Going for it all

Pool (billiards) has been a very big part of my life for many years.  My early pool experience began when I was about 5 years old and my bio-dad used to play the circuit in and around the San Francisco area and Las Vegas.  For a few years in my early childhood, we had a pool table that I loved to play on, up until my bio-dad got too serious with us on how exactly we should be playing, mind you, I could barely reach the top of the table, let along aim/angle a shot, but still, the fun times ended fairly quick.  At some point in my youth, I stopped playing altogether when missing a shot meant being grounded and/or sent to my room.

Many years had passed since I picked up a pool stick, but one night while at a local bar with friends for a night of dancing, a friend had wanted to play a game of pool during the break in music, and of course, that was the beginning of a new found love.  After a few sets, she talked me into joining her team for the next session.  Although it was supposed to be on a "sub only" basis, that didn't last too long and before I knew it, I had graduated to Captain duties of 2 teams, one ladies team and one co-ed.  

Fast forward to current day, I participate in 4 different leagues, of which I am Captain of 3 of those teams.  Perhaps losing my mother pushed me further into the pool scene, as I see it, right now it helps me to focus on something other than the complete devastation going on in my heart.

Being a part of various leagues is not the only action I get, there are also a lot of charity and/or fundraising tournaments that I participate in on a regular basis.  If any of the teams I am on are lucky enough to win in our division, then we get to play in the big tournaments such as Championships and Nationals.  The last two years have been in our favor as we were lucky enough to compete in Nationals for the 2022 year and now, the 2023 year.  :)

Unfortunately the Nationals for the 2022 year was more of a blur for me than anything else.  Mother was supposed to stay with me at Westgate for the duration of the tournament, unfortunately that was not to happen.  Mother passed away on Aug 7, our scheduled tournament was Aug 9... to say the least, the only reason I went was because mom would have wanted me to.  As this years tournament is within the same week as last year, I will be there and try my best to focus so that the team gets the win.