Swindon secondary pupil picked for national pool team for England

Teenage pool player from Lawn Manor Academy, Jaydon Elliott, has secured a coveted place in the England team.

For 15-year-old Jaydon, who has been playing pool since he was six, this call-up is a dream come true.

The Swindon teen reached the finals of the Youth (under-18s) singles in the English Blackball Pool Federation competition, in 2021.

Following the competition Jaydon said: “I loved playing at the EBPF finals. I got to play against players I haven’t played before, some of whom play for England. I’d love to play for England myself one day.”

Now Jaydon will play in the England LD Team at the European Blackball Association (EBA) in Bridlington in April, followed by the European Championship in Malta in November.

Mum Julia Burder said: “Jaydon puts in a lot of time and effort into his game, and plays against a lot of the adult players in our local club, which has given him invaluable experience. I play competitively for Wiltshire too and in our local league he’s been in a higher division than me for some time.

“He is really dedicated, so we’re delighted that he’s got into the national team and will be representing his country. He sets his sights high, and it’s clearly paid off for him this year.”

Jaydon’s success is supported by his sponsors, Cuetopia Pool and Billiard Hall, in Bridge Street, Swindon.

Jaydon added: “I love playing pool, so It feels great to have got into the England team, and I’m really looking forward to Bridlington and Malta. I hoped to get into the national team and now that I’ve done that I can’t wait to play.”

Sandra Muir, headteacher at Lawn Manor Academy, which is part of the Ascend Learning Trust, said: “Jaydon should be very proud of himself for reaching such a high level at such a young age. He has put so much time and dedication into developing his skills to this standard, and to be representing his country is a very impressive achievement.

"We are sure he will go from strength to strength.”

For more information on Lawn Manor Academy, members of the public can visit www.lawnmanor.org.