The Next Generation Of Pool Has Arrived! By Emily Duddy
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or anyone who loves pool it is easy to see (& feel) that 2022 is bursting with momentum, energy, money, talent, & tons of competition! Our 2 years of shutdown, with lots of at home practice (if possible), full of virtual events & watching tons of pool online, has paid off. Matchroom, Predator, The Pro Billiard Series & the WPBA lead the way with full calendars for professionals; however, the biggest shift for the sport of pool is the support of wild card players & juniors. I have had the pleasure of meeting & watching some of these players during my first 2 professional events of the year - WPBA Northern Lights mid-March in Walker, Minnesota & the WPBA/Predator Women’s & Men’s Las Vegas Open events a couple weeks ago. These young stars are another breed altogether & demonstrate many phenomenal traits including: * * * *
Personify positivity Dress like top athletes Rock solid fundamentals Support each other & the pool community
* Respect other players & veterans * Are hungry, but humble * THEY LOVE THE GAME! FACTORS THAT MAKE THE DIFFERENCE & ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE LAID THE GROUNDWORK It is important to take nothing away from the fantastic juniors that have been stars of pool throughout the last few decades, there is simply more access to opportunities present day. Personally I began shooting pool as a young girl (8) in the 90’s & didn’t have a great outlet as a junior. I remember my dad & I talking about competition when I was 11 (1994), but there were few events & nothing local. My first event would come at 18 & I would be all in the for the next 20 years (& for the rest of my life hopefully), but I wish I had started competing even younger. Another factor in the 70’s, 80’s & 90’s, was that pool still had a reputation as a game of gambling that was played by hustlers in a seedy environment. A reputation which hung around for far too long & however nostalgic, 59
