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Eddie Vonderau | Championship Mentality
JUNIOR CHAMPION EDDIE VONDERAU Turns His Championship Mentality to The International Scene
By Jamie Lynch
South Dakota native Eddie Vonderau has been drawn to billiards since he was just 3 years old. He would watch his father play pool on the table in his childhood home, a fixture that would later turn his curiosity into a passion.
After spending years crawling on and climbing that very table, Vonderau was eventually gifted a cue stick for Christmas when he was 5. At age 6, he began to play in a junior league, and started competing in tournaments four years later.
Vonderau is now 17 years old and reaping the success of his lifelong dedication to the sport. He has won four consecutive VNEA Junior National titles in 8-ball, a testament to his grit despite facing the challenges of being in the spotlight.
“I felt like I had a target on my back,” he says. “It was very difficult to have success over those four years.”
This championship mindset recently propelled Vonderau to a title in the 2025 BEF Junior National Championships, where he earned the crown in 18U 8-ball and 10-ball.
Though he eventually came out on top at Junior Nationals, Vonderau overcame setbacks in an 8-ball match early in the tournament before running the table. After dropping the first match of the week to Jordan Witkin, Vonderau needed to turn things around in order to claim victory.
“From then on, I won a few tight matches,” he says. “I had a close, 5-4 win against Kaden Hillman, which could have gone the other way. I felt very fortunate to get past that match.”
It all came full circle when Vonderau faced Witkin again in the final eight redraw. This time, he got the best of his opponent.
“I was able to avenge myself from the first match,” he says.
Resilience was a theme for Vonderau in the 18U 8-ball tournament. In the final round, he found himself in a 5-3 hole. He was able to flip the script on the match, surging ahead to win 6-5 and claim the championship.
“After my first match, I really dialed in every individual game,” he says. “Going into the tournament, I made the mistake of focusing a little bit too much on the big picture. So I took something big and I tried to break it down into smaller steps.”
Vonderau’s path to the 10-ball title was smoother. He won many of his draws decisively, in a tournament which featured two more rematches against Witkin.
For Vonderau, tournaments on a big stage motivate him. He thrives in the limelight and has honed his ability to turn negative thoughts into productive energy.
“Sometimes I can get nervous for the big tournaments, but I think it’s important to peel back that nervous feeling,” he says. “A lot of it is just you. A lot of times you feel nervous just because you have a chance of doing something great. It’s just a chance. The opportunity is there, and you have to feel excited instead of nervous.”
TAKING THE NEXT STEP
As a result of Vonderau’s success, he earned a spot to represent the United States at the World Championship in Spain.
“It means a lot. I take a lot of pride in where I’m from,” he says. “It means a lot to me to try to win some matches with USA on my back.”
Vonderau’s training for the Worlds will be very similar to his preparation for Junior Nationals. He tries to keep as much consistency as possible in order to ensure a sense of familiarity.
“I try not to treat the international competitions much differently than the national competitions,” he says. “I always just try to play the table and focus on what I can control.”
A large component of getting ready for both national and international competitions is repetition. Playing in smaller tournaments helps keep Vonderau confident in his abilities. The Hanna Cup, Rally in the Shenandoah Valley, and Matchroom Florida Open and Junior Open are events that he has found recent success in.
In the Hanna Cup, Vonderau teamed up with Joey Tate to form Team Lambo. Tate is a great competitor, so teaming up not only made for a strong duo, but also allowed Vonderau to breathe a little easier knowing he wouldn’t have to face him.
“I think our play styles complement each other very well,” he says. “It was awesome playing with him rather than against him.”
LIFE BEYOND THE TABLE
When not practicing or competing, Vonderau likes to lead a balanced lifestyle to the best of his ability. While he is enrolled in online classes through Liberty University to help with the demanding commitment pool requires, he still finds joy in taking time for himself.
“I think it’s very important to have hobbies outside of pool,” he says. “You need to have some sort of escape, because pool can become really stressful.”
For Vonderau, that escape comes in many forms. He enjoys playing basketball with friends and going fishing near his current home in Virginia.
But while these activities may provide a temporary escape from pool, Vonderau inevitably finds himself returning to the table. While the workload may become intense, pool is an escape unto itself, a refuge from the stressors of schoolwork and his personal life.
Vonderau is drawn to the challenge and unpredictability of pool.
“There’s no way to perfect it, every game is different. I just love that about pool,” he says. “I think it’s interesting that every time you go to the table, it’s a different scenario.”
Looking forward, Vonderau aims to be as successful as he can, aspiring to play on the professional circuit. He admires the work ethic of his favorite player and fellow Rapid City townsman, Shane Van Boening. Vonderau hopes junior pool programs will continue to thrive in the United States, so the next generation of youth will be drawn to pool just as he was as a child.
As Vonderau continues to make a name for himself in the billiards world, he stays humble and true to his identity, giving glory to God and thanks to his parents for their continued encouragement during his journey.
“It’s important to have support around yourself to be able to do great things,” he says.
