02/03/2025
Cwmbran’s Freddie Smith is the Wales under-14s snooker champion and he’s only nine.
The Our Lady of the Angels RC Primary School pupil is flying to Turkey in March to play in the European under-16s championships.
He plays at Redz Snooker Club and I met him there today, with his dad, Pete, and coach Darryl James. I watched him line up shot after shot in various patterns during a practice session.
Two tables away was Jak Jones who had us all on the edge of seats last May when he played in the world snooker final at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.
Freddie told me: “I love potting balls. I love it.” I asked him how his coach Darryl and Rik Washer at the Redz Snooker Academy have supported him to be a better player?
He said: “I’ve learned to stay down on the shot and slow down.”
And with Jak, the world number 17, just a few metres away I whispered: “And on the table over there, is a pretty good player, what’s that like, seeing him play here?”
He said: “It inspires me to play and watching them play it does mean a lot.”
Pete told me Freddie first picked up a cue on a pool table during a holiday in Menorca at the age of four.
He said: “He started potting a few balls. Didn’t think too much of it. I brought him down here because I knew they had a pool table. Again, he sort of naturally picked it up so thought ‘we’ll try him on a snooker table’ because that’s the game I’ve always loved.
“He started potting and the next thing you know everyone is like ‘ok, this is not normal’. He just kicked off from there. He’s done really well.
“He’s just won the Welsh under-14s' event which is phenomenal. He’s just qualified to go to Turkey in the under-16s.
“It’s remarkable for someone so young.”
Freddie is member of Redz Snooker Junior Academy who practice every Saturday morning in a session run by Ric Washer.
Pete said the academy is a “hustle and bustle” of players “just enjoying themselves.”
He added that Jak Jones has “inspired” Freddie and other young players.
He said: “He’s got so much time for the kids. He’ll speak to them, have a chat with them, give words of advice and wisdom. It’s brought Freddie’s game along. It’s great to have him in the club, it really is.”
Pete also thanked the owners of Redz for giving Freddie “free table time” every Monday and Friday saying: “It really helps to make the difference.”
Darryl James, Freddie’s coach, said: “I’ve been playing for 40-odd years. I used to play in pro-ticket events years ago. I’ve been a Welsh international for many years.”
Darryl gives one-on-one coaching to Freddie and around 14 other players.
He said: “They’re doing excellent at the moment, doing as they’re told, listening. It makes my job easier.
“They’re good enough to get on the tour, hopefully, because they’re going the right way about it.
“They’re dedicated. They’ve got so much enthusiasm for the game and it’s just brilliant, it’s excellent.
“They’re really coming through, getting better all the time, great to coach.
“It’s great to look up to Jak. They all want to be like him. Jak spends a bit of time, he’ll have a look at them every now and again to see if they’re heading in the right direction.
“They've got the right set up here at the moment. You couldn’t ask for better. You’ve just got to be patient and hope they keep on improving and improving.”
📸 Freddie lines up a shot under the watchful eye of his coach, Darryl James.
