Ecclesbourne Award

I have been very fortunate to be selected to receive the Ecclesbourne School Governors Award for Excellence. My mum and dad were invited to the presentation which was held in the 6th form room at the school on Thursday 18th July.

It is a great award. I got a special badge which I can wear on my blazer and a certificate. I have been told that you only get awarded this once and I feel very privileged. I will try hard to keep working at my school work and improving on all areas of my cuesports.

Thanks to my form tutor, teachers and head of lower school and head of year 7 for supporting me throughout my first year. I think I would have really struggled without their help.

2009 Update

My Blog
The world championships June 2009

Hi everyone,

I know it has been a long time but when I am playing and practicing I do forget to update my blog. Dad updates the website for me and keeps on for me to update my blog but I have started in secondary school and it is tough to practice and doing all of the homework set. Still, I have had some time to myself recently and thought I would update my blog to keep you up to date of where I am. I will start off with a review of the World Championships in April 2009.

I had a bad run up to the World Ladies Championships because I had been very unwell and off school. I didn’t practice for the event except for a couple of days just before the event. The doctors didn’t know what the matter was so I had a lot of blood tests to find out- I really hate needles so it wasn't nice to have that done - they suspected glandular fever, but the blood tests came back normal, which is a good because dad had glandular fever when he was younger and was very poorly and also it was a bad thing because we still don’t know why I felt so ill.

My first round robin match was against Vidya Pillai the Indian National Champion. I played my first match well but in the end I lost 2-1. It was quite a close match in every frame and I made a 49 break which was my highest match break ever at that point, so the rest was obviously good for me!

The next day I played Emma Bonney (who had won a ranking event this year and made it to number 1 in the world for a short time). I had another good day of snooker. I went 1-0 down but in the second frame I had a total adrenalin rush and got a 52 break beating my previous day’s high break score 2 days in a row!!! When I first got it I didn’t believe it, I was in total shock. The main reason why I was in shock is because I had been promised by my mum and dad that if I made a 50 in a match I could have a pet gerbil. My coach also promised me a new case just before the World Championships if I broke 50 during the Worlds (I should be getting it soon) so thank you mum and dad and thank you Roger.

My other matches were against Maria Catalano (world no.4) where I lost 3-0, Maria was on fire in my group and I learnt alot from watching her. She moves like Ronnie around the table and I think she knocked in a 70 break against me. I then played Stacy Hancock and won 2-1 so my confidence was quite high. My last match was against Martina Lumsden and I lost 2-1 in a very close battle. One of the ladies Sarah Smith didn’t come because she was ill though so I just want to say hope your better to Sarah.

At the end of the group stages I didn’t qualify but I came 4th out of 7 people in my group. Maria came first in our group so well done Maria!

The junior event

In the world ladies junior event it was decided to play a qualification round robin to get into the final. I won all of my matches and faced my opponent from last year in the final Joanne Davies. The final was a best of 3 match. I won the first frame and cued very well but lost the second frame because Jo raised her game. I had won the title the year before 2-0 but I found it harder to keep the title this time. I got a bit angry with myself but then during the last frame I relaxed a bit and won quite comfortably. That made me the world ladies junior champion for 2009. Jo played well though and put up a fight so well done considering all of the school work that she has had to do for her GCSE's before the tournament.

The Plate

I was out of the main tournament so it was time for the plate. In the first round I played Maureen Logan and I won 2-0. In the second round I played Martina Lumsden, a lady who I lost to in the main tournament and I won this match 2-0. My 3rd match was against Natascha Niermann, the 8x German champion, I was on a high from winning my last 2 matches and I won this match 2-1 with 2 clearances in the first and 3rd frames. I was now in the final and I had a really tough game. I had to play So Man Yan, a Chinese lady, and she was very good. I lost 2-0 but on the black in the first frame and the pink in the 2nd frame. I wasn't happy at losing straight after the match but I got over it quickly when I realised how far I had got and that I had gotten further than the semi final last year. I had played well in the tournament and walked away runner-up.

The ladies doubles

In the ladies doubles there were 3 pairs. There was 1 English lady and 1 Chinese lady in each pair.1 of the pairs was Yu Chingching and Maureen Logan. Another pair was So Man Yan and Christine Sharp and I was paired with Jaique Ip Wan In. I met Yu ChingChing in Thailand at the World Championships in 2007. She played me in the round robin and I was very impressed with her. I have met Jaique a few times before and she an awesome player and a lovely person too. Jacquie and I had to play in the semi-finals. We were against Yu Chingching and Maureen. We won that match and it was very close. So we were in the final against So Man Yan and Christine Sharp and I didn’t want to let Jacque down so I did my best. I knocked in some breaks and Jaique played really well so we both won the final from 1-0 down as well. So that was a second title at my 2009 world ladies championships and my 3rd final of the tournament, this time though I got a trophy and some money for winning.
And that was pretty much it. In my 2009 World ladies championships. I walked away with two titles world ladies junior champion and world ladies doubles champion and I had reached three finals. So overall I had had a good world championship.

I also played in the World Billiards. I practiced for the first time in ages the night before and knocked in my highest break of 125!!!!!! Mum was watching and didn't really understand what had happened. I got to the quarter finals where I played ex World Billiards Champion Chitra Magimairaj. I scored over 150 points in the hour long match and really pushed her. We were very close towards the end until Chitra knocked in a little break to go ahead of me. I did enjoy it though and love playing billiards but I also play snooker and pool and it is hard to practice everything.
I am looking forward to next season. In all of my cuesports matches last season I made it to 10 finals and won 5 tournaments. I am very happy with that result.

Hopefully I will get a chance to play for my country next season and I hope to improve even more with the right practice. The snooker season starts for me with the Wytech World Ladies Masters and the WLBSA UK Championships. I made the quarters of last years Masters and the final of the UK plate last year so I know what I am capable of. Will keep you all informed.

hanks for reading and supporting me through my website.

Byeeee...x

Catch up May 2008, exams and world champ!

Hello

I am sorry for not updating my blog. I have been very busy. I am about to sit my SAT exams and am getting ready for my new school year in Ecclesbourne secondary school. I am very excited about it.

I have just been to the World Championships in Cambridge. I have been practicing very hard for this tournament and have been playing well in the EASB junior tournaments taking frames and matches off very good players. My breaks in practice and matches have been more consistent.

I played very well in the World Championships. I came 4th in my group which is my best finish since I started playing in the championships in 2006. I won 2 matches and came close against the 2007 World Billiards Champion Chitra Magimairaj in our frames even though I lost 3-0. I made it to the semi finals of the World Plate event and lost in 2 close frames to the winner Malgorzata Sikorska - we had played in the groups as well and I lost 2-1 to her. Before the semi finals I beat Jan Hughes 2-0 and Martina Lumsden 2-1.

On sunday 4th May I played in the World Ladies Junior Championships. I beat 15 year old Georgina Holloway 2-0 in the semi final and went into the final with alot of focus. I played 15 year old Joanne Davies and played my best match snooker ever to win the match 2-0. I pretended I was playing Reanne and concentrated really hard to pot the balls and play safe where I needed to. Mum and Dad were very excited and proud and couldn't believe that I had played so well. I had my photograph taken with Ellie, on my own and with Joanne and our referee Dan.

We came back home and I took my trophy into school. My teacher Miss Lemmings was very excited when I showed her the trophy.

I am going to continue to practice my snooker but I also have to practice for my county pool game for Derbyshire ladies which is in 2 weeks. In my last match I won 4 out of 4 and got the player of the match. Dad was playing for the County mens B team and got 3 out of 4 which he was very happy with.

My dad has told me that I have been selected to play billiards for England in the Junior Nations Cup in Vienna in August. I was very excited to hear this. I love billiards but I don't play it that often. A couple of weeks ago I went to Pontins to play in the European Under 19 billiards tournament and played some of my team mates for the austrian tournament. I played well considering that I haven't been playing.

I came second in the Junior snooker red league last season and will be getting another trophy at the next exhibition at the club. This time though I am struggling and have found it difficult to win the close frames. There is plenty of time left though to move up the league table :)

That's all for now. I shall try and update my blog more often after sats. Thanks for looking at my website.

Thailand

Hi everyone, just letting you know how I got on in Thailand and what I got up to.

The flight from Heathrow to Bangkok was 10 HOURS and my legs were killing me and to make it worse when we landed it was boiling hot. We also had to wait about 40 mins for the bus and a further 4 hours to get to the hotel.

The hotel was really nice and we got a great room too.

I won 3 frames overall and I came close to taking a frame or two off a world champion as well! I was very nervous in my first few matches but settled down in the end and relaxed.

1st I played Chai Zeet Huey and lost 3-0 she was a very good player and she had a 50 break against me, then I played Diana Bukina and lost 3-1. I had a chance to win the match but lost out when I was in snookers. I then played Santhinee Jaisekul the Thai lady and lost 3-0, she was very good indeed and beat me easily. She has a strange cue action but it really works and she pots balls from everywhere.

I played the russian Kharlova Svetlana next and lost a close 3-2 which, again, I could have turned into a match win if it wasn't for tough snookers and miss calls.

I then played Wendy Jans (the world champ) and lost 3-0 but took her to the blue in the 1st frame and close in the other frames. Wendy wasn't feeling her best as she had a bad sunburn. It is always nice to play the best ladies because I can learn from playng them.

I finally played Yu Ching Ching and lost this match 3-0. Yu Ching-Ching played very well and the Asia seems to have alot of very good players, including a brilliant young 12 year old called Nicha who played Reanne in the group stages.

I practiced with Michael Rhodes, Reanne Evans, Dan Ward and Reanne Evans. The England team inluding Colin Mitchell were brilliant with me out there and spent alot of time with me. David had 10 centuries before he was ust knocked out in the last 16 to Stefan Mazrocis.

It hasn’t just been the snooker though I have been swimming, going to the gym and I got a massage. I have also been doing my homework which consisted of maths and english which included reading.

I also met a girl called Nicole and she is 14. Her mum is Kathy Parashis who represents Australia. Nicole was brilliant and so was her mum. They took me to the zoo one day and I saw lots of animals; snakes, monkeys, massive spiders, leopards, cheetahs, lions, tigers, elephants, emus, rhinos and lots more.

We went to the mall to eat a few times to have a change from the hotel food which was usually chicken satay or burgers and chips. The mall has lots of shops and an amusement arcade where I beat David Lilley in a car racing game after he had beaten my dad. I also beat him in air hockey (david is you are watching hahahah) There are big fish there as well, approximately 7ft catfish called giant catfish, sharks and sting rays.

To get to the mall we had to use a tuk tuk. Tuk tuks are little 3 wheeled bikes with seats on the back, there is a picture of one in my picture gallery. The tuk tuk drivers used to race against each other, very fast, and there are no seat belts in them. Also there are no sides to the bikes which made it very exciting but also scary. Dad was frightened when we first went on one because we were in different tuk tuks, I was with Dan and Reanne, and we were in front going through tiny gaps very fast and he was unhappy that the drivers were driving so fast with me.

I also went to the tiger temple on Friday as well and I got to hold a tigers head while it was sleeping and have a photo with the cubs they were so cute. The journey was 5 hours each way and we went to Kwae. I walked across the bridge over the River Kwae and dad told me about the history of the bridge and how the prisoners of war built it along with civilian prisoners. We went to the cemetary as well. It was very interesting. We stopped at a roadside cafe and ate some Thai food which was OK. When we got to the temple I was dressed all in pink and they wouldnt let me in because you cannot wear pink in front of the lions so my dad bought me a T-shirt and I wore his coat as a skirt. You can see that in the photographs. I had a preying mantis on my back as well. Not like the normal bugs in this country.

We had the celebration dinner at the end of the event and there was a world karaoke champion there who sang a song to me and I had to get up and dance with Nicole. It was great.

Coming back home was longer on the plane, about 14 hours and when we got back dad drove home. We got back into the house at 1am.

I have Reannes trophy which is awesome and have taken it to school to show my friends, with her permission.

I am back now and practising for the England Under 16's at Rushden on 8th December. I have played my first Junior league match since I got back and beat the Derbyshire under 15 champion Andrew Foster 3-2 which upset him a bit I think. That means that I have only lost 1 game out of 6 matches and have a chance to stay in the top league at the end of the season.

Red league snooker

I won the junior snooker club green league last season and now play in the red league which has the derbyshire under 17 champion in it Tom Kerslake.

I have done very well so far with 2 wins from 2 games. I played Tom Kerslake yesterday and lost the first frame, I won the second frame and the third frame to lead 2-1 but then I lost the next 2 frames. It was still a good result and should keep me from the bottom of the table. That was my goal for this first season. I have set goals for this year with my dad. I shall write about them later.

I had a late birthday party at the snooker club with my friends. There were 13 people who came to it. It was a pool/snooker party and everyone enjoyed themselves. There was lots of food and everyone was playing for prize money. I just walked around helping people to play.

catch up.

Hi everyone,

Sorry i haven't been doing my blog recently. I have been busy practising so here's the latest news.

I recently made a 56! in practice and I know I have made breaks before but I am more more consistent now and i keep getting higher breaks over 20. It's cool.

I played in the East Anglian Ladies Championships in Cambridge. I had 4hours sleep the night before and half an hour sleep in the car on the way to the match. It was very tiring and i lost in the 1st round but i did play in the plate. I got through 2 rounds then into the final i was up against Vicky Ashby. I lost but it was close and I got a really nice trophy and i know tried my best.

!!!!BIG NEWS!!!! I HAVE BEEN INVITED TO PLAY FOR ENGLAND IN THAILAND! I am very excited. I was very brave when i had the injections i had to have one in each arm the colour drained from my face because of shock. I am practicing hard to play well against the other ladies. I know it is going to be hard but it will be a great experience. I am going with Reanne which is brilliant. I will definately keep you updated while i am in Thailand and will do my blog and take pictures while I am there.

Ben Woollaston

Saturday 14th July:

I went down to my local snooker club for one of their junior exhibitions. The special guest was Ben Woollaston who was the European under 19 champion when he was an amateur, but now he is a pro GO BEN!!!! There is a draw but not for the players who play first and last. The winner of the green league plays first and the red League winner plays last.

I was chosen out of the bag and selected to play Ben in the second game. I was very nervous but tried my best I played a couple of good shots including safetys but Ben was too good.

He was trying very hard to get a century and he managed it in his last game of the exhibition. It was excellent and everyone was very impressed with him and his game. We had photographs taken and Ben presented me with an exceptional achievement keepsake to replace the main trophy I won a year ago.

I will be keeping an eye on Ben and hope that he does really well in the pro game this year.

Belgium

Hi everyone here's what I've been up to lately, I went to the European Team Championships in Belgium with my fave player in the ladies game, World Ladies Snooker Champion and World Number 1 Reanne Evans.We came third in the tournament in the third and fourth play offs. We had a chance to it make to final of the major tournament when we had a decider against Belgium 1, Wendy Jans and Isabelle Jonkheere. Reanne played very well but Wendy put her in a tough snooker which Reanne struggled to get out of.

Reanne was excellent during the tournament. It was a great experience for me and I know she carried me in our matches but I did try my best. I even played on Belgium television and made a 20 break winning the televised frame against Belgium 2.

I was and am very proud to have been picked to play for my country.

Update

Hi everybody, sorry I haven't been doing my blog I have been very busy with school and snooker but here's what I have been doing.

I went on holiday to haven holiday camp not so long ago and it was great. On the way down my legs were hurting really bad because we had been sitting in the car for so long around 6 hours. When we got out of the car I was relieved and stretched my legs which felt really good. We had to go to the local shop for food and then we had to unpack but it wasn't all bad. We went to a show that night and played a family prize bingo it was really fun, then we played in the arcade for a while.

The next day was different because we had lots more fun.

First we went swimming i had to go to the shop to buy Ellie(my cheeky little sister) some armbands. They had a massive water slide which unfortunately I didn't get a chance to go on:( in the night we did the same as the night before but stayed longer.

This time we had a pop party mix, games (me and my dad won a game)Ellie played a game on stage called sit in the bucket and lots more. The next day we went to the beach I skipped a pebble over the sea and played with Ellie in the sand, after that we had a really nice meal.

HANNAH J