Let's Improve Scottish Snooker!

[Baillie, Stevie]

I would like to ask all members to take a few minutes to add any comments or ideas that they themselves may have, that if implemented would help enhance or benefit Snooker in Scotland for all !
Please feel free to add your ideas, all will be considered.

[Baillie, Stevie]

Ok Boys and girls, I will kick off the topic, let us know of any ideas or wishes that you would like to see implemented within the Scottish game.
All ideas considered.
SteveB

[McGill, Anthony]

I have heard that tournaments next season will be regionalised. I have been looking at the ranking lists for U14's and U16's and it doesnt seem to appear that there are a lot of players that come from west central Scotland, presuming that there will be a N/S/E/W thing going on.
Would it maybe be a good idea to print flyers or posters to send out to more clubs in the Glasgow area and a bit further out? I have spoken to a good few of my school mates and some of them play Snooker in Archways and Snookerscene and they really have not heard of Scottish Snooker tournaments. We could be missing out on a lot of good players just cause they dont know about our tournaments. I have been impressed with a wee guy from dumfries and there could be plenty more wee guys like him around Glasgow and Scotland that we could be missing out on.
If you want any ideas for posters I can help out :)

[Baillie, Stevie]

Hi Ants,
Thank you very much for your ideas and input, being an old foggy like myself as is "most" of the board. This web site and the forum is just the thing we all need to be able to get our finger on the pulse of the game and enable young guns like yourself to communicate with your National Governing Body For Snooker In Scotland. I'm sure that when you see some of the ideas that we will be implementing this coming season, you will be happy at how we are trying to spread the National game across the entire country, thus getting us away from this cramped "west central" Scotland system that we currently have.
Anyway thanks again for your input Ants. We will discuss this at our next meeting.
SteveB
PS Congratulations to yourself and Neil Dillon on making the final of the U16 Scottish National Championship, and may the best man win!

[Collumb, Michael]

i was talking to some of the boys and we think it might be a good idea to introduce an under21 ranking series next season.With alot of challenge tour players dropping off back to the qualifiers in the amateurs i think its unfair to let players play the likes of gary tomson first match when trying to qualify for ex world under 21s . so why not set up an under 21 ranking series and use it as a qualifing tournament for the euro under 19s and world under 21s.

Just a thought,oh and billy martin gets a sponser for and under21 tournament at parklands ill have a word and see if the sponser would be interested in backing up this

What you all think?

MC

[Campbell, Andrew]

I like the idea Michael of the under 21 ranking events, I for one would certinaly be backing that as when the U-19's was taken from the calender I was dissapointed :( , was really looking forward to it only to find out it wasnt being played at all, come on Stevie fill the gap between U-16's and amatuer rankings.

On another note i would like to know if any other clubs are to be used to host ranking events next season. As good a place as Craigspark is its a real pain having to travel there for every event, spreading it around means everyone has events that will be closer to them and it also means that Scottish Snooker can really be Scottish and not stuck in the west central area. Thxs

Andrew C :cool:

[Baillie, Stevie]

Andrew and Michael
Scottish Snooker will be looking at bridging the gap between U16's and the Seniors, on the location of tournaments issue, we will most definetly be spreading the tournaments/qualifying next season. Already we have an Edinburgh Venue - Leith State Snooker Club which is undergoing refurbishment work this summer. We are also liasing with Clubs in both Dumfries and Aberdeen. So hopefully next years events will spread the game and flush out even more talented players around the whole country.
So all in all, expansion of the game is SSL's next priority!

[McGill, Anthony]

I think it would be a good idea if there was a fee that you pay at the start of a tournament and that covered your entry and table fee. Say £10 or £15 for the Under 14 and 16 and maybe £20 for the seniors, because if your playing a really slow player and get beat 3-2 on the black it could cost a lot of money and some players dont have that money to spend over 8 tournaments in a season. This could be the reason why that in the Under 16 only 9 players competed in all the tournaments and only 27 played a full season in the seniors

AM :rolleyes:

[McGill, Anthony]

In relation to the under 21 conversation, i think an under 21 series would be good. However, when you get to these tournaments (euro U-19's, World U-21's) you'll be playing against the best players in Europe and the world. So wouldn't it do your chances of doing better at these tournaments the world of good if you were to play against the best seniors. Playing with the scottish under 21's will find out whose the best among that age group, but im sure you'd improve a lot more by the time you got to these tournaments if you'd played the best in scotland

AM :cool:

[McGill, Anthony]

How have you got on with the clubs in Dumfries and Aberdeen.
Will they be used next year?

[Baillie, Stevie]

No Ants, maybe next year!?
We have one in Edinburgh - Leith State Snooker Club.
So players will be able to go to either Glasgow or Edinburgh for Qualifying rounds.
The later stages of the 8 ranking events will be alternated between Glasgow and Edinburgh.
Junior tournaments will also be played in both Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Your forthcoming players pack will give you complete details for next season.
Patience ma man!