Why the Right Club Player Can Sometimes Be Your Best “Coach” when You Can’t get to a “Badged Coach”…

There’s a common line in snooker circles: don’t pay too much attention to advice from ordinary club players – and that can sometimes be true.

The thinking is understandable. Too much conflicting input can confuse technique, especially when you’re trying to build a consistent game.

But a recent experience reminded me that this idea isn’t always right.

It also reminded me of the humility and kindness in humanity – which sometimes I’ve seen has lacked in some circles. Fake apologies need not apply.

While playing at Oxshott recently, one of the regular club players noticed something simple I wasn’t doing in my game.

He mentioned it casually and constructively. I applied the change straight away — and my play improved almost immediately. Although it was quite a straightforward tweak, the bigger picture is the way it was delivered.

What struck me most was this: a top coach had actually told me the exact same thing some time ago. But like many players, when you’re focusing on a dozen different elements of the game— stance, cue action, shot selection, match play, pressure, and opponents — some of the basics can quietly slip and bad habits can form.

Brian Cox once told me “the basics will always win.”

Yes, they will. And to the most part I have stood by following that mantra.

Sometimes, though, the basics can get lost in a sea of pressure – but having players who casually remind you if something looks not quite right – is priceless, and does not need a badge to be reiterated.

Sometimes it just takes the right person noticing at the right moment. That’s what happened.

You don’t have to have a badge on. If you know your stuff and you have constructive observation – go for it and help out someone – if you notice a fault in their game. Or, if you see they could have played a different shot, politely inform them that there may have been another shot on.

That’s the power of being able to observe and advise. What they do with it is up to them.

HELP IS THE OPERATIVE WORD HERE

The Basics Often Get Overridden

Snooker is mentally demanding. Players constantly juggle:

• stance and alignment
• cue delivery
• timing and rhythm
• shot selection
• table conditions
• match pressure

With so much going on, even solid fundamentals can drift without us realising. A second pair of eyes can reset those basics instantly – even something as simple as saying remember to keep your head still when delivering the shot. Or not lifting your head up straight away.

That’s not interference — that’s valuable feedback.

Good Observation Is Good Coaching

If a club player understands the game, observes carefully, and communicates constructively, that’s a form of good coaching.

In many clubs, one of two things usually happens:

• Players notice faults but say nothing – some probably don’t want others to progress because it means they might lose out – that’s a shame – and on them.
• Some players offer advice without really observing. Sometimes, advice can confuse but stuff that resonates will always be a winner.

But when someone genuinely studies your game and shares a thoughtful insight, that’s meaningful help. It shows:

• they care about others improvement and not just theirs
• they want others to develop good basics
• they value a culture of growth – lifting everyone up raises standards
• they’re engaged in the game beyond their own performance
• It means everyone gets a good game

That kind of environment benefits everyone.

Coaching Is Not Just a Title or a Badge…

We often think of coaching as something formal — structured sessions, technical instruction, professional guidance. And, of course, qualified coaching is hugely valuable.

But learning in snooker also happens through community and individual learning.

The best club environments encourage:

• openness to feedback
• shared learning
• constructive observation
• support between players

Improvement doesn’t always come from hierarchy. Sometimes it comes from awareness.

The Importance of Listening Without Ego

There’s also a lesson here for players.

Improvement requires humility. Being open to feedback — wherever it comes from — keeps your game moving forward. The key is not to listen to everyone blindly, but to recognise when someone has genuinely spotted something useful. This player did.

Although players like myself, who know quite a bit about technical stuff – we all need the guidance in our own games.

The right constructive comment, delivered at the right time, can reinforce fundamentals and sharpen performance instantly.

Not hurtful comments, or comments that don’t offer any constructive feedback or said without sincerity.

A Culture That Helps Players Grow…

In leaders Eat Last – the book I have read – it talks about the Circle of Safety. If everyone feels valued, that helps ALL players grow.

In fact, clubs should have more of a reward for all kinds of achievements. Not just the person with the biggest break or the tournament win.

What about the player who’s most improved? Or the player who has achieved the most improvement in a year or month.

Accolades for all.

Clubs thrive when players help each other improve. When people notice details, offer constructive input, and encourage development, standards rise naturally.

That’s not criticism.
That’s not interference.
That’s a culture of improvement.

And in the long run, that benefits the entire game.

Snooker ends up the winner in the end…