Young Darwinians win national snooker and pool titles while urging peers to join

Eleven‑year‑old Angelo Tsikouris has become Australia’s youngest champion in both snooker and eight‑ball, winning six national junior titles while representing the country at the International Blackball Championships in the UK. He claimed three junior snooker titles and three junior eight‑ball titles during the trip. Angelo first fell in love with snooker at age five, watching his grandfather cue a ball through a toilet‑roll tube. He practiced on a home table when his father was out grocery shopping and soon turned his hobby into a career. At nine, he won the national under‑12 competition, a surprise to his mother Natalie Tsakaris, who said the family did not realise his talent at first. He now says he is the only snooker player of his age in Darwin and the Northern Territory and urges more kids to try the sport. Fifteen‑year‑old Adam Grace is the NT’s top eight‑ball player, beating adults in the state rankings. He practices two to three hours after school each day and admits little time is left for homework. Earlier this year he travelled to Norway for the under‑19 Australian team and will compete in the national eight‑ball championships later this year as the youngest‑ever champion. Ken Kernich, president of the Northern Territory Eight Ball Association, notes a handful of other Territorians also compete internationally and attributes their success to regular practice in air‑conditioned rooms, which he says is more comfortable than playing in the heat.

Context

Cue sports offer a low‑cost way for remote youth to compete nationally. The NT’s climate and indoor facilities give young players long practice hours, helping them achieve national success.