The European Pocket Billiard Federation today announced its team’s Captain to face the Americans during this year’s staging of the Atlantic Challenge Cup taking place July 8 – 11, 2016 in Schaumburg, Illinois (just outside Chicago).
“We decided to involve the team leaders from the European Youth championships in our consideration and have chosen Lithuania’s Tomas Birkmanis,” said the EPBF president Gre Leenders. “It was a choice made by the EPBF board from the candidates available this year and it is our intention to continue to involve the European coaches and team leaders in future selections. We are a big family over here and we like to reward those who put the effort into what they do and this is one way to encourage the team coaches. Sandra Hanf did a great job as captain for the inaugural event but it was always our intention to involve others,” Mr. Leenders continued.
Thomas comes to the team with some high credentials, not content with being a coach, already a C level in the EPBF curriculum, Tomas has been the president of the Lithuanian pool federation since 2010. He takes charge of many things throughout the federation but has his passion on the future of the game.
During the 2013 European Youth Championships, he guided the youth of the little country of Lithuania to a team silver in 2013. His players also picked up two bronze and a silver in the individuals during the same event. This experience will come in handy knowing the pressure he faces as team Europe’s captain.
When told of his appointment, Tomas was speechless at first but once it sunk in, it was all smiles. “Ï am so happy to be chosen for this position and I will try my best to continue the great work that my predecessor has started,” said Tomas. “She set the bar high, but I believe that I have a strong team that will give everything to fight for that trophy come the 8th of July.”
The European team consists of Maksim Dudanets and Kristina Tkach of Russia, Poland’s Krystian Cwikla, Denmark’s Andreas Madsen, Belgium’s Diana Khodjaeva and the Ukraine’s Vitaliy Patsura in a team of six which face the Americans come the 8th of July.
Press release issued by the BCA & EPBF.
Tomas Birkmanis of Lithuania
EPBF 宣布由 Birkmanis 出任本屆領隊
歐洲撞球協會 (EPBF) 宣布由來自立陶宛的Tomas Birkmanis擔任歐洲青年隊領隊一職，他將率領Kristina Tkach、Diana Khodjaeva、Vitaliy Patsura等年輕球員在今年7月8日-11日進行的第二屆大西洋挑戰盃中迎戰美國青年隊。
“我們決定從歐洲青少年錦標賽中領隊們的表現來考慮 (大西洋挑戰盃) 歐洲隊的領隊人選，最終確定由立陶宛的伯克馬尼斯來擔任領隊，”歐洲撞協主席Gren Leeders說。“這是我們今年從候選人中作出選擇的依據，未來的選用也將繼續以此為依據。我們是個大家庭，我們喜歡獎勵那些為撞球付出努力的人，對教練們來說，這同樣是一種鼓勵。作為首屆賽事的領隊，Sandra Hanf出色地完成了工作，但我們總需要考慮別人。” Leeders補充道。
Tomas非常優秀，從2010年便開始擔任立陶宛撞協的主席，他不僅是個教練，同時也是EPBF課程的C級教員，他為協會做了大量工作但仍然有激情繼續投入到撞球事業中。
2013年歐洲青少年錦標賽，他帶領立陶宛這個小國家取得了團體銀牌的佳績，他的隊員還在個人項目中斬獲了一銀兩銅，這些經歷會幫助他更好地適應作為領隊所面對的壓力。
得知這個消息的時候，Tomas很驚訝，但他瞬間就鎮定下來，他說：“很高興能夠擔任領隊，我會傾盡全力地完成這個偉大的工作，我的隊伍非常強大，我們有足夠的實力來爭奪冠軍獎盃。”
參與本屆大西洋挑戰盃的歐洲青年隊成員包括俄羅斯的Maksim Dudanets、Kristina Tkach，波蘭的Krystian Cwikla，丹麥的Andreas Madsen，比利時的Diana Khodjaeva以及烏克蘭的Vitaliy Patsura。
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