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Megan Smith is one of the top players on the highly competitive Northeastern Women's Tour and is currently attempting to break onto the WPBA tour. In her column, Megan will discuss her experiences as she strives to make it as a professional pool player. Megan's regular column for the NEWT tour can be found at www.susiecuebilliards.com/Tournaments/WPBA/MegansNews/megansnewtnewslist.htm. You can email Megan at megan@azbilliards.com | ||
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Viva Las Vegas
It was on this date that I competed in one of the BCA Las Vegas Open 9-ball qualifiers and emerged from the winners bracket unscathed to capture my first untarnished tournament win. Words can’s describe how elated I felt when that last 9-ball dropped. While this wasn’t exactly a “winner take all” event, it sure felt like it since the bulk of the prize fund was pooled into the 1st place package which included airfare, room expenses and $500 entry fee into the Las Vegas pro event. In addition, this was one of only four qualifiers offered throughout the country for the BCA championship and I knew this might be my only way to get into this prestigious tournament. So winning this spot was triple sweet and ever since February I had been dying to see the lights of The Strip rising out of the distance as I descend on Las Vegas again..... Since then, the BCA open of 2001 has become another piece of pocket billiards history and holds some especially happy memories for me. I must admit that things did not seem to be getting off to a very auspicious start after an uncomfortable and sleep deprived flight Saturday followed by a first round loss on Sunday. Losing that match was especially tough since I had been down 6-0 and 8-2 and clawed back into it only to lose in the 15th rack on a 3-9 combo. The final score was 9-6---there are few things more frustrating than ALMOST pulling off a massive comeback. I took this setback in stride though, and stuck to my gameplan of not sweating it, no matter what. I would live to fight another battle. On Tuesday morning as I prepared for my next match, I diverged from the gameplan slightly and started to feel some doubts creep in. I suppose I was fearing the worst momentarily--were the pressures from school, lack of practice, and self imposed high expectations going to hinder my performance? Had I travelled thousands of miles and missed final exams just to bow out of this tournament that I’d been looking forward to for so long? I realized that I was asking these questions as if there was something out there that knew the answers, as if my fate were already predetermined. In the next moment, I slapped some sense into myself. I KNOW that I’m the one in control, that Fate may set the stage, but I am in the one who has to put on the show. I had made it all the way to Vegas because of my skill and heart and I’d be damned if I was going to waste any of my precious energy worrying about what could happen. Lack of practice and personal pressures became irrelevant. I had to do nothing more than remember what got me this far and play to win. I left my hotel room that morning with a peaceful sense of focused determination, with no fears and nothing to prove. I felt as though the impending match was mine already and if my opponent wanted it she’d have to pry it from my white-knuckled grasp. The match was sharply contested indeed but I played tough, capitalized whenever I could and WON IT. And the next one. And the next one. And the one after that. By Thursday afternoon, I had defeated Liz Schwartzreich, Tiffany Nelson, Hsin Huang, Vicki Paski and was about to square off against the Black Widow herself for at least 9th place. I was one big ball of momentum and no intentions of stopping even when it became painfully evident that Jeanette was in dead punch and in the mood to drill the living tar out of me. At 5-0 down, I finally got a decent scoring opportunity and stopped the onslaught. I was able to run out three more times, but that was all the progress Jeanette would allow me to make. Despite my lack of enthusiasm for being out of the tournament, I actually felt honored to have lost in the way I did. Jeanette was playing great, I was enjoying sharing the spotlight with her, and I played within myself and didn’t “give” her any games. It was a match I am proud of despite losing, and a moment I will not soon forget. (And hey--I can also say that I lost to the woman who won the whole thing!) My other favorite Vegas highlight was mounting a thrilling comeback against Hsin Huang and pulling out a 9-8 victory in front of a capacity crowd. I had been 7-3 down but held on to tie the score at 8-8. (don’t ask me how...) In the deciding rack, Huang pocketed the 5 and drew the cueball back into the corner pocket, giving me ball in hand on the six with a roadmap out. Of course as we all know even a roadmap is no hanger at hill-hill, but I wasted no time in snagging the opportunity to run it out for the win. The pressure felt great and the crowd roared when the 9 dropped. It almost felt as good as winning a tournament. I even earned a pat on the head from Allison as she exclaimed, “You bulldog, you!” So in the final analysis, Vegas was an undisputed success and one Hell of a good time. A personal best and 13th place finish, my second pro point, a whole week to catch up with friends, and the cherry on top--my first ESPN appearance. Yep. When it rains it pours, folks. I gladly accepted the offer to do a small guest interview/commentary with Mitch and Ewa in the final match between Karen and Jeanette. For all interested in seeing my mug on TV, it should air sometime next month! Since I’ve been back, among the much appreciated congratulations from friends and fans I’ve also received a few questions about my experience. One in particular being about how to put it all together on game day. One e-mail friend joked about me sending him the secret formula for good performance now that I’ve obviously figured it out. What I have figured out is this--showing up on game day with guns blazing giving 110 percent is just something you do. One doesn’t make it happen, it just happens. We can prepare ourselves and put ourselves in a position for good things to happen, but when it comes down to it being in stroke cannot be controlled. If there is a “secret” to success, perhaps it lies in just NOT TRYING SO HARD. By trying to control something intangible by making a “formula” for playing well, we are engaging precisely that part of our brains that hinders our spontaneous, natural performance. By trying to break down performance and find the essence of excellence we are calling on the hypercritical, logical, control oriented side of ourselves, exactly the force we atheletes strive to rid ourselves of!
For example, I could say that Megan’s winning formula
is as follows:
While it is true that all of these factors have been associated with times that I played really well, if I try to combine them for some foolproof method of performance, where is my locus of control? Well I’m attributing my performance to external things in that case. The locus of control isn’t where it should be-on ME. I had a good tournament and played strong in Vegas, but trying to figure out what I did and repeat it for the next time just won’t work. All I can do is believe in myself, play to win and get out of my own way. Of course, superstitions die hard and knowing all this probably won’t stop me from keeping a picture of Corey and me in my case at all times, but that’s another story. ...
Anyway, thanks again for all of you who have been
supporting me and charting my progress. I’m now
halfway to achieving my first goal, getting my pro
status, and will be on my way to Charlotte next week
for another WPBA road trip. Wish me luck!!
All copyrights are owned by Megan Smith. No duplication is allowed without her permission. | |||
