MDX30: Ayush Vakharia
Founder of the Middlesex University Pool & Snooker Team and BUCS National Snooker Bronze Medallist
Ayush Vakharia - Pool & Snooker Team Founder, Middlesex Sports Ambassador
I've been part of Middlesex University for nine years, and for most of that time pool and snooker have been at the heart of my student life. I founded the Middlesex University Pool and Snooker Team and have represented the University at BUCS national competitions for eight years. Along the way, I've served as Team Captain for two years, been recognised as a Middlesex Sports Ambassador, and coached and mentored players across many seasons.
Achievements
The achievement I'm proudest of is seeing how far the team has come since I started it. In the early days, we had very little success at national level. Over the years, we've grown into a team that reaches the Top 32 and Top 16 at BUCS, and in 2025-26 we won the Bronze Medal at the BUCS National Snooker Championships in Leeds, the best result in the club's history.
Outside the University, I've kept competing at a high level, which helps me bring real experience back to the players I coach. I've won the District League and District Cup, then defended both titles the following season. I've also won the Finchley League and Cup and was recognised as one of the top players in the league. On top of that, I've competed in Indian National-Level Trials, winning my matches there.
Coaching & Supporting My Teammates
For the last two years, I've worked hard as a coach to help every player in the team reach their potential. For me, coaching isn't only about technique. It's about helping players believe they belong at the national level. I run practice sessions focused on the fundamentals, like cue action, safety play, and break-building, and I work one-to-one with players to understand their game, set goals, and track their progress. Before big matches, I help them prepare mentally, and afterwards we talk through what went well and what to work on, whether they've won or lost.
Just as important is what happens away from the table. I've always tried to be someone my teammates can turn to, whether they're struggling with confidence, balancing studies with competition, or simply need someone to talk to. Watching players who once doubted themselves now walk into national competitions with real belief is the most rewarding part of what I do.
We've become more than teammates; we're like a family. Hearing that two of them nominated me means more than any trophy, because it tells me the time and care I've put into them has truly made a difference.
Challenges
Starting a team from scratch was hard. In the early years, we were often up against universities with far more established programmes, and results didn't come quickly. Keeping players motivated through tough seasons, and keeping the team going as members graduated and new players joined, took patience, consistency and strong leadership.
One of the biggest challenges, and one of the most rewarding, has been bringing together players from very different backgrounds. Middlesex is a truly international university, and our team has always reflected that. Players come from different countries and cultures, speak different first languages, and arrive with very different levels of experience, from complete beginners to seasoned competitors.
Pulling everyone together into one united team meant adapting how I communicate. I learned to explain techniques in simple, clear ways, to demonstrate rather than just tell, and to take the time to understand each player as an individual. Over time, those differences became our strength. We started competing not as a group of individuals but as one team with a shared goal.
Memorable Moment
There have been a few moments I'll never forget. The first was when we reached the Top 32 at BUCS for the first time, something Middlesex had never achieved before. Then we pushed even further and reached the Top 16, another first for Middlesex, and it showed everyone that our progress was no fluke.
The biggest moment of all was winning Bronze at the BUCS Nationals in Leeds. Having started the team myself and built it step by step, standing on the podium with teammates I had played alongside and coached felt like proof of what we had built together. Celebrating afterwards, knowing we had made club history, is a memory I'll always be proud of.
What Middlesex Means to Me
Middlesex has given me a community, not just a place to study. Representing the University at national level has always made me proud, and the friendships I've built through the team are some of the most important in my life. I'm grateful for the chance to give something back by helping other students grow, compete, and enjoy the game as much as I do.
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