History

A lot has changed since snooker was first invented back in 1875 by members of the British Army and later when the game of eight-ball arose around 1900 in the United States as a development of pyramid pool—which allows any eight of the fifteen object balls to be pocketed to win.

One thing that hasn’t changed is the general love of the game by the general public, as evidenced by the huge number of people that play to this day. Many have a table in their home or play at a club, and anywhere there’s a table you’re sure to find some fun activities going on!

In more recent times, there has been significant growth in the range of variations of the game that can be played—Snooker, Eight-Ball – International Rules, Blackball, Nine-Ball, Heyball, Billiards, or just your local ‘house rules’.

With the explosion in popularity globally, a new era of opportunities has arisen for players but especially the young as the potential to build a career has never been higher. Not all players will make it to the top but that shouldn’t stop the fun, friendships, and personal development that can be enjoyed by just being involved.

While juniors have been playing the sport for a long time, one thing that was missing was an association to bring them together, support them, and nurture them with all the development opportunities that come from expert coaching and guidance—both on and off the table—as individuals and as contributing members of a larger team.

The Junior Cue Sports Association of SA was incorporated in 2023, and our goal continues to be to reach out and connect with as many children as possible in the state.

In 2016, Chris Jeffery received a call that would unexpectedly shape the next decade of his life. He was asked to join the Eight Ball Association of SA as the State Junior Development Officer—a title that sounded far more official than it felt at the time. Chris wasn’t entirely new to the world of junior sport, having already survived years of junior football with his own kids (which meant early mornings, muddy boots, and the kind of sideline coaching that usually started with ‘just kick it!’). He had also spent time assisting with coaching, so—naturally—when the opportunity with cue sports came up, he thought, “Sure, I’ll give this a go for a little while.”

By 2025, that ‘little while’ had casually stretched into almost ten years as well as a key role as founding president of the Junior Cue Sports Association of SA. That’s what happens when you discover a community of young athletes who have more energy than a room full of caffeine-fuelled adults, and more determination than many professionals!

What started as a simple commitment became a passion. Chris found himself drawn to the challenge and the joy of helping young players develop—not just their cue action, but their confidence, discipline, and sportsmanship. He’s watched juniors walk in nervous and unsure, only to leave with a sense of pride, capability, and occasionally a trophy that weighed almost as much as they did!

Chris is grateful to have said ‘yes’ to that invitation in 2016. It’s been an incredibly rewarding journey—one filled with memorable moments, plenty of learning, and more than a few ‘how did I get talked into this?’ conversations for him—but he wouldn’t trade it for anything.

And despite originally thinking it was only for a short stint, it turns out that he’s still there … and also still going strong as president of the Junior Cue Sports Association of SA!