Practice Hard

Not much chance of practice with work, and the snooker season is drawing to a close so the chance of real match practice is coming to an end. Having said that the Northern Ireland Championships is fast approaching, I have a match on Sunday 18th May which should give me a good indication of my current game before the Poland trip.

Managed a sneaky game lunchtime Tuesday with CCD which was good fun, what a practice partner...another 12 months and he will be looking forward to the NI Championships!!

I will try and get a few hours in over the next couple of weeks, as my club is Mitchells Snooker Club in Cookstown (I will be representing them as well as NI in Poland) Seamus has arranged for some practice time at his club which is great, will try and make the most of that.

Logistically, flights have been organised and accomodation has been booked so roll on Lublin, just get a few more games under my belt and see how things pan out.

And so it begins...

Wow..what a day. I received a phone call last Monday, the day after my 40th Birthday. "Would I like to come down and enter the qualifying tournament for the European Masters Snooker tournament?"

Give it a go, why not. I have been playing since I was 12 and have had plenty of success in the local game, Cookstown Individual 3 years in a row competing against some great natural talents. Here was an opportunity to experience the thrill of playing in a major amateur snooker event, the only problem being....the competition is being held in Poland. Not to worry.

I agreed to call down to the Fountain Snooker Club in Antrim on Saturday, at the ripe old age of 40 years and 6 days to try my hand against my peers. The funny thing was, I wasn't the least bit nervous or apprehensive. Hey, I am the new kid and would have to be the youngest competitor in the seniors circuit! My first match got off to a flying start, tight safety play and good use of the balls when amongst them, first game in the bag.

Halfway through the next, my opponent decides his heart isn't in it and decides to retire, which was a shame, since I was looking forward to pitting my new senior status against one of the best. Anyway, this resulted is a three way playoff, first to win two matches guaranteed to go through. I won my next match 3-1 and the following 3-0 to book my place on the plane to Warsaw.

I suppose the next 6 weeks should be used to practice hard which I will try and do...not always easy with a full time job, part time job, and a loving family but I will try. Maybe try the little line up of balls on the left. My wife maintains I play better when I don't practice...but she would say that, wouldn't she!!

So, off to Poland on the 5th June for 10 days snooker, looking forward to it and maybe seeing some of the sights. The European Masters circuit seems to be huge and very well supported, something that I would really like to get involved in and get my competitive game back in shape. Perhaps life does begin at 40!