Natural Ability and chances of career?

[Dknox1]

Hey everyone, I just wanted to get some views on how seriously I should take snooker and whether I have the ability to take it forward to a career in the future. I'm 15 years old and have been playing snooker for a year and a half. I started playing an hour every Saturday for a few months with my dad but after six months I joined a junior club and play 3 hours every Saturday morning (of which I do often win). I have owned a 7ft pool table for about 3 years which I play on every day and now play a frame of snooker down my local club with my dad most weekdays. My highest break in a game is 46 followed by 45 as well as a 40 clearance, as well as this I make regular 20s and 30s and I have a high break of 73 on the line up. I play in monthly junior competitions when I play players who have generally played 4-7 years and although they can generally out pot and break build me and still manage to win the majority of my matches due to clinging on in there and the fact that I can generally force errors through safety. I believe my break building will improve through experience and confidence. I am also incredibly excited that in August I am very lucky that my parents have agreed to buy me a full sized snooker table which surely will drastically improve my snooker?
I don't mean it be cocky but I do feel that I can beat others who have played snooker much longer than me, however knowing that players such as Ronnie made a century at 10 that maybe chances of me becoming a professional are slim to none?
Thanks a lot,
Dan

[snookerdad]

Hi Dan

I can give plenty of advice about how to further your junior career (and maybe beyond, if you have the talent). But not without seeing you in action first. Where do you hail from?

Tim Dunkley (World Snooker coach)

[Terry Davidson]

I agree with Tim here. The first thing you should do is go to a very good coach and get an assessment and perhaps a 2hr initial coaching session, just to get the kinks out.

I think you are still young enough to stand a chance at turning pro but believe me it is a long hard road and the older you are the harder it is. First of all, in order to even approach the good amateur level where you could win the British under 19 possibly, I think the first step was to ensure you have a really good cueing action and are delivering the cue consistently straight (thus an initial coaching session).

Then you would have to look forward to practicing at least 4 hours every single day plus playing in every tournament you can enter, not just junior ones but regular tournaments. You will soon learn from these tournaments just how good you have to get because remember you have to be able to BEAT the best amateurs you see on the amateur circuit no matter what their age since there is no special category for under-19 pros, it's all equal.

Once you start running centuries in matches (not in the line-up as even I can do that and I'm NOWHERE NEAR good enough to play levels with a pro, even those ranked down near 100), then you can consider playing in the PTCs, Pink Ribbon and also Q School. But it will take a lot of support from yourself and your parents money wise. It will cost at least 10K a year in expenses and tournament entry fees and initially I can guarantee your prize money won't cover any of it.

If you are motivated, dedicated and have some natural ability (and a pocketful of money or a rich sponsor) I don't see why you couldn't make it by age 21 or 22, which would still be behind most of today's younger pros who started at 8 or 10 years old.

If you live in the southwest near Gloucester, go to the Southwest Snooker Academy and there's a young fellow in there name of Ben who is quite decent but not quite ready for Q School just yet. Have him a set of best-of-17 or something and see how you get on. Ben is probably a bit better than myself and is fully capable of running a ton now and again.

Terry

[Dknox1]

Hey, thanks for the replies, I live in ascot in Berkshire so the swsa isn't too far away. I'd look forward to some coaching and I have no idea of junior and amateur events at the moment as I wouldn't know where to start. Tim does it say you are located in Southampton on the world snooker site? That's about an hour away from me...

[magicman]

however knowing that players such as Ronnie made a century at 10 that maybe chances of me becoming a professional are slim to none?

I always feel really harsh raining on others parade, but you're bang on with your own assessment here.

The problem is not just that your highest break is so small, or that you have none to little experience, or that your safety play in comparison to better players will be inadequate, but that you state you play 'A FRAME' every day with your Dad.

In order to become really, really good you have to love the game to the extent that your parents need to drag you off the table to make you come home and eat your dinner. Far younger, far better players than you currently are, are playing far more than you every day. So how are you going to make up the years you've lost? The competitive experience you lack? The hours of practice they've put in that you haven't? The hours they are still putting in, over and above the ones you currently are?

Sorry son, play and love the game, but be realistic about any chance you have of making it as a pro. If you have intensive coaching, say 2 hours a day, play 12 hours a day, go to every pro-am in the country for the next 3 to 4 years then you would still only have the slim to none chance you prophesied.

[Inoffthered]

I always feel really harsh raining on others parade, but you're bang on with your own assessment here.

The problem is not just that your highest break is so small, or that you have none to little experience, or that your safety play in comparison to better players will be inadequate, but that you state you play 'A FRAME' every day with your Dad.

In order to become really, really good you have to love the game to the extent that your parents need to drag you off the table to make you come home and eat your dinner. Far younger, far better players than you currently are, are playing far more than you every day. So how are you going to make up the years you've lost? The competitive experience you lack? The hours of practice they've put in that you haven't? The hours they are still putting in, over and above the ones you currently are?

Sorry son, play and love the game, but be realistic about any chance you have of making it as a pro. If you have intensive coaching, say 2 hours a day, play 12 hours a day, go to every pro-am in the country for the next 3 to 4 years then you would still only have the slim to none chance you prophesied.

As is often the case here.. Magicman and myself seem to use the same umbrella. Another sensible, down to earth and realistic post! But to the OP.. Good luck also!

[sealer]

If you believe you can do it get some help and support and do it

[spike007]

Natural Ability and chances of career?

I had put together a post that went into depth about my own decision as whether to peruse a career in snooker at 15 but it went on a bit. Basically if you get your new table and spend all your time on it and at your local club, get coaching and enter as much as you can there is no reason you can't become a potential pro assuming you do have bags of natural. Take the advice of Terry and Tim and get yourself checked out it may be the best decision you ever made

[Dknox1]

Thanks magicman, I've gone through that argument in my head over and over again and I always seem to come to that conclusion, however I wouldn't have my parents spending thousands getting me a snooker table if I didn't fully expect to spend a large majority of my spare time on it, one of the guys at my junior club has owned a full sized table for over 10 years and has entered many competitions and made loads of 70s and 80s in competitions including a century and is now 18 and yet we've played 40 matches together and I've won half, so I don't necessarily believe that having a large high break represents your ability to win matches. And I'm sure that a small number of current professionals started at a round about 13. But knowing that theres probably about 10000 Chinese players at the age of 10 that are better than me I know Ive got almost no chance, but as long as I'm enjoying myself that doesn't worry me. I'll try to organise some coaching in the next few months as you all recommend it but thanks for your help!

[snookerdad]

Hi Dan

Yes, I live in Southampton and I'm based at Chandler's Ford Snooker Club. I've sent you a private message.

Tim

[grimreaper]

Mate dont let anyone put you of you only live once just give it your best or you will allways be wondering whether you could of made it.

[magicman]

one of the guys at my junior club has owned a full sized table for over 10 years and has entered many competitions and made loads of 70s and 80s in competitions including a century and is now 18 and yet we've played 40 matches together and I've won half, so I don't necessarily believe that having a large high break represents your ability to win matches.

The fact that a player with a highest break of 46 has won so many matches against this 18 year old, tells me that this 18 year old isn't any good. Sorry. I know plenty of 15 year olds whom you wouldn't win a frame against if you played them til Xmas. You seem to be impressed with 70's and 80's and one century. That's common-place for just 'good' amateurs. Then there are 'great' amateurs, then there are amateurs who are good enough to TRY to turn professional. Don't assess your chances by comparing yourself with your local teenagers. Join the local league and see how many grown men are way better than you. Grown men who themselves are no-where near good enough to turn pro. And that's just your local league, which may well be weak.


On the plus side: -

Don't get me wrong, with the right attitude, hard graft, talent and dedication there is the slightest chance you can get good enough, but don't fool yourself just how far you have yet to travel.

The fact that you win a lot of matches against a 100 break player tells me your safety play is probably better than your highest break would suggest. Unless of course, his is particularly poor.

Your attitude seems laudable.

You seem to have parents who are in the enviable position of supporting your dreams.

You're close enough to the SWSA to practice there.

[Terry Davidson]

magicman has it exactly right. Get to the SWSA and play some of the young guys who practice there.

I played 9 frames with Scott Donaldson, who failed to get his ticket through Q School but did get it from the European Championship I think. He beat me 7-2 and I'm a century break player but I couldn't hold a candle to Scott and in my opinion he has to further improve quite a bit before he can hold his ticket on the tour (not being critical, I think that is a valid assessment after having played Sam Baird who lost his ticket and then got it back immediately in Q School. Sam would likely beat Scott 7-2 quite handily as he had 3 centuries against me (142, 127, 112) and beat me 8-1 and I was very lucky to run out the colours and win one lousy frame!).

You just cannot judge your skill level at a national or international level by only playing other local juniors. Start playing in some of the Pro-Ams where you will meet players of all ages and most likely most of them will be very good amateur players, never mind the pros who will enter. Go to the SWSA to find out the real story.

But, as was said on here before, don't get disheartened. Just know what kind of an uphill battle you'll have to take on and don't expect to do well in your first few pro-ams as it sounds to me like you need some REAL match experience. BUT, if you're motivated and dedicated there's no reason why you can't get to the top amateur level or further.

Terry


Terry

[Dknox1]

Thanks, I really am not worried because I find snooker enjoyable either way. A more experienced player played me a few weeks ago and beat me 2-0 on both occasions (although I should've won a couple of frames), he is definitely better than me (although I think I can beat him, I just wasn't playing well) . Anyway he then played in the pink ribbon and lost 4-0, twice, and having watched some amateurs and streaming qualifying rounds of the lowest ranked professionals I know that in not even close to reaching that level anytime soon.
I was just curious to get others opinions on whether I could improve my game that much in such a short space of time.
Either way I'll try to get some coaching but I will just enjoy myself and see how it goes.

[Chris Bedford]

Natural Ability and chances of career?

Good luck! Chandlers ford hey!! I've practised in that club many moons ago!