PowerGlide English Under-14 Championship Returns for the 2023/24 Season!

The English Partnership for Snooker and Billiards (EPSB) is excited to announce continued sponsorship from PowerGlide Cues as the ever-growing English Under-14 Championship returns for another season.

This support from PowerGlide – leaders in the design and manufacture of premium sports equipment for over 130 years – represents a hat-trick of seasons endorsing the EPSB’s innovative Under-14 Championship structure.

The continued aim of the EPSB’s lowest age group championship is to offer an enjoyable, competitive opportunity to as wide a range of players as possible to support young people starting out on their snooker journeys.

As such, we will again run Stage One of the tournament through club-based qualifiers, working closely with our network of affiliated clubs, predominantly those with established junior sections, to ensure that the right standards are in place for this age group.

This format has proved a successful model during the past three seasons, with over 160 players involved last year!

HOW IT WORKS

Entry will continue to be offered at just £1 with the aim of supporting fledgling players from all backgrounds to take part without any barriers.

• Host clubs will run a qualifier during November, December or January
• Players aged under 14 on the 31 December 2023 can enter one event of their choice
• Entry should be made through the EPSB website
• EPSB dress code will not be applied at Stage One
• A minimum of eight players must enter for an event to go ahead
• Two players will qualify for the next stage from each event
• Further players may be invited to the next stage at the discretion of the EPSB, based on total entries for a club event and number of club events in total

Stage Two will be split into northern and southern sections, scheduled for Saturday 2 March 2024, with further details about format in due course.

The winners of the northern and southern sections will then battle it out in the Final on Sunday 7 April 2024 at Tamworth Sports Bar – scheduled to coincide with the English Over-55 Championship Final at the same venue.

FORMAT

We will continue to apply a format that has worked well for this competition following feedback over the past seasons…

1. Stage One format – club qualifiers will be run as round-robin groups (one-frame matches), followed by knockouts (best-of-3s). No plate competition will be offered.
2. Miss Rule – the miss rule will not be applied at stages one or two of this competition.

HOSTING STAGE ONE – CLUB SUPPORT

We are keen to support our affiliated clubs to host and promote these events effectively.

By empowering club coaches to run club-based qualifiers in conjunction with recruiting players from their existing junior sections and local areas, we’re working together to sustain the significant growth in participation among young people.

To recognise the commitment these clubs are making to run and publicise this competition, the lead coach/individual at each club operating an under-14 club-based qualifier can claim a £30 expense (providing the event goes ahead and with the required minimum number of entries).

We will also share marketing resources to support this promotion, aimed at encouraging young people at any level to take part.

INTERESTED IN HOSTING A QUALIFIER?

Affiliated clubs have until Friday 6 October to confirm their interest in running an event, by an expression of interest email to clubs@epsb.co.uk