3rd Annual Simonis World Junior 10-Ball Open

Orlando, Florida- On August 8-9, 2009 Dragon Promotions will bring kids from all over to compete in the Simonis World Junior 10-Ball Open in Orlando, Florida at Corner Pocket Billiards.  Juniors will be able to play 10-Ball, the same game the top pros will be playing in the Mezz Classic at the same time, with both a Boys and Girls Division paying cash and prizes. Ozone Billiards and Mezz Cues are presenting sponsors of the event.
 
"The Simonis cloth company makes a conscious effort to assist with youth events for the present and future benefit of our sport and our industry” stated Ivan Lee, President of Simonis USA, “We are proud to lend our support to the World Junior 10-Ball Open and to encourage talented youth from around the world to continue their journey toward excellence in billiards." Lee is also currently the President of the BCA.
 
Past World Junior 10-Ball Champions have included Hayato Hijikata of Japan with John Morra of Canada in silver. Both player have gone on to become top pro players. Yu Ram Cha of Korea won gold  in 2007 over Anna Kostanian of USA. Cha has since joined the WPBA and is ranked #5 in the world and Kostanian in the top 10 WPBA. Last year's winners were Germany's Dominic Jentsch and Liz Lovely. The competition was tough with top juniors such as Landon Shuffett and Austin Murphy, finishing near the end.

The winners of the boys will receive $1000 plus free invite and entry to next year's Mezz Classic Pro Event and the girls $700 1st plus entry to next year's Mezz Classic Pro Event . Juniors are also allowed to play in the Ozone Billiards US Amateur Open 8-Ball and 9-Ball events at the same time, with no conflicts in schedule. Last year over 20 juniors played in both the US Amateur Open and World Junior 10-Ball. The final four juniors will also get to play their matches on center court in the pro arena.

Free admission is offered to all juniors to watch the pro events during the Mezz Classic.
 
"I remember when I was a kid and junior player. Didn't have alot of money so I'd always try to find a way to get a free ticket or borrow money to watch the pros play. We all need to invest into the youth and the kids need to be able to watch their idols play. That's why Dragon Promotions offers free admission to all juniors at all our events" explained Charlie Williams, DP Founder and top 5 USA pro. Williams was the 1991 BCA USA Junior Champion at age 14.
 
Great companies such as Brunswick, Laser Rack, Master Chalk, Predator, Lucasi, Viking, are joining Simonis, Ozone Billiards and Mezz to invest into the sport's future. Gold Level poolroom sponsors are helping as well with Rocky McElroy of Capone's Billiards in Florida, Danny Kuykendall of Danny K's in California, James Oswald of Diamond Billiards in Florida. Bronze sponsors include Greg Hunt of Amsterdam Billiards New York and Bob Maidhof of Drexeline Billiards Pennsylvania.