By Elliott West
‘I knew I was cueing well, hitting the ball really good, but it’s just controlling your thoughts, especially in Q School because it’s so hard’.
Sanderson Lam
Introduction
Sanderson Lam is probably a name in snooker that isn’t instantly recognisable but he is a player that is widely loved and respected in the snooker community. Unfortunately, he dropped off the snooker tour after his first stint between 2015-19 and had to attempt to regain his place by competing in the recent Q School. As we know these qualifiers are far from easy and many a player crash and burn in this snooker ordeal. This isn’t the first time that he has had to go through this gruelling process and so when it came to taking part in Event 2, perhaps Lam at least knew what to expect despite not being able to foretell his eventual fate.
The Rocky Road
Sanderson hasn’t had it easy recently. It was only a year ago that he lost his dear friend Jake Nicholson tragically to cancer, aged only 28. Ironically this loss has made him more resilient and determined to succeed. Snooker can be a cruel sport, especially when you are struggling but his friend’s death has caused Lam to put his house in order and to really focus his mind, a passing that has caused the trivialities of life to pale into insignificance.
Of course, with determination, a stringent practice regime is required. This tough cookie of a Yorkshireman has been playing other friends such as Peter and Oliver Lines at the Northern Snooker Centre in Leeds, a club where the likes of David Grace have emerged from. A snooker hub that has produced a number of talented professional and promising amateur snooker players such as Kuldesh Johel, Dan Wormersley and Liam Pullen. A community where hard-fought is played and socialising is a must over a cold beer with plenty of laughs and a must as a means of relaxation.
Sanderson Lam has regained his place on the main tour but it certainly had its knife-edge moments. The Q School experience took him to the brink, a player who had a highest ranking of 77th in 2016, coming back from 3-1 down to Kurt Maflin in the last 16 to win 4-3 and was previously behind in the final frame against Steven Hallworth, winning the match with a 60 break.
Positive Mindset
Alongside practice, Lam has also been watching a number of sports psychology videos which has really helped him. He has found a winning rhythm that allows playing with freedom and he no longer overthinks the shot. This in turn has brought back his natural game and decreased his shot time which had crept up to an average of 29 seconds. This definitely a great opportunity for the Yorkshireman and one that he just wants to enjoy and make the most of the two-year opportunity.
Sanderson hasn’t been complacent though and has kept a Plan B as a backup in case his tour dream didn’t come to fruition. Although he has dedicated his life to snooker, he has made sure to keep his powder dry, doing part-time shifts in the Northern Snooker Centre bar and providing coaching sessions for other players. Lam remains a bright prospect and someone who could be extremely dangerous if he gets into his natural groove.
