level 1 - acs certification

The Level 1 course is the introductory course for the instructor program. It is a three-day, 8-hour/day Instructors course, allowing prospective instructors to gain basic training. The course must be taught by a minimum ACS Level 3 lead instructor/coach.

The minimum age to take the course is 18 and participants are required to demonstrate an intermediate skill level. For aspiring Level 1 Instructor/Coach candidates, PAT testing is optional and a PAT score requirement of 800 at PAT Level 1 is a general guideline (see PAT Program for more information). ACS Instructor/Coach Level 1 candidates should be aware that Level 3 upgrade may only be eventually obtained through official PAT testing.

(Note: PAT scores are a standard skill designation developed by our sister organizations around the world).

The course covers basic skills of pool, basic pool games, terminology, and etiquette.

• Learning basic techniques for teaching the billiard stroke and body mechanics.
• Participants may also receive instruction on their own billiard stroke and biomechanics.
• Learning to effectively teach the billiard stroke and mechanics to beginning or novice players.
• Training to identify common faults and corrections.
• Learn or review basic rules and effectively answer billiard questions.
• Introduction to billiard ball behavior.
• Billiard physics fundamental terminology.
• Fundamental performance skills criteria and metrics guidelines.
• -  Ability to score at least 65 points in Equal Offense Billiards (10 innings – 6.5/inning average).
• - Demonstrate ability to follow into a 1 diamond area at least 75% of the time (e.g., PAT 1 Exercise 3).
• - Demonstrate ability to draw back cue ball within a 2 diamonds range at least 75% of the time (cue ball and object ball two diamonds apart).
• - Effectively run 3 balls in rotation 50 % of the time (e.g., PAT 1 endless position shot #8).
• Learn video taping and analysis techniques.

[The ACS recommends Jack Koehler's “The Science of Pocket Billiards” and David Alciatore’s “Illustrated Principles of Pool and Billiards” as the official technical textbooks for the program.]