2018 Onward and Upward

As many of my readers may or may not have noticed, this blog was offline for a couple years. I needed space and time from pretty much everything. It's been challenging for sure, but I am interested in picking up where I left off, with a fresh perspective. I have always had a passion for writing and through billiards (and other life experiences) I have been shaped into the person I am today. I think as we get older the things that were once so important to us begin to change. The reason I started this blog in the first place was so I could have a platform to share my writing. Even though my goals as a player have changed significantly, I still seek to cultivate true connections to the sport/community and am hopeful that by continuing to write my player profiles I will be able to do that in a meaningful way. Stay tuned!

A New Dream...

It's hard to believe that it's been over a year since I wrote anything for this blog. What can I say, life happens. So many things have happened since I wrote my last piece and so much more is yet to come. In June of 2015 my life was turned upside down. My home was destroyed in a fire that was started by missing socks that accumulated inside of the dryer, piling up to the heating element, where they ignited, essentially destroying half of our home. Fortunately for us, we were not home at the time (the kids were with me) and our neighbors got our dog out. I had only been gone 30 minutes when I got the call. Talk about a game changer... One bit of good pool news, the garage door was closed, so my 9 foot Diamond table was not consumed in the flames and my cues were in our bedroom because I had just got home from a traveling tournament. For now, the table is in storage and it will need some love when I have it reinstalled in our rebuilt home, hopefully around Christmas time.

Since I last wrote, my pool adventures have included trips to Tampa, New York City, and Washington DC, in addition to the local events I generally attend. I did have to cancel the 9 day stint I had scheduled for BCA Nationals this summer, but I plan on making my way down there for the Mosconi Cup this December. My last event of 2015 will be a qualifier for the 2016 WPBA Masters on Dec 12-13, 2015 at Malarkey's Pool & Brew in Tacoma, WA.

My 2016 schedule is somewhat up in the air at this point as many things have happened off the table during this time of transition. Since the fire, I've had some major life changes that have definitely affected my prioritization of things. The biggest of which includes giving up alcohol and starting a 12 step recovery program. Since my switch, I have quit my job and started to try and figure out "what I want to be when I grow up." This might seem laughable to many, but I promise you, the best is yet to come. I am eager to move home, so that I can continue my journey in the sport of billiards, with a renewed confidence and clear vision of what I intend to do, both on and off the table.

On the table, 2015 has been a series of highs and lows. I achieved one of my biggest goals in pool and that was winning the title of Tour Champion for the Northwest Women's Pool Association. I hadn't won a NWPA event in 6 years, but somehow everything that I have been working towards came together this year and I played in 4 of the 7 event finals, cashed in 6 out of the 7 events. The last two events of the year, I was in my new sobriety and played fearlessly until the finals. That, my friends, is where all those old doubts and insecurities blossomed. Where I began to question myself, my ability, and why I play this game we all love. Conversations in the mind are detrimental to performance and in all the years I have been playing, instead of learning techniques to dissolve those words into the wind, I pushed them away with copious amounts of alcohol. I am not afraid I said... But deep down I always knew I was. I lived in fear, believing that only when I achieved the win that I would be worth anything to anyone. I know that it all was a lie... A lie that is perpetuated by our constant conditioning, that we will never be good enough or have enough.

As I sit here reflecting on those feelings, they begin to fade, not because I have learned some way to deal with them, but because I know differently. In my sobriety, I have chosen to walk with Jesus. Before you stop reading, know that I am not trying to convert anyone or tell anyone what is right for them. This is my story, my journey, and my way. I choose Jesus because the love that I have found in him is unmatched. I choose a personal relationship with love, compassion, gratitude, and forgiveness. Not only with myself, but for all of humanity. Every person comes to know love in the way that is open to them. I pray that each and every person can come to know love in their life.

People have many opinions about the sport of pool and what is wrong with it, but I don't see the issue as just being a pool one. The world is suffering because of the greed and corruption present in so many realms. It's overwhelming to consider how we could ever make a difference or make things better. I say, do not lose heart. Choose love. Choose presence. When the people that play pool (and around the world) are able to do that, the issues in pool (and the rest of the world) will resolve themselves. I choose to make a difference in my community and my relationships by putting myself in as many situations to give and receive love as possible, to support causes that are close to my heart, and to live as authentically as possible. I have no idea where these choices will take me, but I have a lot of ideas for different pool projects that involve making this world a better place. Stay tuned :)

Thank you so much for reading, I'll be back soon :)
SOS

PS. For all the haters out there, this is for you. Thx for the reminder WiredSpace.
"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat." ~Theodore Roosevelt

America's Lone Star Kim White-Newsome: A Matter of Integrity (Nov 2013)

                                                       

Photo courtesy of Sandro Menzel

Anyone who has had the opportunity to meet Kim White-Newsome, aka Lone Star, knows she doesn’t mess around. Whether it is as a competitor, as a tournament director, as a board member, as a horseman, or as a wife, Kim always establishes her boundaries upfront and often, to make it clear to anyone that might be thinking they can pull one over on her that that just isn’t going to happen. According to Kim her tone is often mistaken for harshness, but I generally feel that Kim is one of the most respectful, honest, and hardworking women in the American pool scene, and anyone who isn’t trying to pull a fast one is going to appreciate her straight forward approach to getting things done. 

Based out of Houston, TX, Kim is and has been the house pro at Bogie’s Billiards for over 25 years.  Kim is also a touring pro for the Women’s Professional Billiards Association (WPBA), where she and her husband John are also Board Members, she runs the Lone Star Tour, and she is actively involved in supporting her communities’ charity and junior organizations.  Simply put, there just isn’t anything she is not involved with for pool in the Houston area, so when I approached her for this interview, as you can imagine, I was very excited to have the opportunity to get her story, both old and new, and provide our readers with deep insight into what makes Ms. Lone Star tick.

Kim was born in Houston, TX April 17, 1972.  She was one of two children adopted by her parents, George Goodwin and Betty Edwards.  George was “a real cowboy, carpenter by trade” and Betty was an Executive Assistant nearly all of her life.  At only 4 years old, George died suddenly and unexpectedly of a rare bone cancer.  I asked Kim if she had any memories of her father and she said she didn’t, she was just too young to recall.  Betty remarried a few years later to who Kim considers her “dad”, John Edwards. John owns a Pest Control company and has been married to Betty for more than 30 years now.

Being the first baby in their family, Kim developed a very close relationship with her maternal grandmother.  As a child, Grandma Edwards would take Kim out to the country to visit her great aunts and to a stable just out of town, where Kim developed her love for horses in an equestrian relationship with “Sarge”.  Grandma even bought Kim her first horse, when she was only 16 years of age.  From that moment on, Kim has always owned horses. She still does to this day.

Kim started playing pool in 1988. She was 16 years old and the boy she was dating at the time had a table in his home.  “I was captivated by that table, but the boys would never let me play. When my boyfriend and his brothers retired to other activities, I would hit balls in secrecy. I think that’s when I fell in love with pool.” Although Kim broke up with the boy, she never broke up with pool. She blossomed into a fierce competitor, taking her lumps at the local pool room.  I asked her if there were any players that had a significant influence on her as a player and she recalled “an older black man, a former 70’s champion who spent countless hours playing and sharing his knowledge with me.”  Kim called James “Nana”, but to others he was “99”.  Kim fondly recalled how much gamble Nana had, that he would play for days straight, she would be glued to her seat watching and learning.  After he would win, “He would always throw me a jelly.”  I had never heard this term before, but essentially when you are sweating the action obviously in favor of one player, you can alter the energy, give them good luck or whatever you want to call it.  A “jelly” is a kick back for your support.

Straight out of high school, Kim worked for a couple law firms, but spent her evenings and weekends at the pool room.  She became a seasoned gambler in those early years.  She recalled that “no matter where I was, practicing or playing tournaments, someone was always asking to play”.  One of her earlier memories was of a guy asking to play for $2 a game.  He kept pressing the bet and she just kept on winning.  She couldn’t believe that she won $300 off of him, in one night. Kim’s biggest money game was for 5 or 6 thousand dollars (she put up a thousand of her own money.)  She got a call from a friend that wanted to stake her in action against a former Swedish Champion.  Kim got the breaks and the 6 out, it was a race to 6 ahead.  Kim told me that “He played better at safeties, than I did at pocketing balls.” She learned a hard lesson that day because she wasn’t always pocketing a ball on the break and whenever she came to the table she could never see the ball.  After it was all said and done, Kim was so sick to have lost, she went home and burned the running suit she was wearing at the time.  A couple years later, after earning her “touring pro status” with the WPBA, Kim threw in her gambling towel, she just didn’t feel that it “fit the profile” of what the WPBA represented. Gambling is actually not permitted in the WPBA bylaws. We discussed the WPBA at length, but those conversations will not be included in this interview.

Kim’s first tournaments were just those small entry weekly events.  She couldn’t recall her first experience, but she did remember that she didn’t win.  Playing mostly bar table 8 ball, if there was a tourney, she was playing.  Her first larger tournament experience was the 1998 BCA National 8 Ball Championshps in Las Vegas.  She was taking classes at a junior college when the opportunity to play presented itself.  She went all in, dropped her courses and flew to Nevada.  She bested 437 women to claim her first National Championship Title.  She never looked back. Kim started competing on the Hunter Classic Women’s Regional 9-Ball Tour, now the OB Cues 9 Ball Tour, and took the necessary steps to get qualified for the WPBA. Within her first year on tour, Kim finished high enough to earn her “touring pro status” and has been a top ranked WPBA player ever since.  Her highest finish on the WPBA is 3^rd place and Kim told me that it is her goal to win a WPBA Major (WPBA Masters, WPBA US Open, or WPBA Tour Championships).  Kim said her father was disappointed with her decision to quit school and become a professional pool player, until the moment he saw her competing against Allison Fisher on ESPN.  From then on, he saved every article and tournament photo, essentially becoming one of Kim’s biggest fans.

Kim’s most recent world tournament was the 2013 Women’s World 10 Ball Championships in Manila (early November).  Representing the United States is such an honor, Kim was one of 5 American women to compete in the event, one of four selected to represent her country based on current WPBA rankings.  One other women won a qualifier to earn her spot.  I asked Kim to reflect on her experience.  Kim told me that the event was a somber experience and even though she was elated to have defeated former World Champion Ga Young Kim in round robin play, she fell one match short of advancing to the top 32. She told me that she didn’t know that advancing came down to her last match, that whoever won would be the player to move on.  She said “I prefer not knowing the details beforehand, it adds too much pressure. When I found out the next day, only because someone told me, I didn’t ask. Then I really felt sick to my stomach.”  

Kim and I discussed winning and losing at length and for Kim, “There is no better feeling than winning, ever.” On the opposite end of the spectrum, there is no more sickening feeling for Kim than losing.  She told me that when she used to lose a match that was important to her (all matches were important) she would end up house ridden until the sickness subsided and she wanted to play again.  It is that kind of passion that drives Kim to continually compete at an extremely high level.  I asked Kim if she had any advice for novice players and this is what she told me “Preconceived notions can be your worst enemy; what you think, will become (Zen philosophy). For example, prior to executing a shot, the last thought in your mind may be “that’s a scratch shot”. The player then scratches because his negative thought came to fruition. When practicing, players should work on developing a clear, concise, and positive thought process prior to execution.”

On a more personal note, I had the pleasure of meeting Kim back in 2011, when Bogie’s hosted the WPBA Regional Tour Championships. She exudes southern charm, but also demands the respect that she gives to each and every person.  She is the kind of person I would always want on my side, both on and off the table.  When we talked about personal relationships and people that influenced her life, she wanted to thank her husband John Newsome. She told me “He supports me in all I do. He’s not only a successful attorney, but a fantastic player as well. I am really lucky.”  I would like to personally thank Ms. Lone Star Kim White-Newsome for taking the time out of her very busy schedule to conduct this interview with me.  If you are interested in finding out more information on Kim or the Lone Star Tour, please check out the following websites: http://www.lonestaroftexas.com/ and http://www.lonestarbilliardstour.com/

The Fear Factor

Once you have pocketed your first ball, ran your first rack, beaten someone you look up to, and so on, you are destined for the moment that fear comes into play. We are all familiar with the cliche, "there is nothing to fear but fear itself." In billiards, just like every other aspect of our lives, conditioned response to positive outcomes creates an innate sense of fear. I don't want to lose that job, that car, or whatever it might be. In the last year, I have started focusing more on my mental game, on acknowledging the emotions I feel when I play. As much as I hate to admit it, I know that fear is HUGE.

Being afraid to lose and having a passion to win are two very different sides of the same coin. While one makes us tentative, the other makes us aggressive. Until I won my first championship, I was never afraid of losing, of being beaten by somebody that no one expected me to lose to. It's a complicated process, but ultimately once you start winning in this game, the expectation to win against this player or that player pulls you from the essential element to actually winning, and that is absolute, complete presence. Some call it Zen, others call it mindfulness, but ultimately when a thought comes to mind that creates a sense of fear, as a person you must establish an understanding of why it does so, otherwise you are destined to repeat...

There are many strategies for dealing with fear of failure, but during competition the only techniques that I have found to work for me are breathing exercises and misdirection, both of which force me to focus on this moment only. If I am losing focus and feel the fear creeping in, I focus on the coolness of breath while I breathe in through my nose. While seated in your chair, close your eyes and breathe. On inhalation, you feel the cool breath across the nostrils... This can force presence. Also, I have a rock that I carry with me. If the breathing isn't working, I will take it from my pocket and put it in my shoe or bra (yes, this second option won't be available to men). Whatever you can do to create the sensation of feeling something that is only here and now is the key.

When you place value on the outcome, as opposed to the process, you introduce fear. Hesitation and doubt will keep many players from ever achieving their full potential. There is no secret to dealing with it. Be mindful and present, let the chips fall where they may. Happy shooting!

The End of a Dream

As a girl, my mother always told me that I could be anything I wanted as long as I was willing to work for it. It was one of the greatest gifts she gave me and I will spend my life knowing that the strength and courage I have to pursue excellence started there. Unfortunately, like most of us, that is where my attachment to the outcome began as well. I went full speed at every goal, giving all of myself, come hell or highwater, and I achieved many successes early on which pushed me even more to become the best at whatever it was that I was doing. I was a good student and athlete, and aside from what I call "my dark days" (March of 1996-December of 1997), I have met goal after goal and continued to achieve positive results through my life.

In 2006, I finished my Master's Degree in Forestry and got hired to a job in my field two weeks after defending my thesis, a job that I hold to this day. Some would say this is lucky, especially nowadays when many people coming out of college struggle to find work. But like a pool game, without due diligence, that opportunity could have passed me by if I had not already been pursuing it. One of my best friends always tells me that "Luck is where opportunity and preparation meet" and I absolutely agree, 100%.

During graduate school, I was also fortunate to have a really great living situation. I lived with my friends dad, who was disabled/retired and loved me like a daughter. We would watch old movies and sports, eat dinner together lots of evenings, and in trade for me driving him to places like the bank and the barber, I lived mostly bill free.  I played American Poolplayers Association (APA) three nights a week and I really had the support I needed to work hard and play harder. I came into the league as a 2 in both 8 ball and 9 ball and in those three years, under the tutelage of Jessi Nester (owner of Billiards 911), I moved up to a 6 in 8 ball and a 7 in 9 ball, the skill levels I still hold to this day (mostly because I gave up on playing APA for several years). In 2006, I was talking with Jessi and I told her that someday I wanted to play on the WPBA. She looked me straight in the eye and told me that was a lofty goal, that women of the WPBA were of a different caliber, they lived the sport, sacrificing other areas of their life to become the best players in the world. Her words put a fire in me to become one of those women, to play on that stage, and make the sacrifices necessary to be one of the best.

In 2007, I won my first National Championship and shortly after I competed for the first time at the US Amateur Championship (USAC). Here was a chance to earn a spot on the WPBA, I was so excited... I won my preliminary, first attempt, and travelled to Atlanta to compete with some of the best women pool players I had ever seen first hand. I was ready, or so I thought. When I got to the USAC, I played with all I had, but came up well short of my goal, only winning one match and then losing my next two. I was crushed, I spent the next day in bed watching the Lifetime channel with my travel companion, feeling so sorry for myself that I really didn't know what to do with myself. When I got home, I felt like I was waking from a nightmare. What was I going to do? How would I move forward from the despair of defeat?

In 2008, I continued my growth as a player, taking lessons from some of the top players in the northwest and joining the Northwest Women's Pool Association (NWPA). All big table 9 ball, I definitely felt out of my element, but it was new and exciting and I would get to play with women who had similar aspirations as me, to compete on the WPBA. I fought hard at every event, making it into the money a couple times, culminating the 2008 season with my best finish of the year. At the final stop, our Year End Event, I drew one of the best players on tour. With online brackets available, I knew that I would be playing her at 10am. I was ecstatic, which of course meant I couldn't sleep well. I woke up at 6am and went to my local pool room (PJ Pockets was open 24 hours) and shot for two hours prior to heading up to The Parlor in Bellevue for the event. I was in dead stroke, I ended up defeating her 7-1 and going on to win the rest of my matches with a fearless hunger. I made it to the final, the winner would get a paid entry to the 2009 WPBA San Diego Classic. I struggled throughout the match, ultimately finding myself down 8-6 in a race to 9, so close yet so far. In the final games, I slopped a 9 ball in to get to 7, then made a strong runout from the 3 to tie it up at 8, and then I did what we all dream of, snapping the 9 in on the break to win the event and earn my first opportunity on the WPBA. I fell to my knees, so unbelievably happy. Through laughter and tears, I shook my opponents hand and went on to celebrate my victory. I had arrived, I made it, I earned it.

When I went to the WPBA San Diego Classic, I was so star struck that I couldn't really see straight. I went 2 and out, being defeated 9-3 by Sarah Rousey and 9-6 by Melissa Little. During my first match, my hands didn't stop shaking until I was down 5-0, but I came back to win the next 3 games. That is when she really turned up the heat, closing out the next four racks to put me into the loser's bracket. When I came back the next day I felt calm and composed, ready to play.  I jumped out to a 6-0 lead on Melissa before she took her break, then the most terrible thing happened, I realized I was up 6-0 on Melissa Little, one of the best women pool players in the country. I didn't win another rack and as I packed up my cues I knew that I had a lot of work to do to get back to this arena. I questioned and doubted myself and my ability, but knew that if I could get there once I could do it again. I continued competing on the NWPA, having my top finish in overall standings in 2009 (3rd) and playing more and more events where travel was involved. I received invitations to several WPBA events, but it was generally within a couple weeks of the event, so I was unable to accept. There was a place in my heart that felt like if I didn't win the spot, I didn't really earn the right to be there. I carried that with me for the next few years.

In 2011, I signed up for the USAC again and for a second time won my preliminary.  I went to Tampa for the final rounds and went through the entire field without an opponent reaching the hill. I made it to the final and was up 6-2 when I stumbled. I missed a hanging 9 ball and that fueled my opponent to take the next 3 racks to bring it to 6-5. In the next game, she broke and ran to the 9 ball, slightly overruning her position, leaving a tough cut on the 9, which she missed. I made that 9 and then fought through each of the next racks to earn the 2011 US Amateur Championship title and paid entry, airfare, and hotel to the 2012 WPBA US Open.  I went to Tulsa with high hopes and ultimately went 2 and out again, playing Allison Fisher in the first round and then a close friend for my second match. With every opportunity, more doubt and fear plagued me. I was afraid to fail, afraid to be less than what I had hoped I could be. If I wasn't winning, I felt like I didn't belong there. I spent the next year and half trying to sort through my mental game, like a blind person, I sought to become more than I was and continued to stumble as fear and doubt crept into every performance. I haven't won a major tournament since 2011. I have made several finals, but ultimately have come up short when put under the heat.

The beginning of the end came in 2014, just a few short months ago.  The dates for the WPBA Masters were announced in December of 2013. I had received an invitation to every event (although few and fewer) since my debut in 2009. This event would be the same, I just knew it. I booked my airfare and hotel to go. I wanted to play, I could control my fear. As the days passed and I got closer and closer to my travel dates, I was perpetually disappointed that the invite never came. I emailed back and forth with the WPBA event coordinator, I was on the waiting list, hoping and praying for another opportunity. An opportunity that never came. I attended the players meeting and it was here that I began to see that things were not as I had thought. The divisiveness amongst the players was a shock to me. I believed that the women of the WPBA were united in competitive spirit. Such loathing and contempt, I would never imagined possible. It was heartbreaking... Top players felt entitled and looked down at the women who filled the field making the event even possible, the board struggled keeping players focused on the ultimate goal of having more events in the face of losing major sponsors and a struggling US economy. What was the WPBA coming to? I really don't know. Everything I had ever aspired to in the pool world came crumbling around me. I questioned my real motives for wanting to compete on the WPBA and it all came back to my mother's words and my attachment to the outcome. I wanted to be a WPBA player because it meant that I was somebody. It meant that I was the cream of the proverbial crop. It was then that I realized, it was all an illusion.

Upon my return from Michigan, I thought I had everything figured out. I sat down and started to write this piece with the hurt and disappointment a fresh wound on my spirit. This morning I deleted everything that I had written and started anew. What I learned from that experience was that regardless of whether I compete at a world class level or not, this game is not for the faint of heart. There are egos and agendas, like any sport really, that will prevent a majority of society from truly recognizing the greatness to be found in this game. Pool is life, in so many ways, and it makes me sad to think that many will never be able to appreciate what it takes to be a top notch pool player. Hours upon hours of focus and deliberation and you still may never achieve greatness. For me, I still struggle with attachment to the outcome, but I know that when I focus on individual moments, play with my heart and soul invested, I am victorious regardless of the result. I believe in this game and in its ability to bring forth the humanity in us all. Stay present, stay mindful, just be. Those are my goals for this game, for my life. I will never be more or less based on matches or titles won. The world may disagree, but I now know that this is the real truth. In all aspects of life, you will never be more or less than you think you are, our life situations may be different, but ultimately we are all just people on this journey, together in life, loving and living this game. Thanks for reading!

Johnny Archer- The Scorpion, The Man

In American billiards, Johnny Archer is a living legend.  With a multitude of accomplishments in nearly all disciplines of the game, there is very little that I can add to the story of his legend.  That is the reason I accepted this assignment, not only would I have to listen to my heart, but I would also have to find a story that defines Johnny Archer, not as the Scorpion, but as the man who is making his way through this life, as we all do.  I hope you enjoy the read as much as I enjoyed the interview.

Johnny Archer was born to George Archer and Mary Lee Hester November 12, 1968 in Waycross, Georgia.  One of five children, Johnny had two brothers and two sisters.  His father was a hard working man and worked as an auto mechanic, he didn't recall what his mother did for a living.Their lives would change forever, when at the age of 6 years old, Johnny's mother passed away from breast cancer. As a youth growing up in the south, there were many opportunities for Johnny to get into trouble, but Johnny had a different idea and began playing pool at 12 years old.  He is grateful for his mentor Chester Flynt. Johnny told me that Chester "kept me out of trouble, kept my nose forward."  When not playing, Johnny watched the older players, whom he idolized: Buddy Hall, Nick Varner, and Mike Sigel were mentioned.

Johnny decided to make his professional debut at the ripe old age of 17 years.  He would play straight pool for practice, but his true love was for rotation, especially 9 ball.  To this day, he has won more titles in 9 ball than any other discipline.  His performance throughout the 90s resulted in being named the Billiards Digest Player of the Decade.  During that period, he won two WPA World 9 Ball Championships, in 1992 and 1997, and the US Open 9 Ball Championship in 1999.  Not only did Johnny perform exceptionally well in singles, he has been a Mosconi Cup team member for a record, 16 years, since the events inception in 1994. (Earl Strickland is in second with 13 years.) Of those, the USA won the Cup in 94, 96, 97, 98, 99, 01, 03, 04, 05, 06, and 09, with Johnny being a critical part of those teams in every year that he had participated.  This last year (2012), Johnny did not lose a single match that he played, however, Team Europe edged out the win 11-9 to retain the coveted Mosconi Cup.  There is no doubt in anyone's mind that Johnny would have been named team MVP if the USA would have won.  When speaking of the MVP award, Johnny spoke softly and graciously.  "It would be an amazing honor, but it would mean that the USA had won, and that is what the Mosconi Cup is all about.  It is the team, not the individual, that wins..." 

In 2001, Johnny's life would change forever again because of a woman, this time it was young Melanie Wynne.  Melanie was the niece of Brass Tap Billiards owner in Raleigh, North Carolina.  Johnny was competing at a memorial tournament there and Melanie held him up at the door for the $10 spectators entry fee.  Johnny told her he was one of the players competing and she let him through, but Johnny lingered longer as the attraction was immediate and all consuming.  They made arrangements for their first date, it was dinner at Vincents Italian Cafe and a movie.  Johnny and Melanie were married in 2002 and welcomed Johnny Jr into the world in 2004 and little miss Mary LeeAnne made the family complete a few years later.  Johnny, Melanie, and the kids make their home in Acworth, GA.

In Johnny's words: "Melanie and the kids completed my life.  I used to always be out on my own, no one to be accountable to or for.  If I wanted to get up and play golf or eat a McDonalds cheeseburger, that is what I would do.  I was like a dog chasing his tail, same thing different day.  Now, everything matters.  When I do make a serious decision, I choose what is best for all of us."   Johnny's family and faith are what keep him strong and motivated to do well in all his endeavours.  Real life stresses about finances and health care, loss of loved ones, and raising a family the best way that he can are all in the back of his mind at the end of the day. 

Away from family and competition, Johnny is a coowner of the Marrieta Billiards Club with life long friend Kim Davenport.  I have never been to the room, but from what I hear it is spectacular: onsite cue repair, forty 9 foot Brunswick, Olhausen, Diamond Pro, and Triple Shimmed Brunswicks, weekly pool and poker tournaments, APA, BCA, and Tap Leagues, the Scorpion Room is available for private parties, and Golden Tee, plus many more video games available.  Top it off with a fantastic menu of down home grub and you really have no need to go anywhere else.  It is on the top of my pool room bucket list, for sure! 

In addition to family, competition, and running a business, Johnny is very involved in organizations within the professional billiards community.  He is the president of the Association of Billiard Professionals (ABP) and is the captain of the Atlanta Scorpions Bonus Ball team with Shannon Daulton and Dennis Hatch as his teammates.  Johnny and I discussed both organizations at length and he feels very strongly that the ABP is a critical component to unifying the players in a sport that has been well known for its divisiveness.  The ABPs primary goals are to unify the sport with one voice and to make sure that the players are getting paid.  By sanctioning events through the ABP, criteria and contracts can be established in advance to ensure funds are available for payouts.

The creation of Bonus Ball has been discussed, at length, in multiple forums and medias.  When Johnny and I spoke of the game, it wasn't so much the format that he was promoting, it was more the idea that professional pool players could make a living at the sport that they love without being on the road for 48 weeks out of the year. Tournaments and traveling take a lot out of a player, especially those who are interested in having a family and other obligations.  Bonus Ball is designed to get those players paychecks, get large corporate sponsorship of pool, and extend the careers of players by taking out the fast paced break and increasing strategic play.  Although on a short term hiatus currently,  I am hopeful that all of Johnnys' hopes for Bonus Ball success come true.  Pool needs more players that want to improve the image of the sport, taking it more mainstream.  These players have so much talent, it really is a shame that they have to struggle at all. 

In closing, I asked Johnny if there were any sponsors he would like to thank for their support.  He wanted to thank:
Scorpion Cues (20+ year sponsor, designed a line in Johnny's name)
Triangle Tips
Cuesticks International
Championship Billiard Fabric

My thanks to Sneaky Pete Mafia for providing me with the the opportunity to conduct such a complete and personal interview with one of the most iconic pool players in American history.  I will be conducting more interviews with the magazine in the future, so please email me any questions or recommendations for future interviews at editor@sneakypetemafia.com

My Pool Tournament Bucket List

With the end of my 2013 tournament year in sight (4 more tournaments in the next 6 weeks), I am compelled to share my pool tournament bucket list with you...  I would love to hear what events are on yours.

Women's World 10 Ball Championship in the Phillipines- This is definitely the most difficult to attain as I need to achieve a certain level of play to even be considered for an invitation...  But by writing it here, I am one step closer to achieving the possibility of this as a reality.  Pool in the Phillipines is essentially the equivalent to football in the US.  Players like Efren Reyes, Francisco Bustamante, and Dennis Orcullo are celebrated as national heroes.  Venues in the Phillipines are generally open area malls and I think it would be an absolutely amazing experience.

Derby City Classic- Definitely one of the most prestigious tournaments in the United States, this 10 day pool extravaganza is in my sights for January of 2015. I will most likely sign up for the 9 ball division only, but have heard that there are many amazing historical and geologic sites to visit in the near vicinity. Tournaments ran during this event included 9 ball banks, 1 pocket, and 9 ball on the 9 footers, then Straight Pool and 10 ball on the 10 Footers.  2013 Champions include: 9 ball banks- Francisco Bustamante, 1 pocket- Corey Deuel, 9 ball- Alex Pagalayun, 10 ball- Dennis Orcullo, Straight Pool- Max Eberle

US Open 9 Ball Championship- Also a very prestigious event in the US.  I have no other real motivation for attending, other than players from around the world covet the title.  Recent champions include: 2012 Dennis Orcullo, 2011-2010 Darren Appleton, 2009-2008 Mika Immonen

Turning Stone Classic- Hosted at the absolutely beautiful Turning Stone Resort & Casino in Verona NY, this event brings out the very best of what pool has to offer.  I want to see this event first hand and learn how everything works.  It is my goal to organize events on this scale, where the level of play is at the highest that it can be and where it can be appreciated by the community of pool players far and wide.  Earl the Pearl just snapped this one off last weekend :)

Jay Swanson Memorial Tournament- Played at the Hard Times in Bellflower, this tournament is one of the toughest 9 ball fields on US soil.  Top players from around the world come out to compete on sub 4" pockets.

White Diamonds - I honestly have only heard about this tournament because I was in the south a couple years ago playing at Emerald Billiards for US Amateur Open.  My soul purpose of attending would be for the Calcutta.  Chris Miller is legendary as the auctioneer.

Super Billiards Expo- Also known as Valley Forge, this Allen Hopkins event has achieved legendary status and includes both amateur and professional events.  The trade show is where you can view all of the exciting new product lines put out by the billiards industry for the year.

I am sure there are many more events that will be added to this list, but for now these are the biggies :)

Sneaky Pete Mafia launches Inaugural Issue

Hello Readers :)

I wanted to apologize for my recent hiatus from posts. I have been very busy in the last several months working with a group of great individuals to launch a brand new pool magazine.  It's called Sneaky Pete Mafia Magazine.  The Sneaky Pete Mafia community started out as a group on Facebook and was founded by Garret Troop.

I was first approached by Garret the weekend of my Grandma Betty's passing.  It was not a good time for me as I was dealing with some very heavy emotions and just didn't feel like the timing was right.  I came highly recommended to him from someone I didn't know very well, TV Mike with the Onsite Pool Network.  I met Mike in Houston for the WPBA Regional Tour Championships, OSPN was streaming the event and we had a couple good conversations about life in general and the pool world. 

My first thought when Garret approached me to be the Editor of this new magazine was "I just don't know."  I wasn't sure if it was the right time or if it was something that I could do, but I tentatively told him that I would work with the group and help them launch.  He gave me total control over content and in the last few months I have come to embrace the idea.  The primary goal of the Sneaky Pete Mafia (SPM) is to get players what they need to take their game to the next level.  Whether it be product reviews, instructional articles, inspiring interviews with both old and young players, or road stories to remind us of all the great times to be had, SPM Magazine is blazing a trail in a media saturated pool world.

We have a great team together with a mutual respect and understanding for what we want to do.  I am lining up interviews with some amazing pool players.  Our first issue featured two of my interviews, one short Q&A piece with Billiards Education Foundation (BEF) Junior National participant, Eric Roberts and then one longer interview I had with Johnny Archer "The Scorpion".  I am very excited to see where things go and for the second issue I have lined up interviews with Darren "Dynamite" Appleton and rising pool sensation Briana Miller.  If you ever have ideas about interviews you would like to see, please don't hesitate to shoot me a message at editor@sneakypetemafia.com.

Sneaky Pete Mafia Magazine is a proud support of the BEF and will be contributing 5% of all ad space sales to their foundation.  The youth of the sport, and our world in general, are the foundation of the future.  By supporting them, we support ourselves.  I truly hope that you enjoy our magazine.  You can check it and future issues out at www.sneakypetemafia.com.  Thanks for being patient with me.  I will post the interviews to my blog when the following months publications are released.

Cheers! SOS

The Slippery Slope Effect

The most challenging thing about having big dreams is that sometimes you will fail...  One of my goals is to compete at the professional level.  I have twice at this point in my short pool career, and both times were the result of winning a tournament.  The first time, I won the NWPA's Year End Event in 2008 that was a qualifier for the 2009 WPBA San Diego Classic.  The second was by winning the 2011 US Amateur Championships, which earned me the opportunity to compete at the 2012 WPBA US Open.  I have received many invitations to play on the WPBA since my first time, but typically the opportunity came up on such short notice that I was unable to attend.  Now that I have achieved that certain position, I feel like I need to work even harder to earn my way back onto the WPBA.  One friend told me that receiving the invitations means that I have already earned it, but I just don't agree.  I am not sure why, but in my mind I just don't want to be a filler.  I don't want to be considered a bye.  I want to get better and give every ounce of myself in the battle.  My journey will continue and as I gain experience and knowledge, I know that I can compete at that level.

I was very close to earning my third opportunity this last weekend, one match away to be exact.  I finished 3rd place at the NWPA's 3rd tour stop of the 2013 season.  If I would have won the semifinal (against someone I had already beat once on the A side) I would have earned a paid entry to the Ultimate 10 Ball Championship in Tunica, MS.  Although this is not a WPBA event, the WPBA has made it a points ranking event, so all of the top players are going to be there: Allison Fisher, Kelly Fisher, Siming Chen, Ga Young Kim, and many many more.  I could have been a contender and paid the $500 entry fee to go, but I wanted to earn it and I just couldn't get it done.  It's heartbreaking to be so close and have the wheels fall off, shoot the whole damn thing fell apart.  I must have scratched 10 times in our short race to six, even shorter because I didn't win a rack.  And you know what happens when you are struggling, you get absolutely no rolls, not one... Brutal, painful, and totally necessary for me to grow into the person that I will be next time.  I still need some time to be able to look objectively at what happened.  Everything I tried to do to stay present, let mistakes go, and focus on what I was doing didn't work.  It was like there was a force in the room, the harder I tried the further I fell.  Absolutely the worst feeling in pool that I can imagine.  I felt like everything I had done up until that point didn't matter.  But I suppose once I can overcome that, I will be the stronger for it...  Not sure when I will pick up my cue again, I have a month until the next one.  Lots of time to sort through things and get my mind right. I know I will, even if it isn't today :).  Hope you have a fantastic day!  Thanks for reading :)

This Moment

For those of you that know me, the fact that I am interested in writing on this topic should not come as a surprise.  Those closest to me know that I am a highly analytical person, often unable to control the expansive series of processes that are my mind.  I am who I am so, instead of changing that, I have shifted my efforts to harnessing my mental capacity.  Let's go back in time briefly.

About eighteen months ago, I achieved my highest level of performance on the pool table. In fall of 2011, I actually won three tournaments in a row, a qualifier for the US Amateur Championships, the Women's Master Single's title at the Western BCA Regional 9 Ball Championships, and the ladies division title at the US Amateur Championships. I was elated that I could perform under that kind of pressure in back to back to back events. That being said, I haven't won a tournament since. I can't help but feel like there is something missing.  I have solid fundamentals, excellent equipment, and practice as much as I can with what free time I have.  So why can't I win???

In the time leading up to those wins in the fall of 2011, I had been focusing all of my energy on being present, in this moment. When I would start making mistakes, instead of focusing on trying to figure out why I just made that mistake, I would constantly bring myself to center by saying "I am sitting in my chair. I am waiting for my turn." and when it was my turn at the table I would focus on making this ball with position for that ball. That was it, no rocket science, no ground breaking discovery. I had to let everything go. All of my expectations, all of my doubts, everything.... I truly believe that this is the absolute key to success both on and off the pool table.  Putting myself in the right frame of mind to achieve optimimum performance is the first part, while putting myself in the position to perform at a higher level is the second.  Essentially both parts are critical.  If I wasn't putting myself in the position to lose big, I may never win big...

Truth be told, the better that you get at this game the harder it gets to win.  Top level pool players are everywhere and until you get the experience of performing consistently under the same type of conditions, you won't be winning much of anything.  I was recently in Reno for the US Bar Table Championships and a good friend was telling me what they were told the best thing about being a pro is... and that is that amateurs will fold because they are an amateur.  They just don't have the mental edge they need to execute. People playing top pros will dog shots and fail to run out when they should, just because of who they are playing (knowing that their opponent will get out if they don't).  I have experienced this first hand during the 2012 WPBA US Open.  I played Allison Fisher in the first round (brutal draw, yes, but I was thrilled).  I jumped out to a 2-0 lead, then faltered in several racks throughout the rest of the match; overstroking, understroking, you name it, I did it, or didn't do it, however you want to look at it.  My confidence was high starting out, but slowly waned throughout the match with each error that I made in execution.  The final 2-9 score was not because I didn't have opportunities, it was because I didn't/couldn't capitalize.  Painful as it was, I learned more about myself during that match than I did while winning the most prestigious amateur event in the US.   I will never know how far I can go, unless I continue to put myself in positions to play the worlds best.

In 2013, I will continue to work on my mental game and hopefully achieve more successful outcomes in my pool tournaments.  I have lots of opportunities for success, so am hopeful that by staying present I will minimize my errors and make better decisions during competition.

Off the table, I have just begun a 21 day meditation challenge, called Perfect Health with Deepak Chopra and Oprah as its facilitators.  I am also reading The Art of Learning by Josh Waitzkin and have several other books that have been recommended to me by my health/pool mentor.  By refining strategies to center myself, I hope to find a balance in my physical, mental, and spiritual well being that will correlate to my ability to achieve optimum levels of performance on the pool table.  We'll see how all of this works out.  Bottom line, if you can not be here, right now, you are never going to achieve the prowess you desire at any skill.  I am very interested in receiving feedback on this piece because I know that many pool players hone their mental strengths through various media and exercises.  What are you doing?  What are you reading?  How are you going to take it to the next level?

Come back soon, more exciting pieces are in the works :)  Let's do this... SOS



 

Moments of Clarity

Many of my days are spent in a blur.  As a mother, wife, scientist, pool player, there are any number of things that can be going on in this head of mine, but every now and then there are moments of clarity...  I am having one of those moments as we speak, so what do I do?  I take the moment to purge these thoughts in the written word.  I write to make myself clear, not only to myself but to others, and in these words I find comfort because I know that I am just a person on a journey through this life.  I am blessed to have a husband that supports my every ambition, a family who uplifts and supports me every single day, and a daughter who is along for the ride because it has been destined so.

I don't often open up in this way here, but what better forum than people who for some reason or another like what they find on these electronic pages that are far too infrequent, more often than not.  I am a firm believer that my journey is intertwined with yours and as I am your witness, you will be mine.  My pedestal for today is personal accountability.  The freedom to take charge of your life...  Your life does not choose you, you choose it.  A line from the Wedding Date comes back to me,  "Each of us has exactly the love life that we want.."  or something like that.  I think this applies to all of life.  I know we don't choose for the bad things to happen, but they do, so I'm not really talking about that.  Life is complicated and we make choices every day that directly influence where we are going and the things that we will encounter when we get there.  Why not mix it up and free ourselves from the negative mental constructs that limit our growth as people and souls.

I acknowledge that control is an illusion, because ultimately there are higher powers at work here than we can know.  But acknowledging that you have some influence on where you are in your life is empowerment to the fullest.  I honestly wish I had more faith to rely on, but like so many, I am a work in progress and as Jack Nicholson says in The Bucket List, "I envy those with faith, I just can't seem to wrap my head around it..."  Too true, my friends, too true.

As a person, I am a collector of experience and have proclaimed myself an ethnographer of the pool world.  My love of competition will take me around the world and I am hopeful that the people I meet along the way will be as glad to share their stories as I am to write them down.  I am not sure of many things, but I do know that when I am at a competiton or inspired to be involved with a project, I feel free.  Free of the outside world and all of its problems, our societys' woes, cultural inequality, corruption and greed...  Free of all of it.  There is a new experience before me.  I play.  I write.  I just am.

I wish that this moment could last forever, but I know from my own history that it can't.  Inspiration and motivation are often fleeting in my life, although I have good days and bad.  The every day living arrives with all of its responsibilities and schedules to keep.  Just know that my soul yearns for the freedom and intertwining of our lives.  I'll return with regular programming shortly.  The tournament year is coming, I have lots of projects that I am involved with, and I am thoroughly enjoying most every moment of my life.  I hope that you can take a moment and look at your life honestly and openly, so that you can as well.  We are truly on an amazing journey, together...

                                    Photo taken from www.ascensionwithearth.com January 30, 2013

Tough Decisions

As many of you might know, I play on the Northwest Women's Pool Association - also called the NWPA  (http://nwpatour.wordpress.com/) and have consistently been a top 10 player for the last four years.  It is a WPBA sanctioned regional tour, essentially a farm club designed to groom players that are interested in advancing into the pro ranks.  In the U.S., the regional tour system is the primary way to gain access to the WPBA, so there is always strong competition and level of play, especially in the later rounds.

Other regional tours include:
Tiger West Coast Women's Tour http://www.twcwt.com/
Southern California Ladies 9 Ball Tour http://www.scl9t.com/
Arizona Women's Billiard Tour http://www.awbt.net/
OB Cues Ladies 9 Ball Tour http://www.obcuestour.com/
JPechauer Northeast Women's Tour http://www.jpnewt.com/
MissCues Regional 9 Ball Tour http://misscuestour.wix.com/info
Flamingo Billiards Tour http://flamingobilliardstour.com/

The first stop of the NWPA's 2013 season was initially scheduled for March 23-24 at Malarkey's Pool & Brew in Tacoma, WA.  It is a qualifier for the WPBA US Open, held in June each year.  I generally pick additional tournaments that don't conflict with NWPA stops, so with the release of confirmed dates for the NWPA, I begin to fill in my tournament season, generally trying to play one to two tournaments from February through October/November.  I had already agreed to play on a women's master team at the Western BCA 8 Ball Championships the third weekend in March, so I was looking to find a tournament to kick off my tournament season in late February. 

Running from Feb 25 - March 3, 2013, the US Bar Table Championships in Reno, NV fit perfectly.  During this week long event, men's and women's divisions compete in three disciplines: 10 ball, 9 ball, and 8 ball.  Many top pros from around the country have competed at the US Bar Tables, but only the strongest have earned the title of champion. 

Recent Men's Champions
2012- SVB (10), Stan Tourangeau (9), Jeff Beckley (8)
2011- Alex Pagulayan (10), Warren Kiamco (9), John Morra (8)
2010- SVB (10), SVB (9), Earl Stickland (8)
2009- Darren Appleton (10), Glenn Atwell (9), Stevie Moore (8)

Recent Women's Champions
2012- Rebecca Wagner (10), Rebecca Wagner (9), Stacy Allsup (8)
2011- Vivian Villareal (10, 9, 8)
2010- Melissa Little (9), Melissa Little (8)

As soon I made the mental decision to go to Reno, I was fully committed.  I started coordinating travel plans and made arrangements with a good friend to share a room and rental car, to help cut down on costs.  I had yet to purchase airfare, as I was waiting to receive my friend's itinerary so I could best coordinate our travel to/from the airport.  An excitement that always comes with making travel plans filled me up.  I love traveling for tournaments. It is the one thing that I have just for me and I thoroughly enjoy the experiences that I am exposed to. Then the unthinkable happened... 

The WPBA's Regional Tour Championship (scheduled for May in 2012) was scheduled for the same weekend as the NWPA's first event.  Immediately concerned about being able to support both my tour and the WPBA, I contacted a NWPA representative to inquire about the scheduling conflict.  She indicated that the NWPA's first stop had been rescheduled to prevent a conflict with the RTCs.  I was relieved, until I found at that our first NWPA event was now scheduled for Mar 2-3, the last two days of the 8 ball tournament at the US Bar Table Championships.  Super bummed, I was now facing an extremely difficult decision.  Do I miss only my second NWPA event in 5 years, or do I pass on the opportunity to compete at one of my Bucket List Tournaments?  I talked with friends and fellow pool players and basically knew that regardless of what anyone said, the choice was mine to make.  I did receive one very useful piece of advice from a friend.  Essentially, he said "Whatever you decide, fully commit to it and don't have any regret about your choice."   That being said, I did make a decision.

I will be attending the US Bar Table Championships in Reno, NV.  I will play pool with some of the best pool players in the country and create memories of a lifetime well lived.  Without regret, I will miss the first event of our 2013 NWPA Season.  There are six other stops throughout the year, so hopefully with due diligence I won't be forced to choose between tournaments again.  I am very excited to play in Nevada (a new refridgerator magnet!), take lots of photos, and make frequent blog posts on my progress through each of the events.  I will also be completing my interview with Profilee #5 Mary Rakin.  Thanks for checking in, I'll be back soon :)

Player Profile #5 Confirmed

I will be interviewing California pool player Mary Rakin.  Mary has dominated the Tiger West Coast Women's 9 Ball Tour and has quickly risen to be one of the top players on the Women's Professional Billiards Association.  I will be working on this piece and will have it available once it is complete :) 

Player Profile #4- Dan Louie

I apologize for the delay in this post, but if you knew Dan, you would understand why it was so important for me to get things just right. Dan is an amazing pool player, a caring husband and father, and dedicated coach and friend to many. I was recently able to celebrate his 60th birthday with him at The Parlor in Bellevue, where he is the house pro and coach to Team Vixen. Friends and family gathered around to celebrate the life of a man who is kind and so humble, you would never know from his demeanor that he was a former world champion. Dan continues to give back to the sport that he has dedicated his life to and was gracious enough to allow me to interview him for my blog. I am truly grateful for the opportunity, so I hope that you enjoy the read.

Dan Louie was born July 17, 1952 in Seattle, WA. His father, Alan, was a well known restaurant owner, including China Gate and New Luck Toy. His mother, Fong, ran their families "at home" business in bean sprouts. Dan was one of three children. His older brother, Lincoln, was 17 years older than Dan, while his younger sister, Lily, was two years junior.

Growing UP
As a youth, Dan had many hobbies and found a love for competition early on. At only 10 years old, he placed 3rd in state at a Spin Top competition. At 12, Dan discovered a new game, pocket billiards. His dad was one of the best pool players around town and they even had their own table at home. Dan would have the neighbor kids come over and play, mostly 8 ball and straight pool in those early years. He also enjoyed hanging out with friends away from the pool table. Some of his fondest childhood memories include boating on Hood Canal with his family, the Shriner's Parade, where he worked selling posters, and driving his father's 62 Cadillac.

Dan was also an honor student growing up, in particular he enjoyed Math and Sciences. Dan graduated on his high school's honor roll and ultimately, Dan went on to attend Washington State University where he earned his Bachelor's degree in Business Administration. An excellent student, Dan was also accepted at the University of Washington and Western Washington University.

Dan's first job was at Ben Paris Restaurant while still in school. It was a combined sporting goods store, restaurant, and pool room. Dan ended up quitting rather quickly, as his M-F 5-10 schedule reduced his ability to concentrate in the classroom, according to him, he was "just too tired."

Family MAN
Dan has been married 27 years to his wife. When they met, she worked as a medical interpreter and at the same restaurant as Dan. His offer to teach her how to drive ended up being the beginning of a beautiful relationship and marriage. They have three daughters together and enjoy taking small trips in their free time. Dan also has one son from his first marriage, who currently resides in Los Angeles. Most recently, Dan and a large group of his family/closest friends took a European vacation, which included Barcelona, Paris, and London. This was Dan's first trip to Europe and he said it was absolutely amazing.

When I asked Dan who the three most influential people in his life were, it was no surprise to me that he included his father (business), mother (temperament), and grandfather (values).

His family helped to shape the way that he looks at things. They have a strong asian heritage and those cultural values permeate the interactions between all family members. He was taught how to respect others, especially his elders. Modesty and honesty in all things...

Pool PLAYER
Dan is an amazing person off the table, but his demeanor and sportsmanship on the table are why I selected him for a profile write-up. His competitive drive has kept him as one of the top players in the NW region for the last 30+ years, in fact his most recent title included the Grand Master Singles 9 Ball Champion at the Western BCA Regional 9 Ball Championships (October 2012). Looking back, here is a list of some of Dan's accomplishments on the table:

1973 ACUI National Champion- 14.1 Straight Pool
1974 ACUI National Champion- 14.1 Straight Pool
1974 Labor Day Open Champion- 14.1 Straight Pool
1976 World Open 8 Ball/9 Ball Championship- 9 Ball Champion (lost playoff to Mike Sigel for All Around title- Mike was the 8 Ball Champion)
1983 Washington State NPCA Champion- 9 Ball
1996 Canadian Pro Tour Stop Champion- 9 Ball
2007 Western BCA Master Singles Champion- 8 Ball
2009 NCS National Qualifier - 14.1 Straight Pool
2010 Derby City Class Mini Champion- 1 Pocket
2011 Western BCA Grand Master Singles Champion- 8 Ball
2012 Western BCA Grand Master Singles Champion- 9 Ball

Pool EQUIPMENT
Cue- Dave Jones Custom
Case- Jack Justice
Jump- Ernie Omori Purple Heart
Break- Predator BK1 Butt with PK2 shaft (unless no phenolic allowed)

I truly hope that you have the opportunity to meet with or compete against Dan in your days, it was truly an honor for me to be a part of his living legacy.  Thanks again to Dan and best of luck in your many tournaments to come :)

GoPlayPool.com brings pool communications into the new millenium

With all of the technologies out there, it is no wonder that someone hasn't thought of a way to unify all the sources of information that are currently available to pool players on tournaments, pool rooms, and news.  Oh wait, someone has, Now.  Go Play Pool is that website and mobile app and it's recent launch is very exciting.  Here is my interview with Mary Ann Starkey, CEO and CoFounder of GoPlayPool.com:

SOS- Who’s idea was it to create GoPlayPool?

Mary Ann- Ramin and I both had similar ideas a few years ago.  We wanted to create a directory of pool halls and bars so people would always know where to go if they wanted to play. 

SOS- What inspired your idea?

Mary Ann- The real launching point for us creating the website and the app came from me finding out about a bar in my area that has 5 really nice Diamond bar-boxes.  I had no idea that they had quality equipment, and it was only minutes away from my home.  It got me to thinking that there should be a source for players to go to, to be able to find information like this easily.  I knew the bar was there, but I had no idea what they offered...so we decided to build on that, and GoPlayPool.com was formed.

SOS- What would you tell people about GoPlayPool that they might not be able to know from the website?

Mary Ann- GoPlayPool.com has been built from scratch.  Even the database of rooms was created by hand.  We searched multiple sources for rooms and we've done our best to filter out the suppliers and rooms that have since closed.  While many sites with similar concepts just did a basic "copy/paste" to create their lists and maps, we have been working tirelessly to enter this information by hand.  We hope it shows! 

SOS- How do companies and pool rooms advertise with GoPlayPool?

Mary Ann- Companies can advertise their businesses for FREE with GoPlayPool.com.  We don't charge anyone but the pool rooms.

The pool rooms can advertise themselves by becoming members of GoPlayPool.com.  They get the first 30 days free to try us out, and it's only $19.95 per month after that.  With that membership, they get a detailed profile which describes the room and the amenities offered to its customers.  Not only can they list tournament schedules for pool, but they can also include tournaments outside of the sport if they offer them.  Everything from foosball to shuffleboard and even beer pong tournaments.  Users can learn anything they might want to know about our member rooms. Users can also get special coupons and discounts offered directly from the room.  These types of things can be expensive for companies to promote and distribute, but with GoPlayPool.com, they get everything for one low, flat rate. 

SOS- Will the Application always be free to users?

Mary Ann- We are happy to provide this information free of charge to the users.  The information SHOULD be free to the players and fans, because in the end, they are the ones who already spend enough money to support the sport of pool. 

SOS- Are there any other projects/ideas that you would love to be involved with?

Mary Ann- We are working on creating some really good giveaways and contests as well as tournaments in the near future.  We are coming up with some great ideas to promote and represent the community as well as pool players.

SOS- Tell me more about Mary Ann?

Mary Ann- First and foremost, I'm a mom.  I have a great son, who is my reason for getting up everyday.  Without him, I'd be lost.  I am also lucky enough to have a great man in my life.  Ramin is a great guy, and I'm so glad that pool lead me to him.  I went to an event almost 4 years ago where I met him, and "beat" him at a game of 8 ball.  I love the game of pool, and I'm so thankful that I've found this opportunity to not only promote the sport, but also help the people who make our sport possible...the pool halls and bars.  I have 3 goals right now.  1. Spread the word about the game, the sport I love so much.  2. Help the hard working room owners to promote their establishments so we can continue to play on a casual basis and leagues.  3.  I hope to make GoPlayPool.com a success to that I can support my little family and continue to enjoy playing pool in my spare time.

I believe that GoPlayPool is just what our industry needs to streamline the massive amounts of information available for pool rooms across the country and it is my goal to support them by spreading the word.  Please go to their website and give as much feedback as you can.  Download the free app on your phone.  Let's do this :)  Good peeps and good pool, what a winning combination!

Bittersweet Defense- Reflections on the 2012 US Amateur Championships

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 ;)

Adventures of a Pool Playing Mommy

The NWPA's fourth tour stop of the 2012 season was hosted at Black Diamond Billiards & Eatery in Spokane, WA last weekend.  With work keeping me busier than usual, I had very little time to practice or prepare the way that I would have liked to, so my expectations were not very high. That being said, I was very excited about the trip as it would be the first of hopefully many, family trips that involved some mama time at a pool room. 

My husband and I just bought a brand new toy hauler and it is totally bad ass.  For those of you who haven't met my hubby, he is 6'6" so he likes everything to fit just right...  Tall doors, tall ceilings, tall shower, you get my drift, I am sure...  Anyways.  The week before the event I was scrambling trying to coordinate lodging and perhaps some family time with Sierra and my mom with my relatives on the east side.  You would think that this might be easy, but honestly all of my family in Spokane had way too much going on.  My husband offered to christen the toy hauler, so we headed east on Friday afternoon after he got off work...  Me, my mom, my daughter, and my wonderful husband were bound and determined to make some memories :).

We ended up leaving around 5:30 p.m. which wasn't too bad, all things considered.  I had made us a reservation at Ruby's on Silver Lake, located in Medical Lake, WA (about 30 minutes out of Spokane).  Honestly, it was the first name that popped up when I did a search around Spokane for RV parks, but it did have all of the amenities.  We reserved a nice little spot by the park, not too far from the lake, or the bathrooms (my hubby has a thing about using the lavatories in his own rigs, topic for another blog ;)...) When I made the reservation, I told the lady, Rose... I think, that we would be coming in late and there was no issue at the time; however, when we arrived at Ruby's absolute mayhem was awaiting.  We saw several bonfires, limited access to spots, and people were all over the place.  In fact, out spot had been rented out so we had no where to stay that night...  Considering that Sierra had just woken up, from a much too short nap (would've been bed time if we were at home), we really just wanted to get settled in.  Not yet.  We used the hubby's GPS and located Peaceful Pines RV Park in Cheney, about 5 miles up the road.  (Maybe 10, I was borderline delirious at this point.)  Either way, we settled in for the night.

My husband got up bright and early, started moving about the camper (waking up everyone inside) and ended up taking off shortly after to go get coffee...  I think it was more of a get his bearings type drive, but it's hard to tell.  Needless to say, we took the opportunity to explore the tiny little RV park that we were at.  I opted to take a shower at the park bathroom, just to minimize the hassle and potential mess in our camper... plus it took forever for the water heater to start pushing out water above freezing temperatures.  When I got back to the camper, I was dressed and ready to go.  I finished up with hair and what limited makeup I try to apply and then waited, and waited, and then waited some more.  Brian finally returned about an hour later, completely fuming, pissed off beyond belief. 

Not two block after pulling onto the main drag, my husband was pulled over by a WA state trooper for not having mud flaps on his lifted F350 (pretty common during the summer months, but a citeable offense nonetheless.)  After the initial warning, the state trooper noticed his 45 sitting on the seat and told him that he would be taking that.  Long story short, my husband sat and waited 45 minutes for the trooper to come back, only to find out that his weapon and his concealed weapon's permit were going to be confiscated because he was a convicted felon.  I can only imagine his reaction, but seriously, how would you react if you were falsely identified, stripped of your weapon and your permit, and then not even given so much as a ticket with any way of identifying that the situation had occurred.  My hubby was livid...  That being said, the rest of our trip was without aforementioned 45...  Resolution is in process for the case, they did apologize for the mistake, but he has yet to receive the returned weapon.

Oh wait, did I mention, there was tournament to get to?!?  LOL.  After trying to calm my hubby down (can you believe he didn't even get himself a coffee while he was gone), we headed into Spokane.  He dropped me off at the pool room, and with a kiss and a smile was gone to head the effort of relocating our family camper to a better suited location.  With 27 players to start and only 8 returning on Sunday, we knew that Saturday would be action packed, but as always, it was such a pleasure to catch up and share stories with the ladies of the NWPA. 

I played four matches on Saturday, with a mixed bag of results...  My first match was on the live stream against Spokane resident, Sharon Bledsoe.  We both struggled during that match; however, my struggles were earlier in racks, while hers were later.  I won 7-2, but knew that I would need to play way better if I was going to win my next match against Shelby Locati (Vancouver, WA).  Early on, I was so distracted that I couldn't tear my eyes off of the white sweat socks that the lady on the table next to me was wearing with her dress shoes...  Not that I really care, but for some reason this dress code violation rubbed me the wrong way....  That being said, I was down 4-0 before I could blink, so I took my break to regroup and regain my concentration.  I came back with a vengeance, ultimately tying the match at 5, before succombing 7-5, after a missed 8 ball in game 12, resulted in my heading to the B side of the board.

I didn't have to wait long and my next match was against Miss Sheila Clark (Oldtown, ID).  A flip had been switched and I played near flawless.  I won that match 6-0 and was eager to keep the momentum going.  Since many of the other matches ended up being much closer in score than mine, I had to wait a couple hours before my next round. I played a good friend of mine and the pool gods decided that it was the end of my tournament.  It felt like every time I missed or played safe, the next numbered ball in sequence ended up near the 9 ball.  It was uncanny.  Alisha defeated me 6-3, after pocketing 5 early 9s (in a race to 6!)  I was sick to my stomach.  My tournament was over and there was not a damn thing I could do about it...  Crazy!  Wow!  OK, well...  I guess it was time to move on...  Alisha apologized for the match, but I couldn't accept it.  I told her she was a combo monster.  She intended to make all 5 of those combos,  and make them she did.  From the moment I came to terms with the loss I was ready to go.  My hubby had left a message on my cell for me to call him, along with a text with the same message.  So I called, and I called, and I texted, and I called, and I texted, and called.... for the next 6 hours.  During that time I sold raffle tickets, visited with friends, ate a totally delicious French Dip, then went on to complain, worry, and yes call & text multiple more times.  By the time we finally got in touch it was after 11 and I had come to terms with the possibility of sleeping on one of the other ladies couches for the night, so yes the cocktails were flowing. 

We were singing and dancing and shooting scotch doubles when my husband finally came to the Checkerboard Tavern (also on Sprague, west of Black Diamond Billiards & Eatery.)  Upon his arrival, I tried to woo him into singing me our song, but he wasn't having anything to do with it.  He was also upset about not being able to get in touch.  So this is when I broke out the big guns...  I then sang You Never Even Called Me By My Name to him...  This was such a first for me, he couldn't help but smile.  Under any other circumstances I might have won one of those cool wife awards....  LOL, but it wasn't.  He just smiled and we departed, not to return to the company of the pool playing folks for the duration of the adventure...

For the rest of the weekend, we ate, drank, visited, swam, rode the 4 wheeler, and watched movies.  It was truly what a vacation should feel like.  No alarm clocks, no dress codes, just good times with good company :).  I am looking forward to many more.  Check back soon to see where my next adventure takes me...

Finding My Consistency

I am on a quest.  Maybe you all can help me out.  Without increasing my practice hours significantly, my goal is to improve my shotmaking consistency (both offensive and defensive).  I have three weeks until my next tournament and it is my hope that with the time I spend, between now and then, that I will improve.  Any advice???

My primary objective on this quest is to develop a pre-shot routine that I use on every single shot.  Even the easy ones ;)  and especially the hard ones...  Do you have a pre-shot routine?  How do you work on and/or improve your consistency?

Realistic Expectations

NWPA Tour Stop #3 was last weekend and I was rather underwhelmed by my Sunday performance, out in 2, after playing great on Saturday to make it to the A side final four.  I am amazed at my inconsistency and I was rather upset with myself, but then I stepped back and realized that honestly, I have not been practicing.  I am not quite sure why I expect more when what I am putting in is not up to snuff, so to speak.  There are so many players that are putting more into improving their games and I really need to figure out a way to do the same :), especially if I want to have a shot at winning more of these events.

I haven't won a NWPA tournament since 2009 and I would really like to see myself in the winner's circle on tour... (I have had a few top 3 finishes.) With the likes of Jana Montour, Kim Jones, and Liz Cole dominating all of the events, I am in a tough field.  I did improve from my first two events (T7/8 in both) to a T5/6 result.  I have been super busy at work, so am hoping that once my current deadline is met that I will be able to get reacquainted with practice sessions.  I am going to start learning how to play One Pocket, so expect to see some posts regarding my journey in that respect.  Gotta run, take care, and I will be back soon.