This year the APA's US Amateur Championship was held in Tampa, Florida. As the defending champion, I was invited to attend the final rounds to defend my title without going through the rigorous qualification associated with a preliminary round. A part of me was nervous, but in general I was very excited to have the opportunity to do what no woman has done in the history of the event, win back-to-back titles. Some of my friends didn't understand why I would want to go back, since I obviously already had shown that I could win it... But for me, I felt like it was more to prove that it wasn't a fluke, that I really could compete with the best amateurs in the country, and of course that I could win it again.
I was fortunate to have a good friend of mine travel with me this year. Unlike 2011, I had someone to talk to, eat with, warm me up, and give me support throughout the tournament. The draw was posted on Friday, Nov 11, and I immediately plotted my course through the A side, predicting who would be my match ups based on what I knew of the players and their skill levels. Similar to 2011, I didn't know many of the players. Many top notch regional tour players don't compete at the US Amateur Championships because there are no cash winnings involved. Only the winner of the event receives monetary compensation, and that is for paid hotel, airfare, and entry fee to the WPBA US Open the following year. With a winner take all format, many players don't see the draw.
To me, the fact that there is no money involved makes the US Amateur Championship that much more special. Players compete as a matter of pride and for love of the game... A lot of players these days sponsor themselves, so winning entries or travel/lodging accomodations is just a perk. The title has an amazing ring, and I feel blessed that I will always be written up in history as the 2011 US Amateur Champion.
Prior to match play on Saturday morning, the APA's head tournament director conducted an interview with me outside of the Crooked Cue. His first question "How does it feel to have a big target on your back?" Seriously?!? LOL. I really hadn't thought about it that way, until he mentioned it, but in the grand scheme of things I guess I should have. I really do need to work on my interview skills... You can read it here: http://usamateurchampionship.com/coverage/2012/2012/11/ladies-champion-begins-title-defense/
Match play began on Saturday morning and 32 women started their journey (410 entered preliminary rounds), only one woman would be crowned Champion, and I was very hopeful that it would be me. In 2011, I won all of my matches with not one opponent reaching the hill. Looking back now, I really feel like that was an accomplishment; however, there is a certain amount of character that is built when you fall behind in a race and when your opponent reaches the hill. This year, straight out of the gate, I would be tested numerous times with a mixed bag of results.
My first match was against Sonya Chbeeb Hurst from Alabama. This was her first US Amateur Championship and we chatted briefly before our match. She seemed like a very sweet girl, she even mentioned having a dream about drawing me as her first match. She shot great during our match and took a commanding 4-2 lead (after we had exchanged racks to 2-2). I won the 7th game to put the score to 4-3, but then a questionable call in the eighth game would end up costing me the match. I got very poor position on the 9 ball and decided to play a safety. I was using the bridge and was fully extended on the table. I tapped the cue ball into the 9 ball and stood up. I couldn't see if I had hit the rail or not with the 9. She asked if it was a good hit, and I honestly couldn't say. I was so low on the ball that I just couldn't tell... We brought a referee over and his ruling that it was the shooter's call, since no referee had been watching. I felt sick. She thought that it wasn't a good hit, but wasn't sure either, so she played it as it was. I couldn't let the feeling go, "What if it was a bad hit?" I would never want to win that way. She played a safety and left me a routine cut along the end rail. I dogged it, still unable to let it go. Ugh. I hate when that happens. Instead of tying the match at 4 games, she won 5-3. She was elated and I tried to imagine how I would have felt, defeating the defending champion. I was actually happy for her, I kind of felt like my karmic bank was full again.
We shook hands and she advanced on the A side, while I moved over to the B bracket. Sonya ended up losing both of her next matches hill-hill, but overall, she said she was very happy with her performance. She told me that she played the best pool of her life against me. You can read about her here: http://usamateurchampionship.com/coverage/2012/2012/11/sonya-chbeeb-hurst-an-opportunity-to-earn-respect/.
The next few rounds were very difficult for me as I played three ladies that I had met in 2011. I tried to focus on what I was doing, rather than who I was playing, and that worked out pretty well. I defeated Lisa Cossette (5-2), Lenore McCarthy (5-1), and Maria Rice (5-0). I was starting to shoot very well, but it is always harder to beat someone on the B side, knowing that you are ending their hopes and dreams as well (for that event at least.) My next match was against Meredith Lynch from Maryland. I felt like we had very similar styles in our pool playing. We were both shotmakers, didn't play a lot of safeties, and often got out of position during our patterns. I led the set 2-1 after 8 ball, but she stormed back, taking the first 3 games of 9 ball to reach the hill first. Down 4-2, I felt like I was in a nightmare. I didn't want my tournament to end, I needed another chance. I ended up tying the match at 4 games with a couple strong runouts, so I was breaking in the hill-hill game. We both made several mistakes during that final rack, but ultimately, I was at the table with a pretty standard 3 ball run for the set. I shot the 6 ball and overdrew my position leaving a tough cut on the 8. I made the cut, but left an even tougher cut on the 9. I could have went for the bank, but instead I tried a tough cut in the side. I missed the cut but ended up leaving Meredith long and nearly straight in, shooting about 2 inches off the rail. Meredith had the winning shot, but it rattled, traveled 3 rails and then hung just in front of the same corner pocket she was shooting for. She conceded the match, so I advanced to play Jennifer Page from Florida.
It was definitely getting late in the day when it was time for our match. Jennifer won the lag and chose 9 ball. This was a first, and it kind of through me off. Every other match had started with 8 ball and I felt like my 9 ball was stronger than most of the girls there. Boy was I wrong. I was up 2-1 and the next three racks were mine to win. Down to the last 3 balls, each shot that I took before the 8 ball resulted in extremely poor position: playing a ball out of the pocket, I attempted to spin off the rail and hooked myself with the 9 and then two fifty-fifty shots, all ended with me selling out the racks, leaving her a 2 ball run. She closed out each game to take a 4-2 lead going into the 8 ball set. I was beside myself. WTH just happened?!? I never really got into a good groove during our last game, and we ended up in a safety battle when we were both down to our last ball. They were tyed up together and she left me long with her safety. I attempted to return the safe, but ended up hitting my ball too fat and selling out the game and ending my opportunity at a title defense. I felt so disappointed, I shook her hand, wished her luck, and put my cues away... Sigh... Blah... Poor me... Over it... Time to enjoy my vacation! (Jennifer ended up losing her next match 5-2, finishing in 5/6.)
The hardest thing about not doing better at the tournament was that every single person I talked to felt sorry for me. What happened? Are you ok? I'm sorry... You'll get em next time. Speaking honestly, I am not sorry. Yes, I wish I would have won back-to-back titles. Yes, I wish I would have played better. The bottom line is I didn't. I didn't play the best this weekend, Tammie Jones did. I nearly cried along with her, watching the event recap video. This was a dream come true for her. Not taking anything away from my dreams, but tournaments are just that. My dreams aren't about winning a bunch of titles or money or fame. I love this sport, I love the people that play in it, and tournaments are something that brings all of it together. I love traveling to a new city, submerging myself in the culture, hearing the stories of other pool players. So, here's to closing out 2012 with a bang. I am already planning my schedule for next year, a whole new set of memories are going to be created (along with a new book! 2 down, who knows how many to go?) I hope that I get to keep doing what I love and that when I share my stories, you can be reminded of why you do what you love too. Happy Holiday season! Love SOS ;)
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