Julie Nogiec wins BCA qualifier
San Diego, CA – March
19-20, College Billiards hosted the final BCA qualifier. 19 women came
ready to
compete
for the
final spot with Texas express rules and the alternating break format
including Miyuki Sakai of Japan, Susan Williams of AZ,
former pro billiard player Julie Nogiec and local San Diegan Tina Pawloski.
The hot seat match featured Tina Pawloski and Julie Nogiec where the flashy
Pawloski started off with a 4-1 lead before smooth and confident stroking
Nogiec made
a comeback to go 6-5. At 8-6, Pawloski breaks doesn't make anything and leaves
a 1-7-9 combo for the score to go 8-7. Returning the favor, Nogiec breaks
and leaves the 2-9 combo which is missed by Pawloski but Pawloski goes on
to win the game and takes the hot seat.
On the loser’s side, Susan Williams
defeated Kristin Haney 7-2 to go on to
play Nogiec. Williams had a strong 6-3
lead over Nogiec but was unable to finish as Nogiec came back with the
7-6 win
over Williams to move on to the hot seat
to avenge hot seat winner Pawloski.
In the finals, Nogiec was up 6-5 and Pawloski broke and ran the next rack
to make the score 6 all. Pawloski won the next 2 games to put herself on
the hill. Nogiec, unfaltered by being down once again, made another come
back to go
hill-hill. In the final rack, Pawloski runs out and misses the 7-ball and
then concedes the last 2 balls on the table for Nogiec to
win the finals.
Thank you to College Billiards and its staff for hosting the BCA. All the
women had
a great time and we hope to play again
next year!!!
Ballbreakers from the inside
by mike howerton, azbilliards.com
What started out as
No-Limit 9-Ball is now Ballbreakers. The name might have changed, but the
show is still the
same and the plan is still for this new show to premiere on Game Show Network
in July or August.
Filming started on this new show last week and we had a chance to speak to
one of the first players about the show, the set and the concept itself.
Tina Pawloski is no beginner to the game of 9-ball, having won state championships
in two different states as well as having competed in numerous regional tour
stops on the West Coast. This in itself proves that the new show’s
casting staff is interested in more than just a pretty face. With the show
based on single games though, it wouldn’t make much sense to bring
in pro 9-ball players who could easily run a rack and do away
with all of the suspense.
Tina had nothing but compliments on the show’s set and environment.
The games were played on a beautiful Brunswick Gold Crown IV on a set that
Pawloski described as very “Saturday Night Fever.” Spectators
were not only seated all around the table, but there was also
a VIP lounge where visitors were able to sit in comfort to watch the action
from comfortable couches.
The format is pretty simple. Each player
is given a “stake” of $5000 and the four players involved basically
gamble until three of them are broke. The final winner keeps the $20,000
that they won. One interesting aspect of the format is that bets can be made
not only between the two players involved in a particular game, but action
is also encouraged involving the players waiting on the rail. At any time,
any of the four players can step up and challenge the player at the table
to wager on their ability to make their shot, win the game, etc.
This kind of action definitely brings a different level of pressure for some
of these players, who might not have ever played under stress before. As
if the money was not enough stress, show co-host Sal Masekela (of ESPN X-Games
fame) can interrupt a player at any time to get their thoughts on a particular
shot or game.
Masekela is joined in the hosting duties by BCA Hall-of-Famer Ewa Laurance,
who certainly knows a fair amount about not only the game of 9-ball but also
about playing under stress. The third extra on the set for the show was
Adrianne Curry (America’s Next Top Model, The Surreal Life) who was in charge
of taking care of each player’s stack of cash.
Pawloski described the over feel of
the show as something new, but still “completely entertaining.” “I
think it
has a great chance to do well with the right audience, and anyone really
has
a chance to win,” added Pawloski.
We will get the chance to see the show and judge for ourselves how it comes
together later this year on Game Show Network.
Seminars at BBIA convention
West Palm Beach, FL – The Billiard
and Bowling Institute of America is pleased
to announce its first-ever line-up of
seminars targeting billiard retailers, to be held at its 62nd Annual
Convention,
May 15-17, 2005 in Fort Lauderdale, FL.
Topics included will be:
Retail
Store Design
Does your showroom convey the right message
to your customers?
Location, location, location!
How to determine if your location is within
proximity to your target shopper.
Manufacturer-Provided
Training
Where better to get the knowledge,
the motivation and the enthusiasm for
a product than from its manufacturer?
Trends
and Proven Successes
How are billiard retailers coping
in today’s
intense home game room battle?
Succession
Planning
Where do we go from here?!
Billiard retailers may see a complete schedule and register online
at billiardandbowling.org.
Chartered in 1940, the B.B.I.A. is a trade association comprised
of the leading manufacturers, suppliers and dealers of both billiard
and
bowling
equipment and services. In addition to conducting an annual convention
for industry leaders, the association develops programs to promote
the growth of billiards and
bowling throughout the world.
Spring Dates for EXPO Thru 2010 Billiard Industry Drives Show Timing
Colorado Springs, CO – Following
the recent Billiard Congress of America
[BCA] Board of Directors meeting, Board President John Stransky issued
a statement detailing the decision to host the International Billiard & Home
Recreation Expo in the spring of each coming year through 2010.
In addressing the long-running debate over selecting the optimal month
for
the Expo, the board reviewed the BCA’s goals, which include strengthening
the
organization through an effective trade show that supports the entire
billiard industry by improving member businesses.
Citing more targeted research, Mr. Stransky stated that “Many surveys
by mail and by phone have been conducted; recently we had even issued
a press release announcing July as the event month based on the most
recent
survey of our entire membership... but it turns out that the top-30 exhibitors,
which represent a majority of the rented booth space, overwhelmingly
prefer the April time slot.”
Acknowledging the difficulty of decisions surrounding this complex issue,
Mr. Stransky added “While the board members understand and regret
that we are unable to satisfy all of the BCA members, we believe in our
leadership role. We made a rational business decision based on this serious
information we had acquired and are moving forward in securing dates
and venues with signed contracts for April. This will allow you,
as a BCA member, to adjust your
business plans as necessary and prepare well in advance to exhibit or
attend these important industry events.”
Each BCA Business Member was mailed
a copy of the letter last week, and the full statement was made public
on BCA-Pool.com, where it can be viewed by
following links from the About Us tab> “
BCA News” menu.
Record fields at U.S. bar table championships
by jay helfert
Reno, NV – The biggest field of players ever competed
in the 12th annual U.S.
Bar Table Championships, held at the Sands Regency.
124 played in the 9-Ball and 169 in the
8-Ball, making for over $50,000 in prize money paid out to the 80 top players.
In the 9-Ball, Canadian Edwin Montal swept into the finals undefeated,
overcoming Danny “Kid Delicious” Basavich 9-6 and Bernardo Chavez 9-8 and
finally 21 year old Shane Van Boening for the hot seat 9-7. Bernardo Chavez
aka “King Kong” fought his way through the losers bracket to
meet Montal in the finals.
He fought his way past David Matlock
9-5, Corey Deuel 9-8 and young Shane 9-5.
In the true double elimination format, Chavez had to beat Montal twice. He
won the first set 9-7 but fell 9-6 in set two.
In the 8-Ball division US Open Champ Gabe Owen swept past eight straight
opponents to reach the hot seat. He took the hot seat via a 5-2 win over
Canuck Steve Cherewyk. Steve gained a rematch in the finals by downing yet
another Canadian Stan Tourangeau 5-2. Cherewyk won the first set with Owen
5-2, but Gabe came back in set two to win the title 5-0.
Kim Benson won an extra $100 for
highest finishing woman in a playoff with Andrea Wilson.
