Elite English Juniors Head To Cazoo World Snooker Championship

The English Partnership for Snooker and Billiards (EPSB) will host the second day of the EPSB Junior Elite Performance Programme in Sheffield during the Cazoo World Snooker Championship on Thursday 2 May.

Launched at the start of the season, the Programme provides additional benefits and opportunities for the elite junior players who have qualified as the top seeds on the EPSB Junior Tour, as well as additional invited players who have been selected based upon their achievements at EPSB Junior competitions and other tours such as the World Disability Billiards and Snooker Tour.

The first day of the Programme was held at the Q Bar in Walsall last November and saw 12 elite juniors receive a coaching masterclass from WPBSA expert coaches. Read about the day.

A full list of players involved can be found below:

• Oliver Sykes (Eastleigh)
• Samuel Lee Stevens (Leeds)
• Paul Deaville (Wolverhampton)
• Mitchell Berry (Worcester)
• Daniel Boyes (Leeds)
• Aidan Murphy (Bristol)
• Jake Crofts (Sheffield)
• O’Shay Scott (Southampton) – runner-up in the 2024 English Under-18 and Under-16 Championships
• Nicholas Ayers (Nuneaton) – English Under-14 champion
• Matthew Haslam (Runcorn) – leading English Under-21 player from the World Disability Billiards and Snooker Tour

The day will begin at 11am at the Ding Junhui Snooker Academy. Talks will be given on topics such as Sports Psychology, gaining sponsorship and nutritional advice from expert speakers – including former World Championship finalist Nigel Bond, World Snooker Tour (WST) professional Rebecca Kenna, the WPBSA’s Head of Coaching and Training Development Manager Chris Lovell and WPBSA Advanced coach Andrew Highfield.

In the afternoon, the players will then be invited to the media room at the Crucible Theatre to receive media training and social media advice from WST’s Head of Media Ivan Hirschowitz, before concluding the day with a photoshoot on the arena floor.

WPBSA’s Head of Coaching and Training Development Manager Chris Lovell said: “We are delighted to be able to invite our elite English junior players to Sheffield for the second day of the EPSB Elite Junior Performance Programme.

“The first day at the Q Bar in Walsall was a great success and we hope that the upcoming day at the biggest event in our sport will provide invaluable support and information to the next generation of stars.

“I would like to thank our Delivery Team for sharing their expert knowledge, everyone at Ding Junhui’s Snooker Academy and our sponsors Parris Cues, John Cox Health & Sports Therapy Practice and former world champion Shaun Murphy for their support with the Programme.”

Learn more about the EPSB Junior Elite Performance Programme.