Barry Comprehensive School

Pupils with former professional player Anthony Davies,
Harbour Snooker Club, Barry Island.

Snooker is the latest sport that pupils in Barry Comprehensive School can cue up to play thanks to the innovative 5x60 scheme.

The usual after-school attractions of computers and TVs can take a back seat as boys and girls from across Barry have the chance to learn the skills of the game under the expert tuition of former professional player Anthony Davies at the Harbour Snooker Club in Barry Island.

It’s all part of the 5x60 scheme’s aim to create varied opportunities for secondary school pupils to take part in extra-curricular activities for at least 60 minutes, five times a week.

Supplementing the activities already on offer in PE lessons, the Welsh Assembly Government funded scheme is run by the Sports Council for Wales and is supported locally by the Vale of Glamorgan Council’s sports and play development team.

Ben Williams, 5x60 Officer for Barry Comprehensive School, said: “It’s not every day that you get the opportunity to receive coaching from a former professional sportsman, so we are hoping to attract a large number of pupils to come down to the snooker club after school every Thursday.”

Anthony Davies was one of Wales’ top potters during the 1990s, having played alongside the likes of Matthew Stevens and Mark Williams in a career that spanned 15 years.

With his attention now turned to coaching, Anthony said: “Now that I`ve retired from playing my next big challenge is to try and find the next top welsh player, hopefully here in the Vale. After all Wales has always been a hotbed for producing top players.".

You can find more about the 5x60 scheme in the Vale of Glamorgan online at www.valeofglamorgan.gov.uk/5x60

Fri, 5 Mar 2010