Actually, it wasn't too bad! I have played on TV before a few times, I have played at the Reno Sands against the men, as well as the Reno Bar Table Championships - in the last one, I was also filmed. I also played in the WPBA events somewhat regularly and routinely play in regional events where I am usually the only woman in it. Other big events would be the WPBA amateur nationals, and BCA, APA, and VNEA nationals.
The crowd didn't bother me. I felt they were on my side. It used to bother me when I played in WPBA events though. I rarely shot my game there. And it got a little intense knowing the Filipinos and just about every legend might walk by and watch you shoot. That was a little intimidating!
I think mostly, the feeling was that you were in hallowed halls. Everywhere you looked was a great player. It was totally awe-inspiring!
My first match was as you probably know, on TV against Mike Sigel. When we warmed up, he tried to assert his dominance by hogging the table and not just shooting one rack per shooter, like we did in the WPBA.
When it was my turn to practice, I was doing 3 rail kicks from nowhere, one-stroking balls down the rail, full table cuts, so he knew I could make balls and I'd like to think that I at least got him thinking, if not a little nervous.
He came out of the gate playing well. I think he ran the first 2 racks, then I won the next 2. I broke horribly!! The conditions from the TV lights made the cloth like carpet.
I wasn't shooting all that well, but it did go 2-2 and that's when he started the Mouth act on me. Sometimes, I felt the pressure of doing well for the AZBers, all the ones who PM'ed me, rooting for me. I was also conscious that I was on live TV in Europe and wondered what they thought.
The microphone cord kept showing, so the techs would come over and adjusted me 3-4 times. When I took a break, they had to reattach the amplifier box and it scratched me every time I bent over.
Sometimes, when I was really intent on a ball, I would start shaking - not so much from nerves, but from being set in one position concentrating for so long, pushing my hand hard into the table - muscle fatigue, maybe. So I would fire before I was ready so my fat wouldn't jiggle, lol.
I think I could have been clearer in my thinking...patterns were just not coming. Of course, I might have been distracted!
And only because you asked because I have promised myself not to belabor the point anymore, there was a foul that was not called against Mike Sigel that clearly was wrong. I did not argue, but calmly accepted the call, but it did dampen my enthusiasm the rest of the day.
Afterwards, Mike's sponsors came over and complimented me on my composure, so I guess I did ok.
Later, when I shook myself out of my slump and went down swinging against a qualifier, I played good and actually broke and ran a 2-pack and ran out racks before and after it, on my opponent's dry breaks or after he missed, so that was 4 racks in a row, and it felt good. At that point, I was in the zone and didn't care about anything but the balls. I was down 7-3 and came back and tied it hill-hill before going down for the count. I came up short, but I did realize that I am capable of holding my own and vow to do better in the next one. Win or lose, I will play my game!
Thanks for asking. It will be interesting to hear how the others felt. We rehashed a lot of games and incidents with each other, but never really how nervous or scared we were.
But I think the IPT doesn't mind if you use their photos, so long as you link to them and give them credit.
.....