Why do players get worse as they get older, in snooker?

[Deepscrew]

I think it has something to do with having played for so long, you replace so much of your 'natural' ability with 'technical' ability and as such, over time you suffer. Eradicating certain technical faults could be why you were so good, years and years of coaching by the manual with, in the end, make you decline.

A mix of natural ability and a sound technical grounding equal the perfect player. Get too technical and your ruined. See it alot in golf especially.

[pottingpinks]

I'd plump for co-ordination being the main common factor, as I think you are generally just not as sharp as when you were younger. I'm late 40s (edging towards 50) and have days where I feel a bit rustic as regards the cue action, which I'm sure wasn't the case say 15 or 20 years ago. I think the last couple of years due to alot of extra practice I have returned to not far off when I was playing my best stuff without really scoring the kind of breaks I once seemed to get in matches (though strangely enough in practice I probably have scored equally well at times.)

Though after having the summer off and trying to get back into the routine not finding it easy to immediately get back in the groove, seem to be playing odd decent frames with alot of average ones mixed in, presume I will gradually deteriorate at some point but am hoping for a few reasonable seasons yet!!

Certainly have noticed most local players when they reach their 70s don't play anywhere near as well so I would imagine that is also down to the extra aches and pains on top of the diminished co-ordination. Plus as stated earlier lack of the same desire you once had in your youth is a factor too.

[pottingpinks]

Not sure about eyesight as I noticed I was struggling a bit with mine at the age of 18 and have coped pretty well since via the use of contact lenses, so as long as you keep seeing the opticians regularly (that reminds me!) not sure that would be the main factor. Obviously there are things like cataracts etc though, sorry to add to the depressing tone of the thread!

[cazmac1]

I think it's comes down to movement on the shot. It might not even be noticeable to the naked eye but it's there all the same.

[pottingpinks]

Yes I'd think youngsters have steadier hands in general as involuntary movement probably becomes more difficult to control as you get older....

[bensuzuki]

Man assumes that thought can be kept secret. It cannot. It rapidly crystalizes into habit and habit solidifies into circumstance

What the mind can conceive, the body can achieve!

[CoachGavin]

Like has been said think its a variety of things but I think big 2 are concentration and then experience. Once players have got families and are older I think they put in less practice and their concentration suffers. Their mind wanders in matches when younger players are just thinking of the game. I think also when a player first starts out experience is needed to reach the top. However then it starts to work against him as he experiences losing from winning positions and missing important balls. These memories subconciously affect you over time and your game changes. You lose that winning mentality and as you get older it gets harder as you also know your best days are behind you so then its a vicious cycle!

[cuemick147]

i,v been playing snooker for at least 30 years and agree that as you get older you dont play as well as you used too, but in the last two years i have made my highest breaks in both match and practise (140 match and 142 practise). maybe we also forget the bad games and only remember the good nites.........