Going to Taiwan!

I am very excited to report that I will be representing the U.S. in the 2008 World Championships in Taipei, Taiwan. I am thrilled to have this opportunity.

I will travel directly from Taiwan to Alpine, California to play in the first WPBA event of the season. It will be a grueling trip, so I need to get to work to make sure that my mind, body and game are all in the best possible shape!

I just returned from the Turning Stone Classic X at the Turning Stone Casino in Verona, New York.
I had a great time up there (as always) and I just wanted to say "hi" to everyone that I met!


-LIZ

Busy, Busy, Busy

For the first time, I am actively seeking sponsors to help support my pool career (learn more here.)

I am very excited about my prospects but since I am asking people to invest in me, I have been logging insane hours at the pool hall to ensure that I am a worthwhile product!

I will be playing in two tournaments this weekend at Skyline Billiards in Brooklyn, NY. Saturday is a One-Pocket event and Sunday is a Blaze Pro-Am Tour 9-Ball event. I have only played One-Pocket about six times, ever, but I figure it's about time to learn!

-LIZ

Keeping a Tournament Journal

Over the weekend I played in my first event of the year: The Joss Northeast Tour stop at Diamond Eight Billiards in Latham, NY.

I want to make the best of my time this year. In order to do that, I need to work hard to correct my mistakes so that I don't end up making the same ones over and over.

I've decided to keep a tournament journal. This is something that I have done in the past, usually after having a bad tournament. Admittedly, this is why I am starting it again now!

Here's what my entry from this weekend looks like:

1/19/2008

Joss – Diamond Eight Billiards, Latham, NY (0 and 2)

Hitting the ball very well, but not focusing well.

Need to “throw out an anchor”: missed opportunities in both matches to take early lead.

Need to separate decision making from execution and give decisions a fraction of a second more so that I can go at the shot with 100% confidence.

Felt nervous – try the usual remedies for this: meditation, emotional control and disciplined thinking.

Need to eat better on tournament day.

Attitude still needs work: I need to have a collection of phrases that I am allowed to say after a match and not deviate into whining or excuses.

Need to keep working on break, but it is getting better - slowly.

Things to practice:

Combinations
Jacked-up rail draw shot that I missed in match one
Meditation
Post-match phrases
Separating decisions from execution
Break

Things to do to prepare for this weekend in Atlantic City:

Pack groceries so that I can eat well.
Re-read sections of “Mental Toughness Training”
Do something fun (non pool-related) to boost my positive energy.

So, that is what my next week is going to look like. For "something fun" I think I'll go ice skating. I was a serious skater when I was a kid and now I go when I need a pick me up. I can skate so fast it feels like I'm flying. It's pure joy.

I am going to be playing in the Blaze Pro-Am Tour Finale at Atlantic City Billiards this Saturday. If you are in the area, come by and sweat some matches!

-LIZ

Hello 2008!

Happy New Year everybody!

I don't really believe in New Year's resolutions, but I am excited to make goals for myself for the upcoming year.

Here are my top three goals for 2008:
To be the most-improved player in the WPBA
To increase my top break speed by 4 mph (from 16 to 20 mph)
To raise enough sponsorship money to pay for a trip to the 2008 Women's World Championship Qualifier in Taiwan

These goals will be my inspiration for the next year, but they are not in themselves a recipe for success. If you have been following my blog over the last year, you might remember my white board. I don't want to fall into the same trap as the Underpants Gnomes. I am going to break down these large result-based goals into smaller action-focused goals (such as 100 breaks/day for improving my break or ten phone-calls/week seeking sponsorship.)

I am excited to get crackin' and to see how far my hard work will take me in 2008!

LIZ

In Case You Missed It!

Me... on TV...

My TV Debut!

Just wanted to let everyone know that I will be featured in a short interview this Sunday on ESPN, during the broadcast from the WPBA Tour Championship (where I finished 9th.)

The programming airs between 1pm and 4pm EST.

There will be 30 seconds of me somewhere in those three hours!

Hope you tune in!

-LIZ

I'm This Many

Happy Birthday to me... Happy Birthday to me...
Happy Birthday to me-e...
Happy Birthday to me!