Top coach David Horrix believes qualified coaches can play a pivotal role in helping to turn around some failing UK Snooker clubs.

Horrix, a WPBSA level two coach, believes that it's "old-fashioned" mindsets holding some clubs back, and damaging progress in getting more juniors and women into the game to play.

His views come as another UK Ladies Championship starts this month at the Northern Snooker Centre in Leeds, with Dudley's Reanne Evans leading the way in the ladies game from the UK.

But Horrix believes it is attitudes in some smaller snooker clubs across the country from male members, which is deterring more UK ladies from taking up the sport.

Stricter rules needed

He said in another email Q&A: "Bad language, offensive jokes, and racism are rarely if ever challenged. Members know other members, and bad behaviour is often ignored on the basis that the person behaving that way is "OK really."

The coach from the Menstone Club west Yorkshire believes there should be more female representation on Club Committees and that there should be stricter rules in place for bad behaviour, including three key ones:

1) No swearing on the premises

2) No racist language

3) No sexist behaviour.

Catch 22

He also believes that coaches can provide a valuable role in enforcing these strict guidelines when on site on club premises.

The problem Horrix believes is that people who often are behaving badly in clubs are generally members - and he adds: "It's a Catch 22 situation" - because these are the people who are spending the money in the club.

He believes that if this type of behaviour is tolerated and ignored by some committees, then inevitably it will lead to the demise of the club as there is no turn in profit. Horrix says change in behaviours is possible, but "not easy" in the current climate.

He adds: "Behaviours that are unacceptable in the public world, should also be unacceptable in private clubs."

The coach also believes that coaches should be brave enough to confront committees who are ignoring this type of behaviour, and offer a clear and attractive vision to help the club attract new players, particularly juniors and women with organised coaching programs based on their experience and skills.

He said he has found some clubs are receptive to the idea of change if there is a clear enough vision from the coach.

The image seen by outsiders in "old-fashioned" snooker clubs across the UK is that of a male base who drink lots at the bar and generally indulge in what some people there might call " light banter."

But Horrix points out any woman, or, indeed, family who enter into the club would not want to stay there - particularly to play snooker.

He adds: "Why would they?

See also: Top coach fires warning to some UK snooker clubs