I was privileged this week to watch a top coach working as one with a remarkable player.

The pair worked through various options and difficulties encountered whilst clearing the colours. From being the wrong side of the blue and stunning the cue-ball in and out of baulk to land on an A5 size piece of paper, to the tricky brown to blue shot. Attempt after attempt until success enabled them to move on.

Even the relatively simple yellow to green was dissected in minute detail with the never-tiring player striving for perfection.

The atmosphere was relaxed but professional. No messing about, no wild shots, no signs of anger at missed pots and no outbursts of table banging or cue thumping.

Usually in these situations the coach dictates and the player listens intently but these two treated each other as equals and discussed shots and options like two seasoned pros.

Total trust from the player and total belief from the coach. It could have been Del Hill and Ronnie O’Sullivan or Terry Griffiths and Mark Williams

I left after an hour-and-a-half and they were still hard at it.

The player with an insatiable hunger for knowledge - his face a study in concentration punctuated by an occasional flash of that now famous cheeky grin.

The highly-respected coach, patient yet firm, passing on his many years of experience to his protégé and refusing to allow the success of the partnership to go to either of their heads.

The quiet, down-to-earth, supportive dad, whose eyes have been opened to a whole new world in the last year or so, watching proudly in the background and allowing his son centre stage.

Remarkable indeed. But what is more remarkable is that Shane Castle is nine-years-old.