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Kaine Petty heard he is to receive a big break from a World Snooker coach.

On Thursday, the 13-year-old from Ringwood will travel up to Chandler’s Ford Snooker Club, near Southampton, for an initial two-hour assessment with Tim Dunkley.

Dunkley, who trained under Ronnie O’Sullivan’s former coach Del Hill, said: “I’ve been tracking this young man’s results for the last year or so. He’s obviously improving rapidly and I look forward to working with him.

“Kaine needs to prove to me that he has self-discipline, a good temperament and plenty of determination. And then he needs to practise the things we work on.

“If all that happens, then who knows what the future holds.”

The talented youngster, a Year 9 pupil at The Burgate School and Sixth Form Centre in Fordingbridge, has a high break of 24.

The Daily Echo understands his favourite player is three-time world champion O’Sullivan.

It was at Christmas, 2005, that Petty first picked a snooker cue. He joined the Cuestars Section run by Malcolm Colenutt at the Greenbaize Snooker Club, Bournemouth, in 2010 and made his debut on the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Bronze Tour last January.

And last month in Swindon, Petty returned his best ever set of results. He accounted for the eventual tournament winner, Gosport’s Nathan Farmer, in the group stages and reached the knockout for the first time.

Earlier this month at his home club, he again reached the quarter-finals only to lose to the eventual tournament winner.

Dad James, who works for Royal Mail, believes the respect snooker players show each other is paramount.

He said: “I’m really happy that Kaine enjoys a sport that brings out true sportsman qualities. This is a most admirable quality.”

And mum Julie, who works at Royal Bournemouth Hospital, said she was “amazed at his knowledge” of the game.

She added: “Kaine has a true passion to play snooker, watch it and learn. I’m proud of his determination and his character in everything he sets out to do.”

Dunkley passed his exams in March, 2007, at the World Snooker Academy at the English Institute of Sport Sheffield. He coaches players aged seven to 70 from across central Southern England.

The 53-year-old has been married to Judy for 28 years. They live in Southampton and have two sons.

Eldest son Alex has been playing on the Cuestars circuit for ten years. A multi-century breaker, Alex is a former Cuestars Under-21 Champion and he has one England cap.

Dunkley is also a freelance writer and has interviewed many top snooker players, including O’Sullivan, Judd Trump, John Higgins and Stephen Hendry. He writes a weekly snooker page for the Echo and is press officer for the World Ladies Billiards & Snooker Association and for Cuestars.

Speaking about his target for Petty this season, Dunkley said: “Kaine is looking good for a top-16 spot and a place in the play-offs.

“I’d like him to aim for a top-eight position and a first semi-final.

“I look forward to meeting him at 3pm on Thursday.”

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