The Professional Billiard Instructor Association (PBIA)
The PBIA’s mission is to provide quality billiard instruction to individuals at all levels of proficiency, as well as offer training and certification programs for those wishing to become qualified billiard instructors.

PBIA Program Overview

The PBIA Instructor program is dedicated to, and designed for:

  • Training and certifying individuals to become professional billiard instructors.
  • Supporting and assisting PBIA instructors in their business of providing instruction services.

The PBIA recognizes four levels of instructors

RECOGNIZED Instructor (Entry Level)
In general, this level verifies that an individual possesses a basic knowledge of the sport, its rules and basic training skills.  Recognized Instructors are typically expected to work with novice and intermediate level amateur players. A novice player is just learning the sport and has little or no experience or understanding of the fundamentals. An intermediate player refers to the social player.  An intermediate player plays for fun with friends or in a social league, but who does not have a meaningful grasp of the fundamentals of the sport.

RECOGNIZED Instructor Requirements:

The Recognized level instructor candidate must:

Satisfy several prerequisites for which the instructor trainer may require testing.

These include:

  • Sufficient playing ability to demonstrate techniques and skills to students.
  • Knowledge of the World-Standardized Rules.
  • General knowledge about how to play the game including stance, position play, and strategy.
  • Successfully complete a course taught by an Advanced or Master Instructor.   The course will require the candidate to:
    • Demonstrate a good grasp of the curriculum set out below
    • Demonstrate the ability to communicate and effectively teach subject matter in a structured and organized format.
    • Demonstrated knowledge of the World Pool-Billiards Association (WPA) rules.
    • Be able to use video as an aid for practice and improvement.
    • Submit to the PBIA the Recognized Instructor application form and fee.

The Recognized level curriculum will include the following topics. The candidate is expected to be able to discuss and demonstrate each one, using handouts, technology, and teaching tools where appropriate.

  1. The recognized instructor must have a good working knowledge of the equipment used in the sport.  This should include an understanding of the construction, selection and maintenance of a pool cue, pool tables, cloth, the application and affects of chalk, racks and the mechanical bridge.
  2. The recognized level instructor must be knowledgeable in the Pendulum Stroke model.
  3. Open and closed bridge.
  4. Rail and extended rail bridge.
  5. Mechanical bridge.
  6. Grip placement, configuration and firmness.
  7. Stance.
  8. Practice strokes.
  9. The instructor candidate should have a basic understanding of vision center and how to find it.
  10. Set-Pause-Freeze.
  11. Pre-shot routine.
  12. Aiming systems: The recognized level instructor should have a basic grasp of multiple aiming systems and should have an in-depth knowledge of at least one system so as to be able to teach it effectively.
  13. The use of top, bottom and center cue ball hits on the vertical axis.
  14. The use and effects of side spin.
  15. 30-degree rule and tangent line.
  16. Speed control.
  17. The Recognized level candidate should familiarize him/herself with the PBIA code of ethics and the PBIA administration policies, including the methodology and requirements of submitting student feedback forms.

Recognized Instructor Application Fees and Dues:

  • One-time application fee: $100.00 ($35.00 annual dues included)
  • Annual dues: $35.00

CERTIFIED Instructor (Intermediate Level)
CERTIFIED Instructor Certified instructors work to enhance their knowledge, teaching methods, and curriculum. They able are expected to teach most levels of amateur players, including players who are active in local leagues and tournaments and have a good grasp of fundamentals. A certified instructor should be able to expect that the instructor can identify and provide correction for basic flaws in mechanics and to offer paths for improvement in the areas of position play and game strategy.

CERTIFIED Instructor Requirements:

To advance to a PBIA Certified Instructor, you must:

  • Be a recognized instructor in good standing.
  • Demonstrate mastery of the Recognized curriculum.
  • Log a minimum of 80 hours of student instruction through the PBIA Lesson Tracking System and two years as a Recognized Instructor. Please note that a course teaching 10 students at the same time for 4 hours is recorded as 4 hours and not 40 hours by logging each of the 10 students each four hours. That one course will be listed as a four hour course and have 10 students names in the notes. 80 hours are actual hours the instructor has taught, regardless of the number of students attending the courses.
  • Successfully complete a – course taught by an Advanced or Master Instructor The course will require the candidate to:
    • Submit a video that  demonstrates the  ability to communicate and effectively teach subject matter in a structured and organized format.
    • The ability to create a course of instruction that includes the topics listed below as well as all of the Recognized level topics.
    • Demonstrated proficiency in using a video camera as an instruction tool.
    • Have a working knowledge of technology, social media and alternate platforms of instruction.

The Certified level curriculum will include the following topics. The candidate is expected to be able to discuss and to demonstrate each on, using handouts and teaching tools as appropriate:

  1. Several stroke models.
  2. Correction of flaws in stroke mechanics, stance, and ball approach.
  3. Specialty bridges.
  4. The specialty stroke and mechanics for jump shots, masses and break shots.
  5. Strategies for a variety of games.
  6. Creation of custom training programs for students.
  7. Develop and design individualized drills and practice routines for a student.
  8. The use of side spin.
  9. Multiple aiming systems.
  10. Bank and kick systems.
  11. Pattern play, position play and speed control techniques

Certified Instructor Application Fees and Dues:

  1. One-time advancement fee: $100.00.
  2. Annual dues: $50.00.

ADVANCED Instructor

In general, this level is for instructors that want to become more serious about advancing their career as a professional billiard instructor.

Advanced Instructors may certify Recognized Instructors and upgrade instructors to the Certified and Advanced Instructor levels. It is expected that the Advanced level instructor is qualified to teach all level of players.

Advanced Instructor Requirements:

To advance to PBIA Advanced Instructor, you must:

  • Be a Certified Instructor in good standing.
  • Log in at least 400 hours of instruction  in the PBIA Lesson Tracking System as a Certified Instructor and three years as a Certified Instructor. Please note that a course teaching 10 students at the same time for 4 hours is recorded as 4 hours and not 40 hours by logging each of the 10 students each four hours. That one course will be listed as a four hour course and have 10 students names in the notes. 400 hours are actual hours the instructor has taught, regardless of the number of students attending the courses.
  • Submit a video that  demonstrates the  ability to communicate and effectively teach subject matter in a structured and organized format.
  • Assist in teaching at least two Instructor Training Courses (at least one with a Master Instructor).
  • Provide two PBIA Confirmation of Ability Forms – of which one must be from a PBIA Master Instructor.
  • Possess fluency in all skills and knowledge expected of Certified Instructors.
  • Successfully complete a training course by an Advanced or Master Instructor. The course will require the candidate to:
    • Demonstrate playing proficiency.
    • Demonstrate proficiency in using a video camera as an instruction tool.
    • Demonstrate ability to teach advanced strategies and techniques.
    • Demonstrate ability to recognize and correct skill deficiencies in intermediate and advanced players.
    • Demonstrate proficiency in technology, social media and progressive teaching techniques.
    • Demonstrate the ability to train instructors.

The PBIA Instructor Committee will evaluate each upgrade application and accompanying documents to confirm the Candidate’s certification and upgrade.

Annual dues for an Advanced Instructor are $100. The Advancement fee is $100 which is to be paid at the successful conclusion of the training course.

MASTER Instructor

In general, this level is for all professional billiard instructors wishing to make teaching the game of billiards their full-time occupation.

Master Instructors certify and upgrade all instructor levels.

Master Instructor Requirements:

To advance to a PBIA Master Instructor, you must:

  • Be an Advanced Instructor in good standing for three years.
  • Log a minimum of 400 hours of instruction in the PBIA Lesson Tracking System since your last upgrade. Please note that a course teaching 10 students at the same time for 4 hours is recorded as 4 hours and not 40 hours by logging each of the 10 students each four hours. That one course will be listed as a four hour course and have 10 students names in the notes. 400 hours are actual hours the instructor has taught, regardless of the number of students attending the courses.
  • Have been evaluated and recommended by at least two PBIA Master Instructors.
  • Submit a video that  demonstrates the  ability to communicate and effectively teach subject matter in a structured and organized format.
  • Successfully complete an instructor-training course by a PBIA Master Instructor  who will certify that you can:
    • Teach advanced strategies and techniques.
    • Recognize and correct skill deficiencies in intermediate and advanced players.
    • Formulate effective student evaluations.
    • Develop, prepare, and demonstrate the use of teaching aids including videotaping and other technologies.

Must have experience in additional billiard activities, such as:

  • Working as a Certified Referee, League Official, or Tournament Director
  • Participation in workshops or committees
  • Development of training products/techniques
  • Writing instructional articles/books.
  • Certify and/or upgrade at least 5 PBIA Instructors.

Then PBIA Instructor Committee will review each upgrade application and accompanying documents to confirm the candidate’s certification at the appropriate level.

Annual dues for a Master Instructor are $200.  The Advancement fee is $100 which is to be paid at the successful conclusion of the training course.

Master Instructor Ongoing Requirements Master Instructors are expected to inspire, educate, and upgrade all levels of instructors.  The ongoing requirements are to certify/upgrade a minimum of 5 instructors every 5 years.

Master Application Fees and Dues:

  • One-time advancement fee: $100.00.
  • Annual dues: $200.00.

Questions?  Please direct all PBIA Instructor Program correspondence to:

Professional Billiard Instructors Association
C/O Billiard Congress of America
Attn: Rob Moreno
500 Discovery Pkwy, Suite 125
Superior, CO 80027
480-930-6435
rob@pbia-instructor.com