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Vol.4,
No.14 — August 30, 2007 |
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BCA EXPO 2008: A CELEBRATION OF BILLIARDS … The
Billiard Congress of America (BCA) is excited about the upcoming
International Billiard & Home
Recreation Expo, which is moving east in 2008 to the Charlotte
Convention Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. The 2008 BCA Expo
will be held Thursday, June 12, through Saturday, June 14.
 The
BCA Expo is the world’s largest billiard industry trade show and the
BCA is hard at work refining several new ideas and events for the
Expo. In addition, the BCA will be celebrating the Expo’s 25th
anniversary in 2008 and Charlotte will play host to a week-long
celebration of billiards, inclusive of the Expo and several special
events.
It’s that time of year
again to sign up to exhibit at the Expo. When your organization
exhibits at the Expo, you will be showcasing your products at the
one billiards exposition with the best selection, price and value
anywhere. You will also be contributing to the future of your
business, as well as to the industry and sport as a whole.
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Photo courtesy of Visit Charlotte |
The expansive Expo
floor at the
Charlotte Convention Center offers more than 200,000 square feet
and more than 2,100 qualified industry professionals ready to buy
products and add services to their locations. The money you invest
in the show is sure to be a worthwhile investment for you and your
company. Not only will you be able to display your products to a
large and diverse buying audience, but the Expo will be a great
place to conduct research and analyze industry trends.
If you’re a pool room
operator or retailer, sign up early to attend. Not only will you
have a vast selection of products and services to choose from,
expanded educational opportunities at the BCA Expo are also in the
works. By attending sessions in the “Business of Billiards Seminar
Series” you will be exposed to in-depth discussions led by industry
leaders on an incredible breadth of topics. These sessions are
guaranteed to help you: discover the challenges facing owners of
billiard retail outlets and billiard rooms; boost play and profit;
and generate fantastic networking possibilities. The seminars will
also benefit buyers attending the Expo, helping them to operate
their businesses more efficiently and professionally.
 If
you didn’t attend the Commodores concert at Mandalay Bay during the
2007 Expo in Las Vegas, you’ve heard by now what a great event it
was. The 2008 Expo will certainly be no different, so stay tuned for
an exciting announcement of the entertainment in Charlotte. It’s
guaranteed to please!
Additional information
regarding the Expo, including exhibitor and attendee registration
details, will be available soon on the
2008 BCA Expo Web site. Be sure
to visit the site often for the latest and greatest updates.
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BCA INSTRUCTOR PROGRAM WELCOMES NEW ADMINISTRATOR |
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 The
Billiard Congress of America’s (BCA) Instructor Program … is a
key component in the promotion and advancement of the billiards
industry, as well as player participation and enjoyment. The
mission of the program is to raise the quality of billiard
instruction, make it available to everyone who desires to increase
their abilities and encourage a lifetime enjoyment in cue sports.
The BCA and the BCA Instructor Committee are fully committed to
supporting this mission and enhancing the Instructor Program as the
BCA approaches its 60th anniversary year.
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Fran Crimi |
The BCA has undergone a recent transition and the
Instructor Program is now being managed by Fran Crimi. Fran, who
became a part of the Instructor Program in 1992 and is currently a
master instructor, has a long history with the BCA and the
Instructor Committee, and will be a great asset to the program.
All Instructor Program correspondence should now be directed to:
BCA Instructor Program
Attn: Fran Crimi
72-11 Austin St. #103
Forest Hills, NY 11375
347.307.5702
bcainstructors@aol.com
As a quick reminder to all instructors, you must
submit 12 student feedback forms to the BCA office each year to
remain on the Active Instructor roster. All forms must be turned in
within 30 days of instruction, and you may turn in only one student
feedback form per student each year.
The BCA appreciates the dedication of its
instructors to the program and to the billiards industry, and looks
forward to working to continue to grow and enhance the program.
Please be sure to contact Fran for any Instructor Program needs you
may have. |
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apa team championships wrap up
in vegas |
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 The
2007 American Poolplayers
Association (APA) … team championships were recently held in
Las Vegas, August 17-25, at the Riviera Hotel and Casino. Players
from different backgrounds, geographies, playing abilities and
league areas made the trip to Las Vegas for the event.
During the event, 44 teams competed in the
Ladies 8-Ball Division. Refuse to Lose of Arlington, Virginia,
defeated 8-Up of Fairfield, Ohio, 3-1 in the finals. The victory
earned Refuse to Lose a $10,000 pay day.
In the
Open 9-Ball Division, a record 333 teams competed this year. The
Way We Were of Trenton, New Jersey, defeated the Lethal Weapons of
Chanute, Kansas, 52-28 in the finals. Their amazing run through the
tournament earned them $15,000 in first-place prize money.
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Have Fear, of Glen Burnie, Maryland, wins
big in the Open 8-Ball Division at the APA Team
Championships. Pictured are Michael Fair, Jonathan Beam,
Jason Koch, Joseph Wright, Jr., Paul Pastorek, Alicia
Pastorek, William Francis and Michael Alt. |
The
Open 8-Ball Division also experienced a record turnout with 689
teams competing. Have Fear of Glen Burnie, Maryland, defeated Bridge
Street of Fairhaven, Mass., 3-2 in the finals. The victory earned
them $25,000 in first-place prize money. In
addition to the three national championships held during the event,
the Riviera also played host to a few other tournaments, including
the
8-Ball Doubles Championship, the
9-Ball Doubles Championship, the
Masters Championship and the
8-Ball Wheelchair Challenge. Additional
coverage of the event, including stories and features, pro
appearance highlights, and tournament photos and videos can be found
on the APA Web site. [
coverage ] |
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BILLIARDS IN THE NEWS |
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The coolest billiards table ever?
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Woodward Dream Cruise visitors recently had the
chance to see a fully playable Billiards Table
Volkswagen Bus.
Woodward Dream Cruise, held in Royal Oak, Michigan, is
the world's largest one-day celebration of car culture
and attracts more than 1 million visitors each year. [
more ] |
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IN OTHER NEWS ...
ProPoolVideo.com announced that the first seven matches
from the Predator World 14.1 Straight Pool Championship,
which was held July 9-14, 2007,
will be available via Webcast.
ProPoolVideo.com
is a free Web site and the online videos will all have
optional commentary.
- Lee Van Corteza breezed through the
final match to
become the champion of the Turning Stone Classic IX.
The Turning Stone Classic was held August 16-19, 2007,
at Turning Stone Casino in Verona, New York.
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Anita McMahon won the Tiger Canadian Women’s Pool
Tour’s August 11-12, 2007, event. The event took place
at The Wooden Rack in Mississauga, Ontario, and had 28
women pocket billiards players vying for first place.
- Several
Texas high schools are using billiards to help
students excel academically through a program called
Billiard Excellence Through Training, Education and
Recreation. The program has been a huge hit with
students.
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Monica Webb went undefeated to win the Ladies Spirit
Tour in Jacksonville, Florida August 18-19, 2007. This
is her second straight tour win.
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MEMBER MARKETING
101 ... From "52 Ways to Make Pool Everybody's Game" |
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TIP №
18 |
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Host an after-prom or graduation
event to gain the support of
teens and their parents. |
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STRATEGY: |
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Parents and high schools
want a fun and safe
activity following prom
or graduation. Hosting
this kind of event
introduces a younger
audience to the great
game of pool. You’ll
also generate goodwill
and create a positive
image for your business. |
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EXECUTION: |
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Approach the local high
school with the concept of
an after-party event.
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Hire a local band or disc
jockey for additional
entertainment.
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Offer food and non-alcoholic
drink specials.
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Display flyers at the high
school and in your room.
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Submit a public service
announcement to newspapers,
radio stations and TV
stations.
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Advertise the event in the
school newspaper.
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Invite the prom or
graduation committee to
decorate the facilities.
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Invite writers from the
school and local newspapers
to cover the event.
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Throughout the night, award
prizes donated by local
merchants or parents.
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:: BCA
SPOTLIGHT |
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New BCA Board member George Darafeev …
has been with Mikhail
Darafeev Inc., his family’s
business, since graduating from high school in 1972. George
and his brother, Paul, took over the business in 1973 after
their father unexpectedly passed away. Darafeev became
associated with the billiard industry when they started
making bar stools and decided to show at the 1983 BCA Expo.
“We couldn’t believe the response,” said
Darafeev. “We came back to our offices and in a single
meeting decided to virtually discontinue our previous line,
and within two years our volume more than doubled with just
barstools, game sets and bars. The rest I suppose can be
called history.”
 Darafeev
believes that the billiards industry is going through a time
of change and transition and wants the BCA Board of
Directors to focus on improving the business climate in the
industry and improving the perception of the sport itself.
He sees global competition as something that is here to
stay, but believes there is much that can be done. “This
will require a fresh approach and creative thinking, and I
am here to support that creative thinking,” said Darafeev.
Darafeev truly appreciates that the billiards industry is a
fun industry and that so many great relationships are formed
through it.
When not working, Darafeev enjoys spending
time at the lake with his family on their boat and
waverunners. He also enjoys snow boarding, fishing and
dirt-bike riding, and hopes to take up golf one day. |
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DON'T MISS ALL THE HIGH-POWERED BILLIARDS ACTION |
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The Trick Shot Magic and International
Speed Pool Challenge event … will be held in Las Vegas
at the New York
New York Hotel and Casino, October 3-4, 2007, and will
hosted by
EPSN Zone.
International Speed Pool Challenge will
feature four top players from an international roster
competing for a purse of winner-take-all $50,000. The game
consists of players competing against the clock to run racks
in the fastest possible time. A match consists of two sets,
the first set a variation of Straight Pool and the second
set regulation 8-Ball. Players routinely run a rack of 15
balls in one-minute, fifteen-seconds or less. Tied sets
result in a blistering one rack Sudden Death.
Trick
Shot Magic will present eight international stars of the
sport contending for a purse of $50,000. Format for the
tournament consists of 20 artistic show shots in each match.
Players will execute a challenge shot of their choice, and
their opponents are required to duplicate the shot or lose a
point. The players alternate shots in two-man head-to-head
matches, performing intricate trick shots meant to stymie
their opponents. A sudden death tiebreaker to decide a match
will require an eight rail bank shot onto the face of a $100
bill. In the seven-year history of the event, the
championship has twice been decided by a sudden death
tiebreaker.
The semi-final matches and the
championship match of both events will be telecast on ESPN
beginning in November. |
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| :: BCA NOTES & NEWS BRIEFS |
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COMING
UP ... |
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>>
SEPTEMBER
...
EnjoyPool.com 9-Ball Men's Finals
Rebroadcast on ESPN2,
September 18
... BCA Board Meeting in Broomfield,
Colorado, September 19-20
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OCTOBER
...
2007 WPA World 9-Ball
Championship for Wheelchair Players,
Tampa, Florida,
October 1-4
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32nd Annual U.S.
Open 9-Ball Championships,
Chesapeake, Virginia,
October 14-27
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NOVEMBER
... APA U.S. Amateur
Championship, Atlanta,
Georgia,
November 2-4
... BCAPL
Qlympics, Louisville, Kentucky,
November 1-18
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DECEMBER
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EnjoyPool.com 9-Ball Men's Semi-Finals
Rebroadcast on ESPN2,
December 11
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EnjoyPool.com 9-Ball Women's Semi-Finals
Rebroadcast on ESPN2,
December 13
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EnjoyPool.com 9-Ball Women's Finals
Rebroadcast on ESPN2,
December 13
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BCA PRODUCT HIGHLIGHT |
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 The
2007 BCA Official Rules & Records Book
... contains the World-Standardized
Rules for 8-Ball, 9-Ball, 14.1, One
Pocket and many other popular games,
along with fully illustrated schematics,
diagrams and sketches. In addition, the
book includes BCA Hall of Fame
biographies, tournament results and
records and instructional tips.
Each year, the
recordbook section of the publication
grows to include the champions named
from a wide range of major events, and
you'll enjoy catching up on the most
recent wins.
Visit the
BCA Store today to purchase your own
personal copy or multiple copies to
share with your customers. |
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APA LAUNCHES MYSPACE ACCOUNT |
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The American
Poolplayers Association (APA) ...
recently announced the launch of the
official APA Pool Leagues page on
MySpace at
www.myspace.com/apaleagues.
The site will allow for additional
communication and interaction amongst
members — part of the “Have Fun, MEET
PEOPLE, Play Pool” motto.
In the coming months,
the APA plans to offer contests and
reward prizes to its members for keeping
the APA at the top of their MySpace
“Friends List” and having the APA
name/logo on their page. |
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 An exclusive service to Billiard Congress of America Business
Members, the
BCA
Member Update
is announced via e-mail twice monthly and
archived
online. Please forward, print and circulate this newsletter widely and feel
free to submit your comments
or contributions to Robin Dahlen,
associate managing director. |
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Copyright © Billiard Congress of America |
NEXT
ISSUE: Vol.4, No.15 |
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