IT'S been some year for gifted all-rounder Jordan Ullah, after making a name for himself in no fewer than three different sports.

At just 11 years old, the talented Burnley youngster is already winning tournaments in both snooker and pool, as well as picking up the Players' Player of the Year award for his local football team.

Only a year after making his first 30 break, the pint-size potting sensation recently made a clearance of 81 in practice and is consistently making breaks of over 50 in matches.

Jordan, who attends Ivy Bank High School, has won many admirers at his regular bases of Colne and Burnley Snooker Club, where he practices for hours on end every day.

Proud father Matthew said: "He practices for three hours every single day and has done so for the past 400 days straight.

"Whether he's at school or on holiday, like he is now, he makes sure he goes down to the club and puts in his table time.

"Even if practice hasn't gone so well or if he's beaten in a game, he'll just keep at it. It's hard for someone that age to know whether all the time and effort is paying off, but the way his game's improved over the last 12 months alone has been fantastic.

"He's improving all the time and that's reflecting in his breaks and his success at tournaments. He's all but trebled his highest break from a year ago and showed significant progress at this year's North West under-16s."

Away from his snooker, Jordan had a successful season with Ighten Leigh FC last year and goes boxing between two and three nights a week as well.

Jordan's first taste of success was on a recent Pontin's holiday with his gran at Prestatyn Sands. Clearly not satisfied with becoming the 2005 Young Snooker Champion, he went on to win the Young Pool Championship as well - and both without his own cue!

"I think pool is like a release for him as he finds it a lot easier," Matthew added. "But to do three hours practice a day, he obviously loves his snooker too.

"It started out as just a dad and son thing, just a bit of fun, and it's gone on since then. When I stand there watching him, I feel on top of the world. I'm so proud of him it's unbelievable. He's a little star to me."

Matthew attributes Jordan's recent success and progression as a player to one man in particular.

"Steve Ormerod, Burnley's professional, has been a great help to us both. He's given up a lot of his own time to help coach Jordan free of charge. I think Jordan looks up to Steve in a way and his words of advice are certainly paying off.

"Jordan has been playing for the B team in the Burnley League for some time and now Steve believes he's good enough to move up to the A team, which he will start playing for at the end of the month.

"In the Burnley division, when people have come up against him in the past, they can't believe how good he is for his age. I really do hope that there are better things to come for him.

"I have to make him believe that he can be better than all the rest. I just keep telling him that if he sticks at it, then he can do it. I was 11 once and I couldn't do that. It's my dream to see him as World Champion one day."

Matthew knows not to get carried away with things and if he had two goals for the rest of the year, it would be for Jordan to make his first century break and to do well at Pontin's Open Autumn Festival in September.