Billiardclick.com

Interview with Ewa Mataya Laurance (2005)

Photo (C) www.strikingviking.com

Can you tell me a little about how you started playing pool in Sweden? How young were you when you first played and did you have natural ability?
I STARTED PLAYING AT THE AGE OF FOURTEEN. I FOLLOWED MY BROTHER INTO THE POOL ROOM ONE DAY, AND FELL IN LOVE WITH THE GAME PRETTY MUCH INSTANTLY. I HAVE ALWAYS HAD GOOD EYE/HAND COORDINATION, AND EVEN IN THE BEGINNING, THE GAME SEEMED TO COME NATURALLY TO ME.

What has been your best achievement in your life to date?
MY DAUGHTER NIKKI. OH, AND WINNING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS AND US OPENS RANK RIGHT UP THERE ALSO…

Gaining your place in the Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame in 2004 must be quite an honour.  What do you think about the fact that you are only the fifth female player to be included?
OBVIOUSLY IT’S AN AMAZING FEELING.  WHEN YOU WIN A BIG CHAMPIONSHIP, THE “HIGH” LASTS A FEW WEEKS. WHEN YOU GET RECOGNIZED IN YOUR SPORT BY BEING INDUCTED INTO THE  HALL OF FAME, IT TENDS TO STAY WITH YOU FOR A WHILE…

I see that you do exhibitions, tradeshows and other events.  Do you think that this sort of thing helps you mentally prepare in any way for competitive play, or do you perceive any other benefits/hazards?
UNFORTUNATELY THERE ARE MORE HAZARDS THAN BENEFITS. I HAD TO MAKE A DECISION WHEN MY DAUGHTER WAS YOUNG TO EITHER GIVE THE GAME UP OR FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE A LIVING AT IT. EVEN THOUGH I WAS RANKED NUMBER ONE IN THE WORLD, THERE SIMPLY WAS NOT ENOUGH MONEY BACK THEN TO LIVE ON.  SO I STARTED TO LOOK AT IT MORE LIKE A BUSINESS AND REALLY HIT THE EXHIBITION CIRCUIT HARD.  IT WAS QUITE SIMPLE.  I COULD MAKE AS MUCH IN A DAY AS I COULD WINNING A MAJOR TOURNAMENT.  THE BIGGEST PROBLEM IS THAT YOU PLAY WAY TOO MUCH “FOR FUN” AND NOT ENOUGH SERIOUS POOL AND THE TRAVELING PREVENTS ANY CHANCE OF STEADY PRACTICE. BUT I’M NOT COMPLAINING. I REALLY LOVE MY LIFE.

I notice that you have written three books, ‘The Ewa Mataya Pool Guide’, “The Complete Idiots Guide to Pool and Billiards’ and the ‘Quick-Start Guide to Pocket Billiards’.  You obviously feel very passionate about your sport.  Finding time probably has been a major factor in writing these books, but what part of writing do you think besides time has been the most difficult to do?
WRITING IS A GREAT DEAL OF FUN, BUT THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WITH PUTTING DOWN WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT THE GAME ON PAPER, IS THAT YOU HAVE TO THINK ABOUT IT FIRST.  I’VE ALWAYS BEEN A NATURAL PLAYER, PLAYING MOSTLY ON FEEL.   NOW I TEND TO BE MUCH MORE ANALYTICAL, AND THERE IS NO ROOM IN TOURNAMENT PLAY FOR THINKING OF MECHANICS.     I AM ACTUALLY WORKING VERY HARD ON THAT RIGHT NOW.  JUST GOING BACK TO PLAYING ON FEEL, AND TRUSTING THAT THE STROKE  WILL BE THERE WHEN YOU PULL THE TRIGGER.

Looking at your biography I notice that you are also a golfer. Have any of your billiards skills, for example mental skills been transferable to golf?
ABSOLUTELY. HOW YOU APPROACH ONE THING TENDS TO BE HOW YOU APPROACH EVERYTHING. ESPECIALLY THE SHORT GAME, CHIPPING AND PUTTING. THE MENTAL APPROACH IN BOTH SPORTS IS THE SAME AS WELL. (ONLY GOLF IS MORE AGGREVATING!)

If someone asked you to tell him or her how they could play better pool, what advice would you give them?
MAKE SURE YOU START WITH THE CORRECT BASICS. IT IS SO IMPORTANT TO HAVE THE RIGHT STANCE, STROKE, APPROACH, ETC.  TAKE SOME LESSONS EARLY, OR EVEN IF YOU’VE PLAYED THE GAME FOR A WHILE, DON’T BE AFRAID TO CHANGE YOUR FUNDAMENTALS IF YOU FEEL YOUR GAME HAS REACHED A PLATEAU. FROM THERE, IT’S LARGELY BASED ON HOW MUCH PRACTICE AND EFFORT YOU’RE PREPARED TO PUT IN TO IT. READING BOOKS, WATCHING VIDEOS AND BETTER PLAYERS ALSO HELP TO IMPROVE YOUR OVERALL KNOWLEDGE OF THE GAME.

Can you tell me one thing about yourself that people do not generally know?  For example do you play a musical instrument? Do you have any strange hobbies?
MY PASSIONS OUTSIDE THE GAME ARE GOLF, GARDENING, SPENDING TIME WITH MY FAMILY AND OUR ANIMALS (WE HAVE THREE HORSES, FOUR DOGS AND TWO CATS.)
OH, AND SHOPPING, I’M AFRAID…

Please visit www.strikingviking.com for more wonderful information about Ewa

This is the first in a series of re-published interviews exclusive to Billiardclick.com.

Jennifer Barretta Interview (2004)

Can you tell me a little about yourself and when you first started to play
pool?
I started playing pool only 6 1/2 years ago. I used to play recreationally sometimes and one of those times I caught the bug and decided to take some lessons. Since then I’ve played obsessively.

Pool is such a wonderful sport, what are the main reasons which keep you
playing and give you a thirst for the game?
The more success I have the more desire I have to practice and improve. There is always more to learn.

How much do you practice every week, and what does your practice routine
consist of?
I practice 40-50 hours a week, and I practice everything. In my alone practice I do drills and work on things that I struggled with in recent tournaments, and then I spar with better players. I find it helpful to keep a mental checklist in my tournament matches to find what I need to work on. Usually the same problems keep popping up.

What do you think are the main points to study in order to win games and do
you have any philosophies that help you win?
My main philosophy is that if I play well everything else takes care of itself. I never focus on the score or winning and losing. When I play the best I can and I lose anyway I never feel badly about it.

Do you ever play pool for money?
Never. People have told me that it’s the only way to improve because it makes you play harder, but I always play hard. Tournament pressure is different, anyway.

What other interests do you have?
I used to love snowboarding, but I gave it up for pool. I’ve put so much of myself into it that I can’t risk an injury at this point.

www.jenniferbarretta.com