I recently went to New Jersey to shoot in another
semi-pro event, this one was the N.J. State Championship
presented by NorthEastWomensTour directed by Linda
Haywood. The last qualifier for the us open.
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Saturday morning I found the billiard hall in
which we were to play Primetime Sports Bar &
Grill located in S.Amboy. I arrived nice and early
so I could practice, get warmed up, and get accustom
to the invirement. When I started hitting balls
and started to build up my convidense, you tell
yourself that this will be the day you can't lose.
Your head is now where it needs to be to compete
and win. Then the door opens and in walks the
best of the best, your heart starts to pound out
of your chest and you realize you could possibly
play Karen Corr, Julie Kelly, maybe even Alison
Fisher the list goes on. Keep your eye on the
door because more have arrived, the best of the
best are all here to compete. You tell yourself
this is what you want, to be the best, you must
first beat the best. Then the tournament begins,
table assignments are called out and you are waiting
to hear your name. Deep down you want someone
who plays at your level, hopefully that first
game will give you the momentum to move deeper
in the tournament. I give a sigh of relief that
my first match-up is not with one of the greats.
I win and I am on my way to the top.
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When you play around the better players you naturally
watch their games. They play the game with such
precision and accuracy, an error is almost impossible
to spot, if they do make one they are so proficient
they have no trouble fixing it.
The final 12 make it to the next day and only
the pros remain. Karen Corr wins with her usual
style. she is so deliberate and she stays so focused.
The rest of the top fifteen battled hard to win.
there were a lot of close games and sometimes
just a wrong turn of the ball this way or that
way or a miscue was all it took for someone to
advance and others to be done for the day.
As an amateur I stand in awe watching, trying
to pick up on a few things that they do on the
table that I could use later. The pros are just
that, they play pool for a living, most of them
have played their whole life.
For amateurs we usually have chosen other careers
and when we can we practice, some more than others,
I usually practice 4 times a week 3 hours a day,
in the back of my mind I tell myself that I am
as good as they are and one day I will get the
opportunity to prove it to myself as well as others.
So to everyone who reads this article the following
should apply, stay calm, you will get out of the
game whatever you put into it, desire alone won't
get you there. Practice, practice and more practice,
you must have a good attitude. You need to be
able to listen when someone wants to help and
give advice. Try not to take offense, the last
thing I can say is that it is very important to
never give up, whatever level you want to be in
the game of pool, be happy and enjoy the game!
Thanks,
Cheryl Pritchard
A member of the Northeast Women's Pool Tour.
WWW.JPNEWT.com