Blair Dreyfus
Sometimes topics for my monthly president’s message just come to me naturally, like this one. I get funny looks from some of my fellow club members when I say competition is the best way to improve at our age. When we were younger and our hips and backs and legs allowed us to utilize a practice routine and hit endless balls, that was the best way to improve. Now, if you’re like me, 10 to 15 minutes is forever and my back reminds me of it. That said, I have taken to join the American Poolplayers Association (APA) and play several nights a week outside of PebbleCreek to help hone my game against players I don’t know. This helps keep me sharp because if I let down, I lose. And, like many of my peers, I don’t like to lose!
Being a member of the APA, I was fortunate to recently go to Las Vegas and watch my youngest son play in the APA World 9-ball Championships. His team from Connecticut earned the right to play by winning a spot in a local tournament. They played well but didn’t earn the first place prize of $20,000. Yes, an amateur tournament with quite the prize fund. Once his team was eliminated, he and the others played in several of the smaller, mini tournaments afforded them during the week-long event. Several of them did well in those events, as did my son and I. There were Scotch Doubles events and my son, Daryl, and I entered four of them. In the first two smaller ones we finished out of the money in one and third in the other. That gave us confidence to sign up for the two MEGA Scotch Doubles on the final day. One at 10 a.m. and one at 6 p.m.
Not wanting to let my son down and he not wanting to let his dad down, lent us to each step up our game that day and to make a long story short, won both of these events. It was a long—over 14 hours—day but earned bragging rights for eternity! It was one of the most rewarding days I’ve had in quite some time. Playing with my son will be a memory I will cherish forever.
Just prior to my leaving, our PC women’s division asked me if there might be a slot in our very full reservation list for another mixed Scotch Doubles event. I contacted fellow tournament director Jim Padgitt and he gratefully gave us the 12 to 4 p.m. time slot on Aug. 27. Five women and seven men were in attendance with a new member coming by to drop off her application being grabbed up to join in for a few to get acquainted quickly. Everyone had a ball (pun intended) and by my account these women have stepped up their games a bunch. Keep it up ladies, and we’ll have to find an outside group for you to take on and defend the Billiard Club’s honor! We’ll certainly find another date and time in the near future to do mixed Scotch Doubles again!
Now for the monthly tournament winners:
Monday noon to 2 p.m.: Johnny Henson (2), Blair Dreyfus (1), Lynn Warren (1)
Tuesday 8 to 10 a.m.: Lynn Warren (3), Bob Macy (1)
Thursday 10 a.m. to noon: Lynn Warren (2)
Friday 8 to 10 a.m.: Lynn Warren (2)
Friday 4 to 6 p.m.: Johnny Henson (1), Blair Dreyfus (2)
Player of the month is Lynn Warren. Congrats to all the winners.