Ken Doherty took time out of his busy practice schedule to pass on some of his top tips and advice to the Academy.

---

When did you first take up snooker?
When I was 10 I woke up on Christmas morning to find a little 2x1 table at the bottom of my bed.

When did you realise you were any good at it?
By about lunch time on Christmas Day!

Did you have someone to coach you or did you teach yourself?
I taught myself, although there were people who gave me tips and advice along the way.

How much practice did you put in?
A lot! But I didn't see it as practice. I was playing the game I loved.

It was only once I started playing in competitions that I considered it practice.

What sort of attributes do you need to be a top snooker player?
Dedication, ability and self discipline.

Is it all down to practice or are there other things you can do to improve as a player?
You might need help sometimes, especially if you're doing something wrong in terms of your cue action - which only someone else will spot.

Who were your role models as a young player?
I don't think there were any role models as such.

But there are elements you can take from other sportsmen and people in general about how you conduct and motivate yourself.

I read a lot of sports biographies and you learn about people's thinking that way.

---

Back to top

Ken's Christmas cracker

Defensive tips

The lowdown on Doherty

Date of Birth: 17 September 1969 Place of Birth: Dublin, Ireland Turned Pro: 1990 Highest ranking: 3

FROM THE BBC >>
::	BBC Sport's snooker news
::	Ken Docherty profile