You may have seen a recent article on SnookerZone featuring some of my answers to the questions sent to me by Chris Gaynor.
In addition to the article this is the full transcript of the Q&A.
1) Can you tell me your name, age and where you coach and play snooker and your occupation?
My name is Lee Smith and I’m 52 years young.
I coach at the Paddock Wood Social Club in Tonbridge, not far from Tunbridge Wells in Kent.I left Art College in the 90s and have been a Graphic Designer ever since. But after spending the last four years in and around some of the best snooker coaches in the world through my son’s development in the game, I realised that I had a knack for snooker coaching myself.
2) How did you get into snooker and what are your first memories of the game? What gives you a buzz from it? We all get a buzz from something within it, what’s yours?
The real buzz I get from snooker these days is through my coaching and seeing my students improve. I even get goosebumps when a student pots a ball the length of the table with their eyes closed or completes a shot they previously never thought possible!
Through my snooker Facebook group SnookerLife I’m building a great insight into the game and have made many friends in the game already.
3) What are your first memories of snooker and first tournaments – have you played in any?
I can remember jumping on a bus with my mates, around sixteen years old, to go and play in the local newspaper’s (Newsshopper Orpington) open tournament in Bromley, Kent. Whereas my pals were normally knocked out in round one, I would still be plugging away into the quarter finals.
4) Have you had any coaching in snooker? And if so, who? What made you get into coaching?
I’ve not had any coaching myself, but as I say, I’ve been around some of the best coaches in the World for the last 3 to 4 years. And for me, coaching was a natural progression from working with my son, Dylan Smith. Our focus in the game has been so intensive that I guess it’s rubbed off on me and I like to think I make a good coach today.
5) What’s your highest break in the game?
Though I don’t get to play much myself, only a singles league where I live in Tunbridge Wells, I’m capable of 50-60 standard level. I’m sure there’s ton in me if I could only find time to develop my own game. However, through ‘playing the coach’ sessions with my students (where they would normally receive a 30-40 point start) my game is also coming along nicely.
6) What gives you a buzz about playing the game and for those who are thinking about beginning to play, what initial tips would you give them?
I would say this – seek out a coach in your area. Getting off to a solid start is so important in snooker and try to avoid bad habits and unqualified advice from your friends at the club.
7) In your opinion, is there anything you would change about the game?
Well how long have you got… I’d love to see snooker back up to its dizzy heights of the 80s but we also need to be realistic too and work with what we’ve got. I must say though, where are the Ronnie O’Sullivan or Stephen Hendry academies for juniors wanting to take the game up? Isn’t it about time the top stars of the game gave something back?
8) I believe you have a talented son Dylan (I hope that’s right)? How is he getting on? And if so, what are his ambitions in the game etc?
Like all juniors he’d like to be World Champion one day, but it’s one hell of a long, tough and expensive road. With zero funding at junior level we have to find all our funds from some great sponsors, family and friends. He is a good solid player for 14 years old with, I’m told, a beautiful cue action! So onwards and upwards.
9) Who are you friendly with in the game?
Well I have Jimmy White’s number in my phone book haha, enough said. But seriously we’ve met and worked with some legends in the game from the 1980 World Champion Cliff Thorburn (what a lovely guy) to one of warmest, friendliest guys in the game, Willie Thorne (god rest his soul). But Dylan’s all-time favourite player is Mark Selby who he’s yet to play in an exhibition. We live in hope of that one.
10) You’ve recently been trained in SightRight coaching. What was it like being trained in that and do you think SightRight will change the dynamic of amateur snooker in a big way?? What do you think needs to be done on the ground to get more people playing the game?
For me, SightRight is a game changer in snooker. I tend to hold it back for the more experienced players that have years of bad habits to correct including where they believe, or have been told, which is their ‘dominant eye’ which can easily be corrected by the SightRight methods. And the best thing is that everything else tends to fall into place, cueing, stance, walk-in, once we have established their very own SightRight sighting line!
And as far as getting more people playing the game you only have to look at China where snooker is on the school curriculum. Currently I need written permission for my sons half a day off school to practice! Hopefully now Sport England has recognised snooker as a ‘sport’, things will improve, let’s see.
I believe it should have more diverse and fun formats too. Look at the improvements made in cricket with the 20/20 and other formats for example.
Snooker needs an injection of excitement in it, and I’d love to be involved at a higher level within the game. I’ve always been a creative thinker and would love to channel some of my thoughts into making the game more accessible for potential players and more exciting for a wider potential audience worldwide!
11) Can you tell us a funny moment or an unusual thing that’s happened in your snooker time or maybe something outside that people don’t know about you? Any unusual hobbies?
Not exactly a funny moment in snooker but a special one was when Dylan won the EPSB under 14s title for the South of England and we finished the final frame at 10 minutes past midnight in the Crucible Club at Reading. We still had the 2-hour journey home, but we were buzzing and laughing together all the way. We tuned into one of the extreme opinion radio phone ins, and the people that call radio stations in the dead of night, it turns out, are priceless!
It’s fair to say that Dylan wasn’t at the races in his U14s final against Stan, who played very well, in that final, but we still made it back home from Leeds in time to play Jimmy White in our own exhibition in the evening!
I also play golf, tennis and can be found in the odd pub quiz or two. And not many would know this, but I actually delivered Dylan as we never did make it to the hospital in time! Which may explain the special bond we have.
Many thanks for the Q&A Chris and best of luck with your snooker blog.