Some stories in the world are truly inspiring. Individuals from all walks of life have to face different kinds of challenges. Though life is not the same for everyone, people coming from humble beginnings have to bear a lot and stand against all odds to reach the heights of success. When we hear such stories, many renowned names pop up in our heads. And when it comes to the world of snooker, Harvey Chandler is one such talented sportsperson who is carving a niche for himself.
This UK-born rising star of snooker, Harvey Chandler, started his career when he was just 13 years old. According to him, his journey started as an accident. However, he always felt passionate about thrilling sports, but never saw himself playing snooker. The fact is that he loved playing football and was developing his skills and talent in this field. “My dad used to take me out to the snooker club in Peterborough once a month, but I never really enjoyed it,” he shared when asked how it all started. “It makes me smile when I remember thinking of it as a boring sport. But everything changed when a couple of my friends decided to hang out at a snooker club. I don’t know what happened, but that day changed everything. I played phenomenally, and everyone was really impressed by my game, and since that moment, I fell in love with it,” he explained.
Actually, what happened was that Harvey Chandler was spotted playing snooker by a local coach, Malcolm. He was the first person to identify his potential. One thing led to another, and Malcolm offered to train him. He invited him to his junior coaching school, which he held every Saturday to polish his skills and guide him on how to play professional snooker. In the beginning, it was all fun for young Harvey, but Malcolm could see he had the skill to become the next big thing in the snooker world.
Every great thing in life requires sacrifices and hard work, and Harvey soon understood that to become the best, he must be willing to train hard and pursue his career with undivided attention. He left his school and decided to participate in junior snooker competitions and adapt to this athletic lifestyle.
While things may seem all great from a far, the truth is that to reach a certain position, one has to make a lot of sacrifices, put in the effort and devote themselves to their respective careers. It is no secret that money and fame don’t come easy. If we take a look at famous athletes – from LeBron James to Cristiano Ronaldo – they all had their fair share of struggles and challenges. However, there was nothing that could stop them from turning their dreams into reality. Harvey also had to face something similar. Despite being an exceptionally talented snooker player, his family struggled to support his career – whether it was the competition fees, hotel accommodation, expensive gadgets or transport expenditures. But Harvey never let anything deter his spirit and kept on moving forward.
It is common for many players to seek sponsorships from brands during their struggling phase; however, Harvey found it difficult to do that. “From the age of 14 to 21, it wasn’t easy to find a local sponsor who would support me in entering tournaments and cover hotels and travelling costs. I knew I was not on the level of finding an international brand back then,” he explained.
Talking about his family supporting him to reach where he is today, he revealed, “The costs were very high, and my mum and dad found it quite hard to fund everything. They both sacrificed a lot for me. They supported me through all those years, ensured I got the best training and developed my career well.”
Harvey Chandler always felt devoted to his career. His exceptional amateur career was a masterpiece. And all the support he got from his family and trainers helped him succeed in the world of snooker. “I was winning everything during that time. Every tournament I participated in, I reached the latter stages of every event—semi-finals, finals and winning the tournaments,” he stated. However, everything changes when you reach a higher level in your career. “When I turned professional, it was a different game, and I was a small fish in a big ocean. It was new to me, and despite giving my best, I could not win many matches. I remember my first season as a professional, I didn’t win many matches, but in the following years, I started to feel comfortable. I was able to regain my confidence and was winning games regularly. All my hard work paid off when I won the European Snooker Championship. It was long due as I was preparing my whole life for this moment,” he elaborated.
Every successful journey starts with doubts and fear. It consists of momentum, ups and down but what must be learned is to never give up on your dreams. Harvey Chandler is truly an inspirational athlete who went from not finding any sponsors to winning the European Snooker Championship. Despite how tough the days get, Harvey always comes back stronger, and that’s what distinguishes him from the rest of his competitors.
