Industry
EPBF LAUNCHES SMARTPOOL The project “Smart-Pool” was introduced by the Dutch Federation to the General Assembly of the EPBF in 2019 in Treviso / Italy.
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lready in 2018, first events were held during the „all-in-one“ European Championships of the EPBF in Veldhoven, The Netherlands.
Pool” is eligible for a European subsidy. Erasmus+ has now officially announced that the EPBF will receive an amount of € 422,950.00 in the next 3 years to roll out and supervise the project in these 5 countries.
After a first evaluation meeting after the European All-in-One ChampionThe EPBF will be responsible for adship, it became clear that this projministration, facilitation and evaluect was getting a lot of interest from ation of the project and the national schools in the Netherlands. So much member federation will be responsiinterest that it was even decided to ble for the implementation and speciexpand the project within the Netherfications in their country. Together we lands It was then also decided to try to roll out the “Smart-Pool” project Smart-Pool’s goal is to make beta will contribute to the development Europe-wide. The Koninklijke Neder- courses more attractive through the of curricula, course material, web- PRESS RELEASE landse Biljart Bond (Royal Dutch Bil- combination with pool billiards. For site, learning platform and other reliards Association) and the EPBF then schools, a curriculum has been devel- sources needed. The EPBF board did “joined forces” and started making oped in which the elements of pool nominate the EPBF treasurer, Mrs. Ine TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN plans on what such a European ap- have been translated into mathemat- Helvik, as project leader for this presical issues, for example by visualizing tigious project. proach could look like. pool billiard situations. The reason LAUNCHES The project,EPBF which combines pool bil- SMARTPOOL for this was the realization that chil- “Smart-Pool is a perfect fusion of pool liards and mathematics at a new level, dren often don’t think math is ‘cool’, and mathematics. Bringing our sport was advertised to all EPBF members, but also doesn’t want to play billiards to the kids and not depending on the kids coming to us is the We are was introduced Federation tofuture. the General what billiards is. by By the turn-Dutch and at the The end 5project national“Smart-Pool” member or know delighted that the “Smart-Pool” projfederations and the EPBF decided ing both things with Smart-Pool into Assembly of the EPBF in 2019 in Treviso / Italy. Already in 2018, first events ect is now also being introduced in 5 and declared that they will invest in something positive, we strengthen TheEPBF subsidyin we rethe math/ numeracy skills ofChampionships youth other countries. held during the „all-in-one“ European of the this project.were The 5 members are: Bulceive for this will certainly lead to the garia, Finland, Germany, Cyprus, The and introduce them to pool billiards. Veldhoven, The Netherlands. project becoming just as successful as Netherlands and the EPBF. After the 5 above-mentioned mem- in the Netherlands”, according to the SmartPool Europe is a project of the bers had declared their willingness to EPBF President - Gre Leenders.” invest in this project, it was decided AfterBilliard a firstFederation, evaluation meeting after the European Pocket to apply for a European subsidy via in cooperation with five, National bilEuropean All-in-One Championship, it became the EPBF, as the European Governliard federations and mathematics ing body for pool and situated in the organisations, all across Europe. The was getting a lot of clear that this project Netherlands, for this project through expertise and networks of the billiard the European project institute interest from schools in the Netherlands. So “Erasfederations, the mathematics organimus +”. sations, combined the research much with interest that it was even decided to expertise of Mulier Institute guaran- After submitting all the necessary paexpand and the disseminaproject within theweNetherlands It the tees good execution perwork, have now received tion. news was then also decidedjoyful to try to that rollthe outproject the “Smart-
"Smart-Pool" project Europe-wide. The 44 | Billiards Buzz • November 2020Nederlandse Biljart Bond (Royal Dutch Billiards Association) and Koninklijke
