For many elite players, the journey into their sport begins in structured environments — academies, junior leagues, carefully mapped pathways.
For Sophie Gibbs-Nicholls, it started with a lunchtime walk to the pub.
The England international and world champion first picked up a cue at a small secondary school where students were allowed to leave the grounds during lunch.
“There was a pub just up the road,” Gibbs-Nicholls told Fen Regis Trophies. “So we’d go there at lunchtime and have a knock on the table.”
What began as something casual quickly became something more serious.
“I was probably about 13 when I first went there,” she adds. “It really was just a bit of misspent youth in the pub.”
A Family Connection
While the introduction to pool came through social circumstances, there was a family influence too.
Her older sister, five years her senior, also played.
“I think she probably inspired me to start playing in the first place,” Gibbs-Nicholls explains. “She used to go and play as well, and we went to the same school.”
Even as she became a regular around the table, there was no defining moment where she suddenly felt she was especially talented.
“I’m still not sure I’ve realised yet,” she laughs. “I’ve always probably lacked a bit of confidence.”
Instead, it was the encouragement from people around her that pushed her forward.
“They were the ones who said, ‘You should go along to county trials.’”
Climbing through the ranks
County Trials
Before stepping into county pool, Gibbs-Nicholls spent years playing in local leagues, travelling between pubs and learning the competitive side of the game.
“I’d probably been playing about four years by that point,” she says. “Just local leagues and pub pool, really.”
Those early experiences were as much about enjoyment as improvement.
“You’d put your 50p on the table and play winner stays on,” she recalls. “It was exciting and sociable.”
At 17, she took the next step and attended county trials — a move that would open the door to the national stage.
The Toughest Day in Pool
Breaking into the England setup is anything but straightforward.
Trials are long, physically draining, and mentally demanding.
“You start at nine in the morning and the year I got through I think I finished about midnight,” Gibbs-Nicholls says.
“You’re not playing continuously, but you don’t really know when you’ll be called back to the table. It’s a real test of stamina.”
The format allows for little margin for error.
“You can lose two lives early and still get through if you keep winning. Others might be doing well and suddenly lose three on the bounce.”
“You’ve just got to keep believing — frame by frame.”
It wasn’t immediate success.
“I missed a black that would have put me into the England team.”
But persistence paid off. On her third attempt, she made it through.
“It was a huge release. A really proud moment.”
She made her England debut in 2015 and has been part of the setup ever since.
The psychology behind performance
Turning curiosity into a career
Alongside her playing career, Gibbs-Nicholls has built a profession in sports psychology — something that grew naturally from her experiences in the game.
“I’d become really aware of the psychological side of pool,” she explains.
“I was fascinated by why some people seemed confident while others weren’t, and why some players got nervous before competition.”
That interest led her to study sports psychology at university, combining her curiosity about human behaviour with her passion for sport.
Now she works across multiple disciplines including football, surfing, climbing, boxing and fencing, alongside her cue sports consultancy, CueSight.
While her expertise helps, she’s realistic about its limits.
“Knowing what you should do doesn’t necessarily make it easy to do it.”
She also invests in her own development.
“I work hard on my mental game as well.”
Reaching the World Stage
Making the England squad is only the start.
Competition for places at major tournaments remains intense, with limited opportunities each year.
“You’ve got a squad of 16 players, but maybe only six or seven go to the Worlds,” she explains.
“It’s a lot of graft even once you’re in the squad.”
For several years, she was part of that group pushing for selection and results.
Then 2022 became a defining year.
“We’d had some disappointment along the way, so finally getting that trophy meant everything.”
That year, she helped England secure the Team World Championship — something she had been chasing since her debut.
Alongside that, she also claimed the World Doubles Championship with Katie Martin.
“It was the first year they’d run the competition,” she says. “So it was really special to be the first winners.”
The partnership made it even more meaningful.
“We had to battle really hard for it.”
A Changing Landscape
As well as international competition, Gibbs-Nicholls has been part of the growth of Ultimate Pool — a format that’s helping push the sport forward.
“It’s phenomenal what they’ve created,” she says.
“For the first time this year the women’s tour mirrors the men’s events.”
With matches now shown on TNT Sports, the exposure and opportunities for players — particularly in the women’s game — are increasing.
“It’s really exciting for the women’s game.”
The depth of talent is also significant.
“There are some incredibly strong players competing there — even some who don’t play on the international scene.”
In some ways, she believes the challenge is comparable to winning on the world stage.
The people behind the journey
What Comes Next?
Despite everything she has achieved, Gibbs-Nicholls isn’t driven by chasing individual milestones.
“To keep representing England for as long as I possibly can.”
Alongside that, she plans to continue developing her work in sports psychology and growing her consultancy.
“I love the applied work I do.”
For now, it’s about maintaining that balance — continuing to compete at a high level while building a career beyond the table.
From a 13-year-old playing in a pub at lunchtime to a world champion representing her country, it’s been a journey built on persistence, resilience and a genuine love for the game.
And it’s not finished yet.
By Aaron Gratton
