Thought I'd share an article from the Sioux Falls Argus Leader about Shane Van Boening:
http://www.argusleader.com/story/life/2014/12/24/sioux-falls-pool-player-among-best-nation/20829015/
Pocket billiards has been played in every part of the world since the late 1400s, and right now, no one is better at the game than Sioux Falls resident Shane Van Boening.
Van Boening won an unprecedented third straight U.S. Open 9-Ball Championship in October, and the 31-year old is showing no signs of slowing down. He has won four overall U.S. Open titles, and he's ranked No. 1 in the world of 9-ball billiards.
It's not a bad run for a kid whose childhood consisted of playing in pool halls around Rapid City. Van Boening's family has a long pool background, starting with his grandfather, Gray Bloomberg. Bloomberg is a master instructor of the sport and continues to reside in Rapid City.
Van Boening's mother, Timi Bloomberg, and aunt Gari Jo Bloomberg have both won multiple national championships.
The family lineage is clearly there for Van Boening, but he's carved his own path in the sport, sometimes at a cost. While kids in Rapid City ran home to throw the football or baseball around after school, Van Boening immersed himself in dingy pool halls, playing every day, sometimes up to 12 hours at a time, honing his craft.
"I started playing pool when I was 2 years old," Van Boening said. "My grandfather owned a pool room for 30 years in Rapid City. I basically grew up there."
While kids were walking for their graduation at Stevens High School in Rapid City, Van Boening was competing at a national amateur tournament in Las Vegas, which he won.
"The only friends I had were those in the pool world," Van Boening said. "That was the one downside growing up. I didn't have a lot of friends in high school. But I don't regret it."
His uncle and mentor, Mike Bloomberg of Sioux Falls, sees it differently.
"He's got a lot of friends now," Bloomberg said.
Perfecting a sport like pool comes with its share of pitfalls. The rough and tough pool halls around the country can also many times bring shadowy personalities. Van Boening knew from an early age that he didn't want to fall into that stereotype. He never drinks alcohol and carries himself in a manner that's often contradictory to those he plays.
"Growing up in pool halls, I saw a lot of different kinds of people and a lot of different personalities," he said. "I wanted to guide myself in a different way, and I just stayed away from it. There are a lot of rough images growing up in a pool hall, so I grew up realizing I needed to take care of myself."
Catching the billiards bug
Van Boening was 17 years old when he realized he could make a run at playing pool for a living. Professional pool player Danny Harriman of Springfield, Mo., was making a tour through the area, making a few extra dollars by hustling unsuspecting challengers.
He made a stop in Rapid City, and Van Boening played him a set (first one to seven victories) for $200. Van Boening won, and his career path was set in motion.
"That was the day when I thought I had a shot at becoming a professional pool player," Van Boening said. "I knew I had at least a chance."
But making money in pool is a racket, and it leads to some shady outposts. At age 19, Van Boening and his Uncle Mike traveled to Dallas, where they stayed for two weeks. Although Van Boening had the hunch he could play for a living, he also got his first life lesson.
"I played Roger Griffis, who was at the time a top-10 player in the world," Van Boening said. "I played him for all the money I had, and he gave me a good six-hour lesson."
Hustling no more
Looking to cash in on Van Boening's talent, he and his uncle made a trip to Tennessee to play some of the top players in the South. They eventually ran into John Hennessey, a hot-headed professional who owned the state of Tennessee in regards to pool.
The first time the two played, Hennessey took Van Boening for $2,000. But for as much as it stung to lose the money, the most frustrating part for Van Boening is that he knew he was better.
"He's a bad sport," Van Boening said of Hennessey. "I let him get in my head, and it worked. He *****es. He gripes. He throws things. I didn't want to have anything to do with him. He was driving me crazy."
After another loss to Hennessey, Van Boening was ready to pack it up and head back to South Dakota. But his uncle knew this was Van Boening's only chance to prove to himself that he could play for a living, and he knew that if he was unable to beat Hennessey, his chances were over.
"I told him it was time to play Hennesseey again, but he wanted no part of it," Mike Bloomberg said. "I told Shane that he was going to play him and beat him, or we're going to lose all our money along the way."
"You're supposed to beat the guy, and you can," Bloomberg told Shane. "If you don't beat this guy, you won't beat anybody. We're going to gamble every dime we've got until you beat him."
Finally, Van Boening beat him, and it wasn't even close. The match they played easily could have lasted up to 24 hours, but Van Boening dispatched Hennessey in less than an hour. Tens of thousands of dollars changed hands in the pool hall that night as onlookers bet on each player. When it was over, Hennessey grabbed the cue ball and threw it at Van Boening, striking him square in the chest.
"When he threw the cue ball at me, I realized I wanted to go back home and I didn't want to gamble anymore," Van Boening said. "I just wanted to play in professional tournaments after that. I knew things were too dangerous in that environment, and I knew I could get hurt."
Bloomberg knew they'd broken through, however, and that Van Boening cleared a major hurdle.
"Shane kept saying, 'He can't beat me. He can't beat me.' That's when I knew," Bloomberg said. "He just beat one of the best well-known pool gamblers in the country. A real grinder, who knows how to match up. Hennessey makes his money gambling and not at tournaments. Shane destroyed him."
On to the pro ranks
Van Boening now travels the world, competing in sanctioned tournaments. He's been to 35 countries since turning professional in 2007, and he plays two or three tournaments each month, winning an average of 20 tournaments a year.
The grind and hustle of the seedy pool halls around the country are behind him now. He makes an honest living playing pool, but he's one of the few. Only about five professionals make enough money to do it for a living.
"I sometimes miss going around the country playing other people, but I'd never go into a bar and try and hustle somebody," Van Boening said. "I kind of miss the guys chirping at me and the excitement."
Instead, "The South Dakota kid" — a name given to Van Boening when he was traveling throughout the South — keeps a low profile and stays focused. Bloomberg called him the most focused, determined individual he's ever met.
Van Boening's goal is to play professionally until he's 50 years old. But just like any other sport, there are factors that can manipulate his longevity. Money is an obvious need, and so his health.
"As I'm getting older, my body is wearing out," he said. "I try and stay active, but it's harder to maintain that level than when I was younger. Your shoulders and your back can let you down."
Until the finances or muscular functions give out, Van Boening will continue to travel the world, sign autographs and enjoy the ride of being the best in the world.
"I had a goal when I was younger that I wanted to be a U.S. Open champion, and I've already accomplished that," he said. "Over the years I've set new goals, and it's basically that I want to enjoy myself at playing pool. The more you enjoy it, the more you win. That's how I look at it."
That formula seems to be clearly working.
http://www.argusleader.com/story/life/2014/12/24/sioux-falls-pool-player-among-best-nation/20829015/
Pocket billiards has been played in every part of the world since the late 1400s, and right now, no one is better at the game than Sioux Falls resident Shane Van Boening.
Van Boening won an unprecedented third straight U.S. Open 9-Ball Championship in October, and the 31-year old is showing no signs of slowing down. He has won four overall U.S. Open titles, and he's ranked No. 1 in the world of 9-ball billiards.
It's not a bad run for a kid whose childhood consisted of playing in pool halls around Rapid City. Van Boening's family has a long pool background, starting with his grandfather, Gray Bloomberg. Bloomberg is a master instructor of the sport and continues to reside in Rapid City.
Van Boening's mother, Timi Bloomberg, and aunt Gari Jo Bloomberg have both won multiple national championships.
The family lineage is clearly there for Van Boening, but he's carved his own path in the sport, sometimes at a cost. While kids in Rapid City ran home to throw the football or baseball around after school, Van Boening immersed himself in dingy pool halls, playing every day, sometimes up to 12 hours at a time, honing his craft.
"I started playing pool when I was 2 years old," Van Boening said. "My grandfather owned a pool room for 30 years in Rapid City. I basically grew up there."
While kids were walking for their graduation at Stevens High School in Rapid City, Van Boening was competing at a national amateur tournament in Las Vegas, which he won.
"The only friends I had were those in the pool world," Van Boening said. "That was the one downside growing up. I didn't have a lot of friends in high school. But I don't regret it."
His uncle and mentor, Mike Bloomberg of Sioux Falls, sees it differently.
"He's got a lot of friends now," Bloomberg said.
Perfecting a sport like pool comes with its share of pitfalls. The rough and tough pool halls around the country can also many times bring shadowy personalities. Van Boening knew from an early age that he didn't want to fall into that stereotype. He never drinks alcohol and carries himself in a manner that's often contradictory to those he plays.
"Growing up in pool halls, I saw a lot of different kinds of people and a lot of different personalities," he said. "I wanted to guide myself in a different way, and I just stayed away from it. There are a lot of rough images growing up in a pool hall, so I grew up realizing I needed to take care of myself."
Catching the billiards bug
Van Boening was 17 years old when he realized he could make a run at playing pool for a living. Professional pool player Danny Harriman of Springfield, Mo., was making a tour through the area, making a few extra dollars by hustling unsuspecting challengers.
He made a stop in Rapid City, and Van Boening played him a set (first one to seven victories) for $200. Van Boening won, and his career path was set in motion.
"That was the day when I thought I had a shot at becoming a professional pool player," Van Boening said. "I knew I had at least a chance."
But making money in pool is a racket, and it leads to some shady outposts. At age 19, Van Boening and his Uncle Mike traveled to Dallas, where they stayed for two weeks. Although Van Boening had the hunch he could play for a living, he also got his first life lesson.
"I played Roger Griffis, who was at the time a top-10 player in the world," Van Boening said. "I played him for all the money I had, and he gave me a good six-hour lesson."
Hustling no more
Looking to cash in on Van Boening's talent, he and his uncle made a trip to Tennessee to play some of the top players in the South. They eventually ran into John Hennessey, a hot-headed professional who owned the state of Tennessee in regards to pool.
The first time the two played, Hennessey took Van Boening for $2,000. But for as much as it stung to lose the money, the most frustrating part for Van Boening is that he knew he was better.
"He's a bad sport," Van Boening said of Hennessey. "I let him get in my head, and it worked. He *****es. He gripes. He throws things. I didn't want to have anything to do with him. He was driving me crazy."
After another loss to Hennessey, Van Boening was ready to pack it up and head back to South Dakota. But his uncle knew this was Van Boening's only chance to prove to himself that he could play for a living, and he knew that if he was unable to beat Hennessey, his chances were over.
"I told him it was time to play Hennesseey again, but he wanted no part of it," Mike Bloomberg said. "I told Shane that he was going to play him and beat him, or we're going to lose all our money along the way."
"You're supposed to beat the guy, and you can," Bloomberg told Shane. "If you don't beat this guy, you won't beat anybody. We're going to gamble every dime we've got until you beat him."
Finally, Van Boening beat him, and it wasn't even close. The match they played easily could have lasted up to 24 hours, but Van Boening dispatched Hennessey in less than an hour. Tens of thousands of dollars changed hands in the pool hall that night as onlookers bet on each player. When it was over, Hennessey grabbed the cue ball and threw it at Van Boening, striking him square in the chest.
"When he threw the cue ball at me, I realized I wanted to go back home and I didn't want to gamble anymore," Van Boening said. "I just wanted to play in professional tournaments after that. I knew things were too dangerous in that environment, and I knew I could get hurt."
Bloomberg knew they'd broken through, however, and that Van Boening cleared a major hurdle.
"Shane kept saying, 'He can't beat me. He can't beat me.' That's when I knew," Bloomberg said. "He just beat one of the best well-known pool gamblers in the country. A real grinder, who knows how to match up. Hennessey makes his money gambling and not at tournaments. Shane destroyed him."
On to the pro ranks
Van Boening now travels the world, competing in sanctioned tournaments. He's been to 35 countries since turning professional in 2007, and he plays two or three tournaments each month, winning an average of 20 tournaments a year.
The grind and hustle of the seedy pool halls around the country are behind him now. He makes an honest living playing pool, but he's one of the few. Only about five professionals make enough money to do it for a living.
"I sometimes miss going around the country playing other people, but I'd never go into a bar and try and hustle somebody," Van Boening said. "I kind of miss the guys chirping at me and the excitement."
Instead, "The South Dakota kid" — a name given to Van Boening when he was traveling throughout the South — keeps a low profile and stays focused. Bloomberg called him the most focused, determined individual he's ever met.
Van Boening's goal is to play professionally until he's 50 years old. But just like any other sport, there are factors that can manipulate his longevity. Money is an obvious need, and so his health.
"As I'm getting older, my body is wearing out," he said. "I try and stay active, but it's harder to maintain that level than when I was younger. Your shoulders and your back can let you down."
Until the finances or muscular functions give out, Van Boening will continue to travel the world, sign autographs and enjoy the ride of being the best in the world.
"I had a goal when I was younger that I wanted to be a U.S. Open champion, and I've already accomplished that," he said. "Over the years I've set new goals, and it's basically that I want to enjoy myself at playing pool. The more you enjoy it, the more you win. That's how I look at it."
That formula seems to be clearly working.