC have been very efficiently looked after by our new Treasurer Bob Fraser, and it is most pleasing to report again that the financial standing of the ABSC is at last in a healthy position. This will enable the new President and Board that will be elected today, to be able to start from a positive financial position, rather than the negative financial position that I commenced my term with as President.

The secretarial workload has further increased this year due to Australia’s exposure to the many Championships and events throughout Australia and the World. The commitment to even further improve the standard of communication and information that has been supplied to all players, officials and States, is an absolute credit to Barrie Jones’s extreme commitment to our sport.

The documentation and administration of our many policies that are required to retain our recognition with the Australian Sports Commission has again been expertly handled by Di Dale, and once again I would thank Di for her great commitment to this area of work that is very time consuming, but so necessary for the continued improvement of our sport.

Thanks to Adam Wyard and his company Candela Ltd for donating so much of his time and expertise to our sport through the website. This has proved the most invaluable tool for communication and a great asset to the ABSC. Adam has also recently taken on the voluntary position of the IBSF Webmaster and IT Manager, which again highlights the recognition that the quality of the Australian administration, by having another person involved in the administration of the IBSF.

Every ABSC Board Member has willingly contributed in so many different ways. So a very large thank you to all of the other Board Members - Forbes Davies and especially his extra great efforts as Tournament Director of the Oceania Championships, Frank Dewens, Bob Boutcher, Alex Render and his extra involvement in the Chilli Internet and Australian Open, and Paul Cosgriff and as well his tireless commitment in making the Australian National Championship so successful. Special mention of thanks should also be recorded to Glen Wilkinson and Aaron Mahoney, who together with the already mentioned Alex Render and Adam Wyard, have represented the players views and input to the ABSC Board, in assisting us all in our efforts to make our sport, a better sport for everyone. To the State Association Presidents, State Association Board Members and to the many other volunteers who have been so supportive of our sport in Australia – a huge thank you for your tireless work and immeasurable commitment that has been a magnificent contribution to the success of Australian Snooker and Billiards in this past year.

Another great contribution to our sport again this year has been the Businesses, Clubs, Associations and people that have come forward and contributed sponsorship to the challenge to us all, of supporting our players to represent our country in the World Championships this year. It has been a great response from everyone to the appeal of sponsoring “The Support of Australian Billiards & Snooker”, that has not only supported our players but also our sport as well – and I know that you all feel very proud that you have given in this way, something back to our sport. Just look at our ABSC website to see the sponsorship that we have received this year and who has supported our sport! Could I please especially request, that in return, and whenever possible we all support these Businesses and Clubs that have supported our sport?

The Australian Billiards & Snooker Referees have been again very active and supportive of both Billiards and Snooker in Australia. The secretary Tommy Watson and Chairman John Ivett have undertaken an enormous amount of work and once again a big thank to all referees throughout Australia for the sterling work that they perform on behalf of our sport.

Noel Gourlay, the National Director of Coaching, has been working hard keeping all of the coaching requirements up to date and once again to Noel and all of the Coaches throughout Australia – a huge thank you for your successful efforts in improving the coaching standards of our sport.

The Australian Confederation of Billiards Sports has again proved somewhat disappointing, that we have not progressed any further than we did last year. At our last meeting in Melbourne in August 2007, both the Eight Ball and Nine Ball organizations were invited to join Snooker and Billiards in Beenleigh in 2008 to have an Oceania Cue Sports Festival, and have committed themselves to stage the first Australian Cue Sport event in 2008. Subject to some final agreements, it looks as though we will finally achieve our goals of promoting Cue Sports all together for the benefit of our sport in Australia.

As the ABSC President, I am very grateful for the opportunity of being able to represent the ABSC during this past year by attending the Australian Men’s National Snooker Championship, the Australian Ladies National Snooker Championship, the Australian Open Snooker Championships, the IBSF World Men’s, Ladies and Masters and Under 21 Snooker Championships, the Oceania Men’s and Ladies Billiards & Snooker Championships and the Australian Open Men’s and Ladies Snooker Championships here again at The Mounties Club in Sydney.

As an IBSF Board Member I have also represented our sport in Jordan and India and will be going to Thailand for the IBSF World Championships and the IBSF AGM. Along with the IBSF President, Pascal Guillaume and Jim McMahon and Hamish McInnes of the WPBSA, I have also had the honour of representing Snooker and Billiards for the WCBS.

As stated earlier, this is my final year as President of the Australian Billiards & Snooker Council. The pleasure, honour and enjoyment that I have experienced in these last 6 years has just been unbelievable – and it has therefore been my privilege to have served our sport in this way. In the past 6 years Australia has achieved the great heights of success of three World Champions, two World Championship Runner Ups, seen Neil Robertson achieve so much on the WSA Main Tour and Steve Mifsud gain admission to the WSA Main Tour ranks. When you add to this the vastly improved communication levels, the financial revival of our ABSC accounts, even more Ranking Tournaments, more support and sponsorship and many other areas of progress, I am personally very proud that under my leadership we have achieved so much. However, I have never looked upon any of my efforts or the results that have been achieved as a solo effort, as without any doubt, this has all happened as a committed Team effort by all of the ABSC Board that have served with me over these past 6 years. I therefore sincerely thank all of the past and current ABSC Board Members for all of the efforts and support - but it would be remiss of me to not make special mention of the magnificent support, hard work and dedication that Barrie Jones has given. There has hardly been a day go by in the last 6 years, and sometimes many times a day, when Barrie and I have not spoken to each other with regards to what we can do for our sport – so thanks Barrie your commitment and friendship has been greatly appreciated.

To Mal and Ray Atwell and the CL&S Group - to George Taylor of Alcocks, Thomson and Taylor - to both the Board of Directors of the Mounties Club in Mt. Pritchard and the RACV Club in Melbourne who have again staged and sponsored our main two Championships of the year, the Australian Open and Australian National Championships - to the Maroochy Club in Queensland, to the Club Marconi in Sydney, Pot Black Family Pool & Snooker Centres in Perth and the Commercial Club in Albury - all of which have held Australian Championships this year – to all the other clubs that have held ABSC Ranking Tournaments and to all of our other many sponsors – to the members of “The Support of Australian Billiards & Snooker” – to our very supportive Patron Bob Hawke - on behalf of the Australian Billiards & Snooker Council, thank you all for helping to make the year of 2007 again such a memorable year for Australian Snooker and Billiards.

So, to the new President and new ABSC Board, I would offer my very best wishes for the future and will now pass on the responsibility, the challenge and the commitment to further build on the successes of the last 6 years, for the overall benefit of our sport of Snooker and Billiards.

Michael Peachey
President,
Australian Billiards & Snooker Council.