Amateur Snooker: Securing the Future, Bottom-Up…
Amateur Snooker in 2021 and Beyond to Get Big Boost…
Top Sight Right coach Stephen Feeney has launched his vision for a rejuvenated amateur game in the UK and beyond.
Feeney, who has coached the likes of World Champions Ronnie O’Sullivan and Mark Williams, and also rejuvenated Hendry’s game only months ago, has outlined this vision today which is a bottom-up plan rather than a top-down solution for the amateur game.
This directly opposes what the English Partnership for Snooker and Billiards (EPSB) is doing to focus on trying to get players simply to turn pro.
The plan is to bring amateur snooker under one umbrella with a more joined-up approach to league and club snooker with better development for coaches in the snooker eco-system.
Said Feeney in today’s Metro: “I’m doing this because I believe it needs to be done and I believe I’ve got the CV to do it.”
He added: “However, I know that “disruptive” has been my middle name since I introduced SightRight into the sport because it challenges the status quo and what I’m doing now will challenge it even further.”
IMMEDIATE REACTION TO THE AMATEUR SNOOKER REJUVENATION:
The awaited news of this brand fresh development came not long after it was announced in the mainstream press.
Michael Waring, who runs the amateur information Snookerhub website, told SnookerZone: This is a proper development programme. Identify players. Train them up. Simple really.
He added: “This is a lot of what it’s about. Aiming at the grassroots up, rather than pro down. It’s OK helping those who want to turn pro, but some don’t. Some, like you and me, want to get better, but not that good!”
At present, the amateur game is in tatters as some clubs struggle on all fronts. Covid has exacerbated what are already BIG problems.
This includes:
- Clubs struggling to get and retain members.
- Clubs struggling to have enough players sometimes for events
- A struggle to find players who want to progress or who don’t know where to go next in their snooker career.
- A league system that offers little incentives for players who do wish to progress further.
- A disjointed tournament system where expenses are racked up with little reward or help or support unless you are lucky enough to have it.
- A lack of reporting from the press on the amateur game, left to the likes of SnookerZone, Snookerhub and a few others to untangle the web that is the amateur scene.
- A lack of efficient and affordable quality coaching with so many now being able to call themselves a coach!
- Lack of funding for some clubs struggling…
What Feeney is offering is STRUCTURE AND DEVELOPMENT.
WATCH: FEENEY interviewed with Dave Lewis at Pro-Am Snooker UK.
SightRight has proven a very popular coaching method with many of the top pros, and only a few months ago, Stephen Hendry, the 7 times World Champion was pitting his wits back on the snooker table in the World Championship qualifiers.
Interview by @WeAreWST with our @SRCueSports Ambassador @markwil147 👌
Can he stay on Tour until he’s 50 .. what do you think ……. https://t.co/95ohvI5gxz
— STEPHEN FEENEY (@SightRightUK) July 16, 2021
One snooker person on Facebook wrote:
“Interesting news and anything that helps the amateur game has to be considered.
This is a developing story that SnookerZone will follow with interest in the months to come. Keep up to date with SnookerZone as we in the future will attempt to bring you more news and views from the amateur scene and its development on the ground.
Remember, we are no 1 for reviews and coach interviews…
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