World Champion SOFIA MAST Has a Big Future in Pool

BCA Insider Keith Loria sits down with recently crowned World Junior Champion, the Pink Dagger, Sofia Mast.

When Sofia Mast won the Girls Junior World Championship in New Zealand last year, the 16-year-old from Wesley Chapel, Florida, became the first U.S.born player to take home the top spot in 17 years.

“That was my third time attending the event; the first two I was still really nervous, but for this one, I felt much more comfortable,” she says. “Of course, the time difference was tough for us American players, and my coach found us a place to play 24/7, whereas the first two years we didn’t have a practice table. So, going into the tournament, since I knew what it was like playing two years prior, I was ready.”

Mast made it to the finals last year as well, finishing in second place, and this time, she was going to do what it took to win.

“I was eating breakfast with my coach, and Allison Fisher gave me a call, which was very cool, and she calmed me down going into my match,” she says. “She’s been an inspiration for me, so I was very happy to get to talk to her. She taught me some breathing techniques, which really helped.”

In the finals, Mast was up against fellow American Savannah Easton, who defeated Shirin Volery and Wang WanLing, respectively, in the semifinals.

“When it was 4-4, Savannah scratched on the break and I made a third out to get on the hill, and I felt that gave me the confidence to go in and finish it,” Mast says. “I remember the last ball was a long-straight 10-ball, and I took a deep breath, and the feeling of shooting it in was crazy. I never felt that way. Everything that I put in to get there and the practice was all worth it.”

And her victory was just the beginning of what was a memorable 2024, as Mast would go undefeated in both the women’s and juniors’ tournaments in Denver, Colorado, adding two more impressive titles to her trophy case.

Among her other top billiard moments were going undefeated in all three events to win Triple Crown JIC 2022, becoming the youngest player to win the Texas Open at the age of 15, and taking home the silver medal at the 2023 Junior Worlds Event in Austria.

“I feel like this past year has been the best for me, but in 2023, I won the Women’s Texas Open, and that was a big thrill,” Mast says. “I played Savannah in the finals of that one as well.”

Getting Involved

Known as the “Pink Dagger” to her friends and co-competitors, Mast discovered a love for pool at the age of 10 when she used to go see her dad, JD Mast, in action at his league matches.

“My dad played in a Monday APA league for fun, and I would practice at a table while I was there. I started to enjoy the game and really thought it was a lot of fun,” Mast says.

It wasn’t long before the younger Mast was part of her dad’s team, joining a ju- nior 9-ball league run by Jeanette Lee and excelling in tournaments around Florida and the U.S.

“Learning from Jeanette, one of the best female players of all time, was really cool,” Mast says. “I would go to her house and get a lesson, and she taught me for hours. She just has so much knowledge and teaches very well. I still have the videos from those lessons that I watch.”

Today, Mast is taught by noted instructor Samm Diep-Vidal. Working with her coach, Mast has developed a strong focus on technique, mental toughness, and nutrition as she prepares for the demands of upcoming competitions and looks to a future as a professional in the sport.

While she notes there are definitely rivalries among her fellow billiard competitors, for the most part, everyone gets along and supports each other both in person and on social media.

“We would always help each other set up shots when we had the practice table and would often do drills together, so the USA players get along,” she says.

The Year Ahead

Mast has a busy docket of tournaments for 2025 and is looking forward to defending her title at the World Championships later this year.

“Samm and I are going to work on more of my mechanics and try to get to that next level and be more consistent in my game,” she says. “I’ve beaten a lot of great competitors this past year, which has given me the confidence that I can compete against the top pros in the world.”

You can find Mast practicing on the billiard table daily, working on shots and just bettering her game in little ways.

“Samm will give me drills to do or give me shots I need to work on,” she says. “It could be something I played wrong or had trouble with; she’s very knowledgeable about things like that, so she will give me those things to work on, and then when we are together, we will go over everything.”

When not at tournaments or practicing, Mast hangs out with her family, doing escape rooms or playing games. She also likes to bake, and that’s another big interest she has for the future.

Mast thanks her family and sponsors –including Predator Cues, HOW, Jam Up Apparel, Jamison Daniels, Samm Diep, and Seamless Quality Solutions – for helping her live out her dream.

“I’m a very competitive person, and it’s really fun to compete in tournaments,” Mast says. “The people that I meet are really cool, and playing the game has taught me a lot in my life. Pool is mental, and I have to keep myself in the game, so it’s taught me how to keep my brain stable, and it’s always taught me to stay fit because you have to have the stamina to work those long days. I definitely want to be known as one of the top players and would like to win the World 10-Ball.”