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Re: Ben's Progression

Postby Roland

http://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/sport/9 ... onal_hopes

HAWKERIDGE ace Ben Harrison reckons his chances of breaking into the pro game have been boosted after changes to the structure of the World Professional Tour.

World Snooker announced that the number of players competing on the professional circuit will increase from 96 to 128 from the 2013-14 season while players qualifying for the tour via next year’s Q School will keep their cards for two years, rather than one.

Amateur Harrison, 19, a regular at the Players Tour Championship events, said: “I couldn’t believe it when I found out – my manager (Neil Quigley) phoned me to tell me the news and I was jumping up and down.

“The hardest thing once you get on the tour is to stay on in that first season, so the fact that it’ll be for two seasons at least is really exciting.

“Getting on the tour is all I think about – if I finish as one of the top amateurs in the PTC series then I might get on but if not, then I’ll just have to try for the Q School (next May).

“I spend time talking to the top players at the PTCs and they’re always asking me how I’m getting on so I just want to be part of it.”

Harrison notched up his best-ever result in the PTC series at the start of last month as he reached the last 32 at the seventh tournament at the South West Snooker Academy in Gloucester, eventually losing to world number 15 Matt Stevens.

Re: Ben's Progression

Postby Wildey

yes ive followed the PTC and amataur players quite closely over the last 2 years and whats pretty clear to me Ben Harrison is easily inside the top 10 to 20 Amataur Players on the PTC so if he dont get on Tour with more places opening up it will be a Massive Shock.

Re: Ben's Progression

Postby Roland

With that promise even if he doesn't get in through Q School this time then he sure as hell will next time with more places available. I know I'm biased but I have seen him play a number of times now, and he is absolutely good enough to get on tour and climb inside the top 50 in the next 3 to 4 years. The trouble is, so are a lot of other players and most of them are internationals. Ben's snooker peers are mostly Asian and he'll have that throughout his career, however long that lasts.

Re: Ben's Progression

Postby Roland

I thought I read from 2013/14?

Re: Ben's Progression

Postby Witz78

thats what it said there somewhere but im sure at the time it was announced it was from next season

Re: Ben's Progression

Postby Roland

Well we'll be following his progress in the QSP Series and Q-School so fingers crossed Ben can get one of those places up for grabs.

Re: Ben's Progression

Postby Witz78

honest views from Ben and a good summary there Sonny of his PTC "season" and the PTCs in general.

Maybe you should keep the blog going every month to 6 month with an update on what hes been up to and how his prep for Q-School is coming on.

Good to see the pic of Judd and Ben also drinking BLUE STUFF too :limp:

Re: Ben's Progression

Postby Roland

Thought you'd be impressed with that. Yes I intend to track his progress and will probably do a catch up blog after Q School covering everything in the mean time.

Re: Ben's Progression

Postby Wildey

Judd Trump, Ronnie O’Sullivan and Neil Robertson however netted around £30,000 each for their efforts, and now have the chance to play for the £70,000 first prize in the grand finals to take place in March. When you consider the amount of matches they had to win and the incredible standard they had to play at in order to win those matches, one can understand the gripes even from the top stars.


jesus christ no grumbeling for winning £30,000 for a maximum of 24 days actual play is beyond a bloody joke.

nobody said the PTC was there to make people rich its in place to give playing opertunities and if you good and succesfull make a few bob.

Of course the harsh reality of what it takes to have a successful career as a snooker professional will have hit home to many participants, and there will be many names that we will never come across again. From this angle, the PTCs have been a blessing in disguise for those not good enough to make the grade as they will now have to get on with their lives and find another career away from snooker. The PTCs will have given them a chance to realise this earlier than perhaps they would have done otherwise, and ironically saved them future expenses despite having to take the significant hit of a financial loss in the process of finding this out.


totally agree.

the amount of players that had to reconsider their future after the 1991/1992 opening up the sport was vast so theres nothing really new there.

the good survive the bad disapears and the Great go on to win titles.

Re: Ben's Progression

Postby Witz78

Wild wrote:
Judd Trump, Ronnie O’Sullivan and Neil Robertson however netted around £30,000 each for their efforts, and now have the chance to play for the £70,000 first prize in the grand finals to take place in March. When you consider the amount of matches they had to win and the incredible standard they had to play at in order to win those matches, one can understand the gripes even from the top stars.


jesus christ no grumbeling for winning £30,000 for a maximum of 24 days actual play is beyond a bloody joke.

nobody said the PTC was there to make people rich its in place to give playing opertunities and if you good and succesfull make a few bob.


YES I AGREE TOTALLY THERE WILD <ok>

Re: Ben's Progression

Postby Wildey

Witz78 wrote:
Wild wrote:
Judd Trump, Ronnie O’Sullivan and Neil Robertson however netted around £30,000 each for their efforts, and now have the chance to play for the £70,000 first prize in the grand finals to take place in March. When you consider the amount of matches they had to win and the incredible standard they had to play at in order to win those matches, one can understand the gripes even from the top stars.


jesus christ no grumbeling for winning £30,000 for a maximum of 24 days actual play is beyond a bloody joke.

nobody said the PTC was there to make people rich its in place to give playing opertunities and if you good and succesfull make a few bob.


YES I AGREE TOTALLY THERE WILD <ok>

if thoes events that was in europe gets full ranking status two things happen

1) more money

2) snake hiss off amataurs.

Re: Ben's Progression

Postby gallantrabbit

This fellow Ben seems level headed enough to accept that he is going to have to invest in the PTCs and they're a great opportunity for players like him to get the very best type of match practice.

Re: Ben's Progression

Postby Wildey

gallantrabbit wrote:This fellow Ben seems level headed enough to accept that he is going to have to invest in the PTCs and they're a great opportunity for players like him to get the very best type of match practice.

yea i like his attitute from the moment i came across him on twitter he has embrased the new regime.

Re: Ben's Progression

Postby gallantrabbit

From his point of view he's getting the opportunity as an amateur that amateurs only used to get in pro-ams. And then only the lesser pros would generally enter. Sure he's got to pay for that opportunity. It's called an apprenticeship.

Re: Ben's Progression

Postby Wildey

gallantrabbit wrote:From his point of view he's getting the opportunity as an amateur that amateurs only used to get in pro-ams. And then only the lesser pros would generally enter. Sure he's got to pay for that opportunity. It's called an apprenticeship.

thats how it is in the real world i know the traveling is not genarally that bad as a plummer's apretice however the rewards for being a top plummer isnt that great either.

Re: Ben's Progression

Postby Roland

He's upped his practice to 8 hours a day. He's very single minded about snooker and views it as his chosen career path and believes he will do it, believes in his own ability. He's got the right mind for it.