Home

Duane

Linda

BMW articles

Czech Students

Search my web

Ji-young's travel

Pool

By Duane Ausherman

Pool has been one of my favorite pastimes since I learned to play it in college.  That is the main thing I learned there.  My skills were limited, but that didn't matter much.  On a "good day" I would only be poor to mediocre in high level competition.  On a "bad day" I shouldn't do more than rack the balls for the "real" players. 

I was able to learn the physics of the game and developed what I call "Position Theory." Pocketing a ball is really easy, but placing the cue ball in position for an easy next shot is harder.  To place it so that the next several shots will be possible is the real game. 

I love teaching the game.  Pool halls often would allow me to teach students.  My first high level student was at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, while working as project manager for Craig Vetter.  Later, I lived in Colorado Springs to manage the first Vetter Rally.  While there I met a women's 8 ball team.  They asked me to be their team coach for the 1981 season.  They won the city, state and USA championship in Las Vegas, Nevada.  I was very proud of them. 

One newspaper article about the National Championship.  

The team captain and very good player, Barbara Campbell.  

The team just after winning the National title.   See the "younger" me in the center.  

My own odd specialty is one that is totally useless, but fun.   I like to play one handed.   Nothing supporting the cue stick, but one hand.   Even now, I can once in a while run a table one handed.   So far I have never been beaten in a one handed game.   If you specialize enough, you can be the best at it, especially if you are the only one

This page was last edited: 04/06/2006 - copyright Duane Ausherman
Web hosting provided by hostmeister.com