We had SIXTY FOUR ladies (WOW! ) come out to compete at the first Hunter Classics Tour event of 2008, held Feb 16-17 at Fast Eddie's Billiards in Round Rock, Texas (near Austin). The Player's Meeting was longer than normal because we had a lot to talk about, including announcing a new sponsor - OB Cues.Wes Hunter, who was the catalyst of this regional women's tour and who sponsored us for FIFTEEN years was sad to let us go, but needed to spend more time on his business. We are all so grateful for his support all these years, but he will be missed!!!
The girls also surprised two of us board members (Julie and I) with cake and balloons and cards during the Player's Meeting!
Here we are blowing out the candles.It was a wonderful surprise and an honor the girls thought of us.
I played my first match against the beautiful Connie and she is so sweet. I was playing real good and won 7-1. I surprised myself! I hadn't practiced all week, nor did I get ready for this tournament mentally or physically like I usually do. I was exhausted after the previous long weekend and didn't do hardly anything to get ready to play in this tournament. So, I was surprised I stayed down fairly well after my shots and also ran out well. I have to admit, it felt good to still be playing well!
Then I played my friend Ashley next. Her game has improved so much so I wasn't sure what would happen in our match. I still was playing good, but I noticed my arm was starting to move a lot on the last stroke. I missed a few key shots, but had one nice kick to get me ahead 4-2 and then won 7-3. I didn't think negative about my misses, just thought about what I did wrong and moved on instead of dwelled on the past.
I then played the "Firecracker" Tara McCracken next and I could tell before we started I wasn't going to play well. She's a very good shot maker and my stroke was messed up still and I wasn't mentally prepared for the match. We both played poorly, but I played worse. I missed several key shots and lost 4-7.
Kyu, trying to eat part of Tara's burger.
I then waited to play on the one-loss side, soaking up my loss because I played bad... all the while trying to run the tournament and take lots of photos. Eventually, I played my next match against Sue Chong. Sue plays well and with more seasoning, she'll be a player to reckon with. I won hill-hill, after several mistakes and then finally playing 'pool.' She played well! Then I played fellow board member Lucille Donahue and she wanted me to win fast because she was so exhausted. But, she came with some shots and it lasted longer than she wanted and I won 7-4. I was in until Sunday - guaranteed 9th-12th. Whew! I couldn't believe it!
Here is Lucille and I in our match.
I ate with some friends at Texas Roadhouse for dinner - LOVE that place! And it was a nice time to sit and relax and get off my feet.
The next morning I woke up earlier than normal so I could be at the tournament at 9am to help the other board members set up the tournament table items. I didn't hit any balls before my match, but started promptly at 10am against the formidable Julia Rapp. Samm Diep and I sat back to back in our chairs as we both struggled in our matches. She would lose to Kyu Yi, and I somehow won 7-4 against Julia. She made a few errors, but otherwise she played well (she has a very good game).
Samm!!
Next was my friend Michelle Ram. She was playing very, very well and deliberate in the beginning of the match and was about to be up 2-0, but missed a bank on the 9. I won the next game but then scratched on the 7ball. So, with the score tied 1-1 I made a comment that upset her. I did not intentionally say anything to her, I was reacting to my discontent of my scratch. The exchange of words kind of bothered us both. I won 7-3.
I don't think I realized I was then playing for 5th place. Wow. Out of 64 ladies! I met up with the 'ol Firecracker again. Her and I are very comfortable with each other and we chatted a little in the match but I need to just be quiet. I think my personality makes me feel comfortable enough to talk a small bit when I know the player well but I need to just shut my mouth. We both were a little shaky, but she came with some very nice shots but a few misses by us both made for a hill-hill thriller. She ended up on top of the 9ball and decided to go for the kick instead of playing safe and missed it. I won 7-6.
So, all of a sudden now I'm playing for 4th! I next played the Regional Tour Champion, Houston Open Champion, Texas State Champion, etc. and extremely good friend Amanda Lampert. I wanted so badly to play well in front of her and to my surprise, I did! We had a good match and even though she got upset with herself a few times, to her credit she got over it and she started to play real good when I had her down 6-4. I was playing really well, and was quiet proud of myself, but a few missed safes and two missed combos cost me a hill hill match. But, I felt good because I thought I played pretty sporty, even though at the end of the match, the last three games she got out so well, the claps were louder than normal in my head for some reason. LOL.
Amanda Lee Lampert and Ricki Lee Casper (they look like twins!)
Overall, I had a great tournament. I surprised myself doing so well. But, my common mistakes did help me to mentally remember the shots I need to work on. That's the beauty of this game - so much to learn and grow from.
Until Next Time.
I played my first match against the beautiful Connie and she is so sweet. I was playing real good and won 7-1. I surprised myself! I hadn't practiced all week, nor did I get ready for this tournament mentally or physically like I usually do. I was exhausted after the previous long weekend and didn't do hardly anything to get ready to play in this tournament. So, I was surprised I stayed down fairly well after my shots and also ran out well. I have to admit, it felt good to still be playing well!
Then I played my friend Ashley next. Her game has improved so much so I wasn't sure what would happen in our match. I still was playing good, but I noticed my arm was starting to move a lot on the last stroke. I missed a few key shots, but had one nice kick to get me ahead 4-2 and then won 7-3. I didn't think negative about my misses, just thought about what I did wrong and moved on instead of dwelled on the past.
I then played the "Firecracker" Tara McCracken next and I could tell before we started I wasn't going to play well. She's a very good shot maker and my stroke was messed up still and I wasn't mentally prepared for the match. We both played poorly, but I played worse. I missed several key shots and lost 4-7.
Kyu, trying to eat part of Tara's burger.I then waited to play on the one-loss side, soaking up my loss because I played bad... all the while trying to run the tournament and take lots of photos. Eventually, I played my next match against Sue Chong. Sue plays well and with more seasoning, she'll be a player to reckon with. I won hill-hill, after several mistakes and then finally playing 'pool.' She played well! Then I played fellow board member Lucille Donahue and she wanted me to win fast because she was so exhausted. But, she came with some shots and it lasted longer than she wanted and I won 7-4. I was in until Sunday - guaranteed 9th-12th. Whew! I couldn't believe it!
Here is Lucille and I in our match.I ate with some friends at Texas Roadhouse for dinner - LOVE that place! And it was a nice time to sit and relax and get off my feet.
The next morning I woke up earlier than normal so I could be at the tournament at 9am to help the other board members set up the tournament table items. I didn't hit any balls before my match, but started promptly at 10am against the formidable Julia Rapp. Samm Diep and I sat back to back in our chairs as we both struggled in our matches. She would lose to Kyu Yi, and I somehow won 7-4 against Julia. She made a few errors, but otherwise she played well (she has a very good game).
Samm!!Next was my friend Michelle Ram. She was playing very, very well and deliberate in the beginning of the match and was about to be up 2-0, but missed a bank on the 9. I won the next game but then scratched on the 7ball. So, with the score tied 1-1 I made a comment that upset her. I did not intentionally say anything to her, I was reacting to my discontent of my scratch. The exchange of words kind of bothered us both. I won 7-3.
I don't think I realized I was then playing for 5th place. Wow. Out of 64 ladies! I met up with the 'ol Firecracker again. Her and I are very comfortable with each other and we chatted a little in the match but I need to just be quiet. I think my personality makes me feel comfortable enough to talk a small bit when I know the player well but I need to just shut my mouth. We both were a little shaky, but she came with some very nice shots but a few misses by us both made for a hill-hill thriller. She ended up on top of the 9ball and decided to go for the kick instead of playing safe and missed it. I won 7-6.
So, all of a sudden now I'm playing for 4th! I next played the Regional Tour Champion, Houston Open Champion, Texas State Champion, etc. and extremely good friend Amanda Lampert. I wanted so badly to play well in front of her and to my surprise, I did! We had a good match and even though she got upset with herself a few times, to her credit she got over it and she started to play real good when I had her down 6-4. I was playing really well, and was quiet proud of myself, but a few missed safes and two missed combos cost me a hill hill match. But, I felt good because I thought I played pretty sporty, even though at the end of the match, the last three games she got out so well, the claps were louder than normal in my head for some reason. LOL.
Amanda Lee Lampert and Ricki Lee Casper (they look like twins!)Overall, I had a great tournament. I surprised myself doing so well. But, my common mistakes did help me to mentally remember the shots I need to work on. That's the beauty of this game - so much to learn and grow from.
Until Next Time.
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