People with Down’s syndrome are being offered the opportunity to pick up a cue and try out snooker thanks to a new partnership. The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) will partner with DSActive to provide opportunities to learn and take part in the sport.

Administered by the Down’s Syndrome Association, the programme aims to provide people with as many opportunities as possible to be active across England and Wales, with other sports including football, tennis and athletics already supported. All sessions are easily accessible and cater for a range of abilities and ages.

Bob Hill, WPBSA Club and Facilities Manager said:

“I’m really excited about our new partnership with DSActive, which will support our affiliated clubs and coaches to provide high quality and engaging opportunities for players with Down’s syndrome to play snooker. This will also create a route for those club-based players to compete in our WDBS events, knowing that they will enjoy the same positive experience in both environments.”

In 2015 the WPBSA oversaw the formation of World Disability Billiards and Snooker (WDBS), an organisation which aims to provide opportunities for people with disabilities to play snooker. Previous WDBS events staged over the past three years have seen people with Down’s syndrome pick up a cue and this new cooperation looks to develop this further by combining the expertise of both organisations.

In particular, the partnership will ensure:

  • Snooker becomes part of the DSActive programme alongside football, tennis and athletics.
  • Workshops will be provided for WDBS officials and WPBSA World Snooker coaches to raise awareness and encourage club-based DSActive groups, including expert information on how to best adapt activities to suit the needs of people with Down’s syndrome.
  • DSActive will publicise these new accredited sessions based at clubs affiliated to the EPSB’s 147 Club scheme and run by coaches who have attended the workshop.
  • Both organisations will work together to make pathways available for people with Down’s syndrome to become WPBSA World Snooker coaches.
  • The new partnership will be formally launched on 8 February at the WDBS Northern Classic 2019, with players from other sports groups in the area invited to participate in a ‘DSActive Festival’, forming part of the Friday Open Day for the event.

Alex Rawle, DSActive Project Manager said:

“We are really excited to work with WDBS and WPBSA to support more people with Down’s syndrome to play snooker. Snooker is a great sport for people with Down’s syndrome to play, we know many people with Down’s syndrome already benefit from participation in the sport and we want to make sure that more people get the chance to play.”

Learn more about DSActive: www.dsactive.org.uk

Learn more about WDBS: www.wdbs.info

Down’s syndrome: Down’s syndrome is a genetic condition caused by the presence of an extra chromosome. Around one in every 1,000 babies is born with Down’s syndrome. There are over 40,000 people with the condition in the UK.

Everyone with Down’s syndrome will have some degree of learning disability. The most important thing to remember is that everyone with Down’s syndrome is an individual, with their own strengths and weaknesses and personality traits that make them who they are.

The Down’s Syndrome Association (DSA) is a registered (1061474) national charity that exists to provide information and support for people with Down’s syndrome, their families, carers and those with a professional interest. The DSA seeks to improve knowledge and understanding and champion the rights of people with Down’s syndrome. To find out more about the work of the DSA visit our website www.downs-syndrome.org.uk