As USA's top juniors gear up to compete at the WPA World Junior 9-Ball Championships, supporters can also get in gear with an official commemorative Team USA jersey. Once again, UTG (Ultimate Team Gear) will be outfitting Team USA for worlds, and by ordering a jersey, fans will be contributing to their cause.
The price for this year’s jersey is $65 (reduced from $80). From the sale of each jersey, UTG will contribute over 50%! $10 will go to the BEF (Billiard Education Foundation) and $25 will go toward the junior player of choice.
Help support the travel fund of one or more of the following players:
In July, the 2016 Billiard Education Foundation (BEF) Junior National 9-Ball Championships qualified 14 billiard student-athletes to represent North America as part of Team USA at the upcoming WPA (World Pool-Billiard Association) Junior 9-Ball Championships. On November 16-20, 2016, the prestigious annual world event will take place in Shanghai, China for the third consecutive year.
Through the support of the Billiard Congress of America (BCA), the BEF continues to coordinate international travel and participation for this tournament, a tradition it has carried on for the past two decades.
The following players will proudly represent the United States in 2016:
Along with the lineup of talent from the U.S., Canadian players Nicholas Ridley and Waleed Hasheem will also be representing North America at the Junior World Championships.
Fundraisers are currently being held around the country to support these fine players on their quest for a world title. For more information on how you can help them on their journey, contact the BEF office at (303) 926-1039 or visit billiardeducation.org.
Peter Hemendinger, Peter Abatangelo, Emily Herpel, Lukas Fracasso-Verner, & Mike Zuglan
Congratulations to the winners of our first ever Joss Junior 9-Ball Championships, 12 year old Ivo Linkin in the 12 & under division, and 14 year old Lukas Fracasso-Verner in the 18 & under division. Each winner received an engraved Joss Cue and case plus trophies for the top 3 finishers in both events. Runners up were 11 year old Zach Hemendinger (2nd) and 12 year old Ralph Ramos (3rd) in the 12 & under division. And 15 year old Peter Abatangelo (2nd) and 16 year old Emily Herpel (3rd) in the 18 & under division. Let me tell you, "these kids can play"! Some of the kids were well versed in the art of tournament play and some were, more than likely, playing in their first event. It was a pleasure hosting this event and watching all of the 22 youngsters having a great time playing pool! Every player even got the opportunity to pick at least 2 of the vast array of donated products, and in addition, we gave away 5 various cue and case combos by way of random raffl es.
The events were double elimination races to 7 on the 7 foot Diamond tables for the 12 and under and races to 9 on the 9 foot Diamonds for the 18 and under. Zach Hemendinger defeated Ivo Linkin 7-6 for the hot seat. Ivo then defeated Ralph Ramos 7-3 to get to the finals and avenged his previous loss by wining 2 sets 7-4 and 7-3 for the win. Over on the 9 footers it was Lukas Fracasso-Verner who went undefeated for his title besting Emily Herpel 9-4 for the hot seat. Emily then fell victim to Peter Abatangelo who then lost in the final match 9-4 to Fracasso-Verner. Hopefully it was a great time and learning experience for all of the participants in both events. I will do my very best to make this a regular seasonal event on the Joss Northeast 9-Ball Tour.
[photo id=45248|align=right]I would like to thank all of these fine companies and people for making this event possible and helping to make it run so smoothly. They are, in no particular order: Tim & Julie Berlin (owners of Sharp Shooters Billiards & Sports Pub), Peter & Billie Jo Hemendinger, Debbie, Dan & Stephen Janes of Joss Cues, Verizon, Dan Dishaw, James Sinclair of Rhythm Cues, CJ & Peggi Wilkinson of Baltimore City Cues, Iwan Simonis Cloth, Aramith, Ted Klonowski's Bowling & Billiard Supplies, TAP League, Don Kerns, Mark Kulungian, Bruce Barthelette, Steve Lillis, Andrea Duvall from Hippos The House Of Billiards, Jim Romanowski, Matt Tetreault, Keith Odell, John Babravich, Brian Trinci, all of the kids and parents, and everyone that came to support them!
In only her second appearance on the 2016 J. Pechauer Northeast Women's Tour, Jia Li jumped from 28th place in the tour rankings to a spot among the top 10. She did this with an undefeated run on the tour's seventh stop on the weekend of August 6-7. The $500-added event drew 19 entrants to a new venue on the tour – Level2 Billiards, in Somerdale, NJ.
Two wins, including a 7-1 victory over tour director Linda Shea, who leads the tour's ranking list, put Li into a winners' side semifinal against Jenn Keeney. Three wins put Briana Miller in the other winners' side semifinal versus Boye Lu. Li downed Keeney 7-2 and in the hot seat match, faced Miller, who'd sent Lu to the loss side 7-1. Li took the first of two against Miller 7-4 and waited on her return.
On the loss side, Keeney picked up Meredith Lynch, who'd been sent to the loss side by Miller, survived a double hill match versus Elaine Wilson, and defeated Emily Herpel 7-3. Lu drew Shea, who, following her defeat at the hands of Li, downed Nicole Monaco 7-4 and Nicole Fleming 7-1.
Shea and Lu locked up in a double hill fight that eventually sent Shea to the quarterfinals. She was joined by Lynch, who'd ended Keeney's weekend 7-2. Shea took the quarterfinal match 7-4 over Lynch, who moved up a spot or two in the rankings behind Shea, Karen Corr and Kia Sidbury.
Shea now faced Miller in the semifinals. Miller, last seen on the tour playing runner-up to Karen Corr in June, thwarted Shea's attempt for a re-match against Li with a 7-5 win. Li, looking for her first 2016 JPNEWT event title (she'd placed third in a stop back in May), ended any thoughts Miller had about winning her first 2016 JPNEWT stop. They fought to double hill before Li finished to claim the title.
September 28, 2015 (Denver, CO): The Billiard Education Foundation (BEF) is thrilled to announce Ultimate Team Gear (UTG) as its Official BEF Jersey Provider for its upcoming youth billiard events. First of the series is the 2015 WPA World Junior 9-Ball Championships in Shanghai, China in November. The cutting edge clothing manufacturer has created a unique, patriotic design for this event.
"We are honored to provide the best quality sublimated jerseys on the market to the U.S. junior team at the upcoming WPA World Junior 9-Ball Championships. We look forward to a long-lasting relationship with the BEF and are proud to be supporting the future of the sport. Go USA!” said Charles Peterson, CEO of Ultimate Team Gear.
Not only is the company supporting the foundation by outfitting the junior U.S team and leader but in an effort to support the individual fundraising efforts, these specially designed jerseys are also available for pre-sale:
1. Order directly from one of the 16 U.S. players.
These custom jerseys retail for $79.99 and UTG will be donating 25% of all sales from this design. 10% will go to BEF programs and 15% will go to support the travel fund of one of these 16 deserving U.S. team players:
13. Nathan Childress, age 14 (N. Chesterfield, VA)
14. Kaiden Hunkins, age 13 (Waukesha, WI)
15. Lukas Fracasso-Verner, age 15 (Wallingford, CT)
16. Daniel Sardoncillo, age 14 (Puyallup, WA)
About the Billiard Education Foundation (BEF)
The BEF was formed in 1993 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity committed to promoting a lifelong love of pool and building the next generation of players through youth programs and academic scholarships. Visit billiardeducation.org or call (303) 926-1039 to learn more about junior billiard programs in your area.
September 23, 2015 (Denver, CO): Diamond Billiard Products and the Billiard Education Foundation (BEF) have teamed up to offer an irresistible contest to support juniors pool! One lucky recipient will win a brand new 9-foot Diamond ProAm table which will be drawn during the 2016 Junior Nationals banquet.
Tickets will be available through the BEF and currently through all 16 competitors raising funds for the upcoming World Junior 9-Ball Championships in Shanghai, China. Supporters will receive (1) ticket for every $40 donation or (3) tickets for every $100 donation. Get your tickets directly from the junior players or from the following link:
13. Nathan Childress, age 14 (N. Chesterfield, VA)
14. Kaiden Hunkins, age 13 (Waukesha, WI)
15. Lukas Fracasso-Verner, age 15 (Wallingford, CT)
16. Daniel Sardoncillo, age 14 (Puyallup, WA)
Diamond has become the leading manufacturer today in quality playing equipment and continues to support the future of our sport through its involvement with the BEF and its initiatives. This campaign will continue through next summer to support the fundraising efforts of the 2016 Junior Nationals participants.
For more information about this contest, contact the Billiard Education Foundation.
About the Billiard Education Foundation (BEF)
The BEF was formed in 1993 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity committed to promoting a lifelong love of pool and building the next generation of players through youth programs and academic scholarships. Visit billiardeducation.org or call (303) 926-1039 to learn more about junior billiard programs in your area.
September 23, 2015 (Denver, CO): The 2015 Billiard Education Foundation (BEF) Junior National 9-Ball Championships qualified 16 billiard student-athletes to represent North America as part of Team USA at the upcoming WPA (World Pool-Billiard Association) Junior 9-Ball Championships. The prestigious annual world event will be held in Shanghai, China November 13-18, 2015.
Through the support of the Billiard Congress of America, the BEF continues to coordinate international travel and participation for this tournament for the past two decades.
The following players will proudly represent our country this year:
13. Nathan Childress, age 14 (N. Chesterfield, VA)
14. Kaiden Hunkins, age 13 (Waukesha, WI)
15. Lukas Fracasso-Verner, age 15 (Wallingford, CT)
16. Daniel Sardoncillo, age 14 (Puyallup, WA)
Fundraisers are being held around the country to support these fine players on their quest for a world title. For more information on the ways you can help them on their journey, contact the BEF office at (303) 926-1039 or info@billiardeducation.org.
About the Billiard Education Foundation (BEF)
The BEF was formed in 1993 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity committed to promoting a lifelong love of pool and building the next generation of players through youth programs and academic scholarships. Visit billiardeducation.org or call (303) 926-1039 to learn more about junior billiard programs in your area.
The Billiard Education Foundation (BEF) presented its 27th Annual Junior National 9-Ball Championships August 4-7, 2015. 130 billiard student-athletes represented 31 states at the South Point Hotel & Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada for this year’s event which took place in conjunction with the 2015 BCA Billiard & Home Leisure Expo.
Of the 54 competitors, this year’s title of 18 & Under Boys Champion went to California Jr. State 9-Ball Champion Chris Robinson of Ventura, CA. The arena exploded as he pocketed the winning 9 ball in the finals against Atlantic Challenge Cup U.S. team member Josh Franklin from Creve Coeur, IL. Robinson came from the one-loss side after losing his third match against former World Junior U.S. team member, Manny Perez from Kansas. Newcomers Nick Kline from Prescott Valley, AZ and Zach Gurganus of Marietta, GA both made a huge splash and all four boys will be representing the U.S. at the upcoming WPA World Junior 9-Ball Championships.
In the 18 & Under Girls division, 15-year-old April Larson went undefeated to continue her reign as girls champion. Minnesota’s star won 9-6 in a single-set finals against 15-year-old Emily Herpel from Freehold, NY. Third and fourth place went to junior nationals first-timers Amber Jackson of South Carolina and Hannah Hohn of South Dakota. All four ladies will be invited to represent the U.S. at the upcoming world championships.
From the field of 46 14 & Under Boys, 12-year-old Nathan Childress of North Chesterfield, VA returned with his sights set high after last year’s third place finish. With proud mom and coach present, the VA junior state champion played a near perfect set against IL & PA junior state champion, 13-year-old Kaiden Hunkins of Waukesha, WI. Both boys will also be invited to be a part of team U.S. at the upcoming world championships. Connecticut’s Lukas Fracasso-Verner and Daniel Sardoncillo of Washington both had notable third and fourth place finishes.
The 14 & Under Girls division went to 12-year-old Ashley Fullerton of Lake Park, MN but not without a fight. 12-year-old Tatum Cutting from Diamond, OH was down 8-1 in the finals ultimately losing the set 9-6 but she never gave up. Massachusetts’ players Vivian Liu (first-timer) and Keila Perez finished third and fourth respectively. Fullerton will be representing the U.S. at the upcoming world junior championships.
Interestingly, all the finals finished with a score of 9-6.
* Earned entry into 2015 WPA World Junior 9-Ball Championships
Newly implemented this year was the Sportsmanship Award presented by Lindenwood University. Players, spectators and staff all voted for players they believed showed remarkable sportsmanship during their matches. This year’s recipients were:
18 & Under Boys Division
Nick Kline, 17 (Prescott Valley, AZ)
18 & Under Girls Division
Serena Black, 17 (Warrensburg, IL)
14 & Under Boys Division
Nathan Childress, 12 (North Chesterfield, VA)
14 & Under Girls Division
April Czarnecki, 14 (Urbandale, IA)
The winners from each of the four age divisions (18 & Under Boys, 18 & Under Girls, 14 & Under Boys and 14 & Under Girls) received academic scholarships, custom engraved trophies and sponsored prize packages valued at nearly $2,000. Along with their victories, they also earned an opportunity to represent Team U.S.A. at the upcoming 2015 WPA World Junior 9-Ball Championships in Shanghai, China in November. The top four finishers also received trophies and prize packages.
Polo shirt sponsors: CueStix International & Presidential Billiards
Good bag sponsors: Kamui, Billiards Digest, Pool & Billiard, Professor Q-Ball, Tweeten Fibre, Aramith, OB Cues, Pechauer Custom Cues, PoolDawg.com, Simonis, CSI, Specialty Incentives, Downtown LV Visitors Center and LV Visitor’s Authority
Winners’ Prize Sponsors include: Predator Group, Worldwise Imports, Dr. Dave, Bullseye Billiards, Ricky Bryant & Omega Billiards, Pool Hall Plushies and Championship
Premier Sponsors of the 2015 Junior National 9-Ball Championships: Iwan Simonis, Inc, Billiard Congress of America, Diamond Billiard Products and Aramith
Official Media Sponsors: AzBilliards.com, Billiards Digest, InsidePool, Pool&Billiard, Professor Q-Ball and, NYCGrind.com
Links to online brackets can be found at http://billiardeducation.org/2015-jnc-updates/ courtesy of Bad Boys Billiard Productions. Live stream (courtesy of Rail2Rail.tv) and live scoring (courtesy of ScoreSaloon.com) were also available at that link.
40 billiard student-athletes with GPAs of 3.5 or higher were recognized at the event’s banquet as this year’s BEF Academic All-Americans. Banquet guests were also treated with special guest speakers “Dr. Cue” Tom Rossman and Hall-of-Famer Allison Fisher.
Also new this year was the new Kamui Quest for Excellence award given to eight recipients this year with a 4.0 GPA. These outstanding student athletes were each presented with a custom Kamui award along with a sponsorship package from Kamui. This year’s recipients were: Serena Black, Joey Bourgeois, Jr., Michelle Jiang, April Larson, Vivian Liu, Andy Poutry, Katlin Schilling and Evan Swett.
Great appreciation go to the event staff and volunteers who have made this a first class event year after year: longtime tournament director Earl Munson, tournament & event assistant Tammy Jo Leonard and her husband Mel, longtime National Head Referee Rick Doner and National Referee John Taylor, Gina Sinlao, Irene Bautista, “Dr. Cue” Tom Rossman, Allison Fisher, Marc Vidal, and Jerry Tarantola for creating the special banquet video. Special Thanks also goes to Jason Secor and Ross Smith. And and extra SPECIAL THANKS goes to Tim Chin for all his amazing support before and during the entire event.
Any young players interested in participating in next year’s BEF Junior National 9-Ball Championships or State Championships should visit the BEF website at BilliardEducation.org or call the office at (303) 926-1039.
The 2015 Connecticut Junior State 9-Ball Championships concluded with great success. Everyone had a wonderful time.
22 junior players competed for State titles, trophies, some scholarship money and an opportunity to compete in the BEF Junior National 9-Ball Championships this August. In the 14 and under division Lukas Fracassa-Verner played a very close match with Michelle Jiang to win the Connecticut State title. Franky Richard took the title in the 15-18 year old division playing the final round against Alex Gurevich. Everyone played with great determination, lots of heart and terrific sportsmanship.
For more information on sponsoring, hosting, or participating in a Junior State Championship, visit billiardeducation.org or call (303) 926-1039. Complete list of nationwide junior events listed here: http://billiardeducation.org/events/
The 21st Annual Junior Artistic Pool Championships was held June 24-26, 2014 alongside the Billiard Education Foundation (BEF) Junior National 9-Ball Championships and BCA Summit at the Kentucky International Convention Center in Louisville, Kentucky.
Taking top honors this year were three returning champions: Garrett Kinney in the 18 & Under Boys division, Rachel Lang in the 18 & Under Girls division, and Emily Herpel in the 14 & Under Girls division. While newcomer Devan Stagner claimed the 14 & Under Boys division.
A personal note from Mark Dimick, this year’s event director (in the absence of “Dr. Cue” Tom & “Ms. Cue” Marty Rossman): Congratulations to all of the 21st Annual Junior Artistic Pool Champion players! I had the privilege to direct the BCA/BEF Junior National Artistic Pool Championship competition on June 24th-27th in Louisville, Ky. I enjoyed meeting all of the young players and their families. This last week was a lot of fun. I would like to thank Samm Diep-Vidal and the BEF along with Tom “Dr. Cue and Marty “Ms. Cue” Rossman for inviting me to be this year’s Artistic Pool tournament director. A special thanks goes to Tammy Jo and Mel Leonard, Earl Munson, and the other staff members.
Special Thanks go to Mark Dimick for his assistance in making this year’s event possible, and to this year’s Premier Sponsors: Predator/Poison Cues, Diamond Billiard Products, Simonis Cloth, and Aramith Balls.
Any young players interested in participating in next year’s BEF Junior National 9-Ball Championships, Junior Artistic Pool Championships or State Championships should visit the BEF website at BilliardEducation.org or call the office at (303) 926-1039.
