Player Profile #1: Eddie Mataya

Eddie Mataya, often referred to as Little Eddie, was born in 1977 and was raised in western Washington. Growing up in Auburn, Eddie's mother passed away at an early age. His biggest influence was his father "My Hero" and some of his fondest childhood memories include climbing mountains with his dad.

By the time Eddie was 18 he had started playing pool at The Java Shop in Auburn, WA. His first cue was a McDermott and was a birthday gift from his dad. Eddie's first exposure to billiards was playing 9-ball, however; according to him, he really didn't learn to play until he was 22. By that time, he had switched to playing at Harvey's in Renton, WA. He started playing leagues and local tournaments and has grown over the last 10 years into a formidable player.

In 2009, Eddie not only captured the Western Region BCA Men's Masters 9-ball Title, but he also started to learn the game of One Pocket. One Pocket is Eddie's favorite game (although he says 9-ball on the big tables is his strongest) because there are so many more things to think about. The learning curve is steep because you have to know the speed of both the cue and the object ball, which ultimately translates to all other pool games. Typically, Eddie likes to gamble 2-3 times a week in higher stake games, and occasionally has travelers come through to test their skills (and their pocket book depths.) Eddie often plays in local tournaments including both 8 and 9-ball events at Malarkey's Pool & Brew in Tacoma, WA or PJ Pockets in Federal Way, WA.

In the next year, Eddie really wants to "go for it." He plans on traveling to several of the larger open events including Galveston Open, Allen Hopkins Memorial, and Derby City Classic (early 2011.) He will continue to participate in the BCA League and will be included in the Grandmaster Feature Event at Western BCA Regionals in Lincoln City, OR next week (look for Live Streaming link on UStream or Western BCA websites.) He will also be playing in the Mixed Master Scotch Doubles and Men's Master Team events to complement his schedule. His scotch doubles partner is his partner in life, Miss Cindy Sliva.

Eddie told me that Cindy has been a huge part of his success, that she has not only introduced him to many great players, but also that her discipline, pace, and mind set in this sport have definitely influenced his performance. In addition to her unwavering support, she also takes a proactive role in managing Eddie's tournament scheduling, including traveling and accomodations, and really just making sure that Eddie is doing what needs to be done to ensure his success. He loves and admires her and is confident that with her in his corner that there are no limits for his possibilities.

I wish the best of luck to Eddie in all his endeavors and I look forward to watching him capture many more titles in the future. Thank you for taking the time to share a little bit of your story.