MIDLOTHIAN Council's Young Sports Personality of the Year, 15-year-old snooker prodigy Michael Leslie, is set to go full-time in the game he loves and has set himself the target of winning the world championship by 2012.
And who would doubt this ambitious youngster achieving his greatest aim in life?
The Lasswade High pupil will leave school when he reaches the age of 16 in December and he completed his most successful season so far when he was named winner of t
he prestigious award at the recent presentation of sports achievement awards by Midlothian Council in Dalkeith.
After winning the glittering cup, the current No.1 in the under-16 age group in Scottish snooker was accompanied by a video shown at the presentation ceremony and in it, an emotional Michael Leslie paid gratitude to his mother and father, Tracey and Mike Leslie, for their support and backing in his onward march into the ranks of professional snooker players.
The couple, both 42, are joint owners of Bonnyrigg Snooker Club and they will continue to provide financial backing for their son when he makes his debut in tournaments in the new season which starts in September.
Young Michael is no stranger to winning trophies, as he won four of the regional events organised by the Scottish Youth Snooker Association last season.
Martin Fraser (Electrocheck) has the logo of his business on Michael's waistcoat, part of the immaculate turnout of the Bonnyrigg star when he takes part in tournaments, the most recent being the Businessland Under-21 event at Prestatyn in Wales.
This event attracted players from different parts of the world and the young Scot claimed several important scalps before he lost 3-2 to 18-year-old English star Keyren Wilson in the semi-finals.
Mike Leslie said: "Michael proved himself against some of the best English players, such as 2007 Junior Pot Black champion, Mitchell Mann, and current England Under-21 No.1, 20-year-old Sam Baird.
"There are a lot of good young players coming through in Scotland, but you have to take part in events such as this one in Wales to compete against the very best in the world. The standard among young players in England is much higher than in Scotland."
In a remarkable run, the Leslie won four of six regional tournaments including the Edinburgh Open, Fife Open, Dumfries and Galloway Open and the Stirling Open.
Michael also recorded the highest break of the six events with a 101 and was awarded the No.1 medal at the end-of-season presentation in the match-play room at the World of Snooker in Chesser.
The walls of the Bonnyrigg Snooker Club are adorned with pictures of Michael at the Crucible in Sheffield with world championship winners such as John Higgins, Peter Ebdon, John Parrott, Ronnie O'Sullivan and others.
Seven-times winner of the world crown, Stephen Hendry, is Michael's hero and, in fact, the Bonnyrigg youngster used the same box his idol did when he was a young boy when playing on full-sized tables.
All-time great Scottish snooker star Hendry offered advice to the budding young player, when he said: "Going full-time and playing at professional level is a different league altogether.
"I would advise Michael not to go into it with any half-measures. He will have to be totally committed and dedicated when practising.
|There are hundreds of youngsters with the same aims as Michael and, if he doesn't give it 100 per cent, then others will. I have not seen enough games to have an opinion of the current level among young players, but I do know there are so many budding young players wanting to become professionals. That is the challenge ahead for Michael and it will take him a couple of years to assess how he copes playing at this level."
Former world-ranked player Chris Small, who had to quit the game due to a serious spinal condition, coaches, advises and guides Leslie.
Michael shows a maturity far beyond his years and he fully realises the commitment made by his mum and dad.
The young Leslie said: "I attend the gym to keep myself fit. That is important and I know current professional players do this, as being physically fit helps keep them mentally fit as well. I will follow their example. When I go full-time, it will be the same as having a job, from 9.00am to 5.00pm each day. I will not be allowed to lie in bed by my mum and dad. I will have to practise for six hours every day, either on my own or in the company of Chris Small.
"My parents built an extension on to our house in Bonnyrigg and I now have my own full-sized snooker table to practise on.
"While my current ambition is to become a professional, my greatest aim in life is to win the world championship at the Crucible and join the four other Scottish players who have won the title – Walter Donaldson (2), Stephen Hendry (7), John Higgins (2) and Graeme Dott."
Ronnie O'Sullivan is the player Michael currently admires most in the game, while he is also impressed with the Chinese stars making their mark among the professionals.
The Midlothian Council's Young Sports Personality of the Year is an example of someone who "eats snooker, drinks snooker and sleeps snooker". His groundwork in the youth ranks of the game will continue but a business plan is now in place as he makes the step up into becoming a successful full-timer.
The youngster added: " I am determined I will succeed and reward my mum and dad for all they have done to help me."
It is a remarkable statement of intent from a young man who has given up so much of his youth to try and become a top-class snooker player. The way ahead will not be easy and whatever highs he experiences, there will certainly be lows as well to contend with when things do not go as planned. But this is one young sportsman who will benefit from having the best back-up team possible to support him.
