Day One of EPSB Junior Elite Performance Programme Held at Northern Snooker Centre

The first day of the 2025/26 EPSB Junior Elite Performance Programme was staged last weekend at the Northern Snooker Centre in Leeds.

Started in 2023, the Programme is now entering its third season and 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 Women’s Snooker (WWS) Tour and World Disability Billiards and Snooker (WDBS) Tour.

The first session took place on Saturday and was led by Chris Lovell (WPBSA Head of Coaching and Training Development), Andrew Highfield (WPBSA Advanced Level 3 Coach) and former World Snooker Tour (WST) professional Mark Joyce with ten elite junior players in attendance.

The players were welcomed with a team-building breakfast before they were shown a series of performance routines by Joyce as part of the break-building masterclass. Following this, the players split off into pairs to practice the routines and receive hands on tips and advice from the WPBSA coaches.

Chris Lovell said: “It is great to welcome everyone to the Northern Snooker Centre for day one of the programme where the players took part in various performance exercises designed and delivered by Andrew and Mark.”

“Following an enjoyable and challenging day a ranking list emerged supporting the performance aspirations laid out by the programme.”

I’d like to thank the players, our delivery partners and everyone involved in making the day as success” he added.

The second day of the two-part Programme will take place at the Ding Junhui Snooker Academy in Sheffield on Thursday 30 April – during the 2026 World Snooker Championship.