Mrs. Hall Plays Ball

English teacher Mrs. Hall has been a competitive pool player for over a decade and loves it more than ever. She plays both 8 and 9 ball and carries a five out of seven handicap in the American Poolplayers Association ratings system, reflecting a real talent in the sport. By dedicating time and effort, she has achieved several of her goals and learned valuable lessons not just about the game but also about herself.

Some might assume that Mrs. Hall has been playing pool her whole life in view of her exceptional talent. However, this is not the case. When she was twenty-three years old, her mother “forced her to pick up the sport,” and reluctantly, Mrs. Hall joined her mother’s APA pool team. Now she is a part of three pool leagues: the APA, the BCA, and the 8 Ball Express League. She has played pool for the past 12 years and has even competed in the World Pool Championship.

As in any sport there is a regular season, a playoff round, and the championship games. For several years her team, The Rack Pack, has attempted to make it to the qualifying rounds leading to the world championship. This summer, they achieved their dream and competed in the 2024 APA World Pool Championships in Los Angeles, California.

Mrs. Hall and her four teammates showed up ready to play some pool. With an amazing victory in the first round, they entered the second but sadly were defeated. Due to the knockout format of the competition, Mrs. Hall and her team had to exit the tournament early after being in L.A. for four days. While the team did not achieve the outcome they hoped for, Mrs. Hall states that, “it was still a really enjoyable experience.” The team even won a $5,000 prize.

As Mrs. Hall continued to play over the years, she learned skills that have helped her not only in pool, but in her life as well. By balancing her schedule, she has learned to prioritize her pool-playing, work life, and being a mom.

To succeed in pool, a mastery of angles and trick shots is key. These plays require a lot of math, especially geometry. Mrs. Hall’s favorite play is the cut shot because she enjoys cutting angles to get the balls into the pocket, rather than banking. Due to the challenging nature of these shots, failure at some point is guaranteed for everyone. Mrs. Hall says that pool has allowed her to “learn how to control competitive nature.” These techniques and habits have helped her succeed in the sport and improve overall as a person.

Since Mrs. Hall did not start playing until her early twenties, she proves that determination can make a difference. Mrs. Hall is thankful for pool because it continues to be rewarding for her every day.

Mrs. Hall competing in the World Pool Championship