The Canadian Pool scene at the top levels, has been in a bit of a decline in the last few years.
There have been a number of high-level players that are still at the top of their game, but haven’t shown up at the international level as being contenders in the last few years.
The most well-known ones would be Alex Pagulayan, Mario Morra and John Morra as they were contenders at the highest levels. Our own Cue Sports Academy Coach, Erik Hjorleifson, has also played in many of the larger US tournaments and placed well in those events. Erik was ranked number 5 in Canada in the 2018/19 rankings.
One of the main issues in producing high level players is the lack of national ranking tournaments where players get to hone their craft. A number of years ago there were more tournaments that tested the players ability and gave them reasons to improve their personal levels.
At this time there are some Provincial tournaments across the country, a number of local tournaments run by local pool halls, and a fairly healthy number of players playing in local league play. It’s become more so a recreational pastime, rather than a goal of many players to excel beyond that level.
In the attempt to really see the game of Pool and Cue Sports in general grow in Canada, we were very pleased to have brought Erik Hjorleifson onto the Academy Team. Erik will definitely assist in developing players to whatever level they want to achieve.
Canadian Cue Sports Academy was created to promote a positive image, and to bridge the gap between the desire to play and the ability to play. With such a diverse population in Canada many cultures are highly aware of the Sports of both Pool (Billiards) and Snooker and remember the great days of the 80’s and 90’s when Canada had a strong presence on a Global stage. We have already seen players dusting off their cues and getting back in to the game after long absences, along with a flurry of University level students keen to pursue a hobby in the hope of gaining some notoriety, or even just to beat their friends. A few refresher lessons and they are already reaping the benefits; becoming more consistent and gaining the confidence to sign up for tournaments.
Our goal is to give prospective players, champions and enthusiasts the opportunity to be able to hone their skills, whatever their objectives might be. By working with clubs across Canada we also open up the Cue Sports network to new players by connecting them with well equipped, supportive establishments keen to grow the sport and keep their businesses thriving.
Recently, Cue Sports has been considered for Olympic inclusion too with a bid presented for Paris 2024 to be included. Unsuccessful on this occasion it is surely only a matter of time before it is accepted and from there the game will continue to grow again as popularity increases, particularly in North America – a largely untapped market for Snooker, and a huge client base for Pool.
By positioning ourselves as the premier Cue Sports coaching service in Canada, and backed by the WPBSA and CBSA governing bodies, we will be well placed to support the inevitable growth, and will have a key hand in that growth by developing the next generations of players, while also increasing the ability and desire of players today. Our combination of high-quality coaches, professional coaching methods and next generation development drives us to put Canada back on the global map again!
Canadian Cue Sports Academy was created to promote a positive image, and to bridge the gap between the desire to play and the ability to play. With such a diverse population in Canada many cultures are highly aware of the Sports of both Pool (Billiards) and Snooker and remember the great days of the 80’s and 90’s when Canada had a strong presence on a Global stage. We have already seen players dusting off their cues and getting back in to the game after long absences, along with a flurry of University level students keen to pursue a hobby in the hope of gaining some notoriety, or even just to beat their friends. A few refresher lessons and they are already reaping the benefits; becoming more consistent and gaining the confidence to sign up for tournaments.
Our goal is to give prospective players, champions and enthusiasts the opportunity to be able to hone their skills, whatever their objectives might be. By working with clubs across Canada we also open up the Cue Sports network to new players by connecting them with well equipped, supportive establishments keen to grow the sport and keep their businesses thriving.
Recently, Cue Sports has been considered for Olympic inclusion too with a bid presented for Paris 2024 to be included. Unsuccessful on this occasion it is surely only a matter of time before it is accepted and from there the game will continue to grow again as popularity increases, particularly in North America – a largely untapped market for Snooker, and a huge client base for Pool.
By positioning ourselves as the premier Cue Sports coaching service in Canada, and backed by the WPBSA and CBSA governing bodies, we will be well placed to support the inevitable growth, and will have a key hand in that growth by developing the next generations of players, while also increasing the ability and desire of players today. Our combination of high-quality coaches, professional coaching methods and next generation development drives us to put Canada back on the global map again!
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