“Fantastic! Better cue action than some pros, and I am not kidding.”
A Neil Robertson X post about Emilio Bassili.
Introduction
Talent is not manufactured; it is a gift bestowed on you that should be cherished and nurtured. As a snooker writer, I am always looking for raw and pure talent, and I am happy to say plenty is bubbling below the surface. My friends Andrew Barrett, a World Snooker coach, and Don Watson, a former professional and now coach, invited me to the Whetstone Snooker Club, a club I hadn’t been to before. Managed by the charming Ali, this is someone whom all the movers and shakers in snooker have visited and played at some time in their careers. A place where Alfie Burden regularly practices and the venue used for the annual Ron Gross Memorial Cup. A fitting tribute to my pal, Colin Gross’s father.
This is a proper snooker club With ten regularly reclothed tables and two pool tables. Situated on the high street and up a flight of stairs, you can either relax at the bar, catch some sport on television from a comfortable sofa, or enter the hallowed snooker room where mobile phones must be switched off before entering. Vaping is forbidden, and the room is engulfed in a wall of silence separate from the click of snooker balls.
A Rising Star
While at the club, I came across John Basili and his eleven-year-old son, Emilio. Thanks to a long chat, I was delighted to learn that his son was coming on in leaps and bounds in the game. First picking up a cue at five, Emilio quickly fell in love with snooker. After a few tweaks to his game, Don Watson has turned this young player into a hungry player. He is a joy to watch, hoovering up the balls before him and making century breaks. A player who is already an Under-21 Cuestars Silver player and someone who sinks in those long balls with ease. Emilio has already made a 135 break on a lineup in practice and whose cue action has been praised by Neil Robertson. He has also caught the attention of Cuestars Ambassador Joe Perry. He is a player with a wealth of professional experience and recently set up a now-thriving snooker club, The Palace, in his hometown of Chatteris. A building that was formerly a Turkish restaurant, a cinema, a ballroom and a nightclub. A club that now has over 500 members.
Right Footing
Emilio is definitely in the right hands. He has so much potential, and Don Watson rates him highly. He should know, having competed on the main tour and battled against all the big guns of snooker. Don is just a lovely man whose passion for snooker shines through. With several budding young players in his coaching corner, Emilio has already improved in leaps and bounds with his help. To be a great snooker player, you need natural talent, grounding, willpower, and drive, and you must be prepared to put in the hours of practice required to compete. If you don’t hunger to win in snooker, you might as well throw in the towel and be an amateur club player. Emilio has taken that brave step to walk out of his comfort zone and take this uncertain path where there will be wins, losses, happiness, and tears. All I can say is that I applaud this young lad for making this bold move. Watch out because he is a rising star.
