"...That's a big part of why we have lasted," says Ewa Mataya Laurence.
"We broke off from the men in 1993," Ewa Laurance (The Striking Viking) said. "We had a vision of what we wanted to do. We were terrified. At the time, women's billiards was seen as a cute thing that women did. It wasn't what it is now."
What the WPBA tour is now is one of the staples of ESPN's programming slate. The tour has had a contract with the network for several years now, and the sport continues to pay dividends for everyone involved.
"You win a couple of tournaments now, you should have enough money to last you a lifetime," Laurance said.
In order to even get invited to the Open, a player must be ranked in the Top 40 or a state championship winner.
"If there are any open spots after that, they are filled by ranking," Herndon said. "The invitation process is another aspect of the U.S. Open that separates it from our Classic Tour events. In Classic Tour events, we fill some spots with regional tour winners and qualifier winners. But because this is such a prestigious event, we limit our nonexempt players to state champions."
Laurance, who is from Sweden, almost didn't make it to see the big paydays the players can earn now. Despite her passion for the sport, there came a point she nearly gave it up as a profession.
"It has become my whole life," Laurance said. "There was no money to be made when I first came out. No ESPN contract. No endorsements. We would just pack up three or four players in a car, drive across country to a tournament to win $900. Over the years I played for the love of it. But after giving birth to my daughter, I said I need to make money or quit and get a job.
"I decided to make money."
Laurance was the first billiards players to be featured in a national magazine when she appeared on the cover of the New York Times Magazine in 1992. The media attention she received help pave the way for added exposure to the burgeoning WPBA tour that has grown bigger than its male counterparts.
Many of the players on the tour have crossed over to become personalities, such as Laurance and Jeanette Lee (The Black Widow), who will both be competing at the U.S. Open.
Laurance readily admits there is another reason for the success of women's billiards.
"People are mesmerized by the game," Laurance said. "We have a lot of beautiful women playing the game. We are in a male watching sport. That's a big part of why we have lasted."
Herndon, who is also known as the Dragon Lady, agrees with Laurance that the players' beauty is one of the reasons fans should attend the Open.
"There will be a pro-am on Wednesday night, and the casino has arranged for a table for Challenge the Pro matches in the evenings," Herdon said. "Fans will have an opportunity to play a game against their favorite players. But mostly, they will see beautiful, talented women playing world-class pool in a top-notch venue. What more could anyone want?"
What: Women's Professional Billiard Association U.S. Open
Where: Riverwind Casino
When: July 30-Aug. 3
Tickets: $15-25
The invasion is set. Figures such as The Striking Viking, The Dragon Lady, Little Devil Girl, Irish Invader, The Black Widow, The Assassin, 9mm Barretta and Sledgehammer are on their way to Norman.
They are not some extreme radical group or even a defunct wrestling troupe. Those nicknames belong to members of the Women's Professional Billiard Association, which will hold its U.S. Open tournament this week at Riverwind Casino.
It's the first time the WPBA tour has held an event of this size in Norman. The U.S. Open and the WPBA Championships are currently the only two major events that are held each year.
"The WPBA held a wonderful Classic Tour event at the Riverwind Casino in 2007," WPBA board member Melissa Herndon said. "So, when the Riverwind asked us to come back in 2008, they expressed interest in holding a major event. Oklahoma has always been a big state in the billiards world, producing top-caliber players. The fans were so enthusiastic about having us here last year, so we decided that we'd accept the Riverwind's offer to host our U.S. Open."
The fact the tour is able to attract such a large field would have come as a surprise to the members who have been around since the tour started 15 years ago.
http://www.normantranscript.com/localnews/local_story_209002846?start:int=0
Ewa's incredibly COOL website: http://www.strikingviking.com
JAM
"We broke off from the men in 1993," Ewa Laurance (The Striking Viking) said. "We had a vision of what we wanted to do. We were terrified. At the time, women's billiards was seen as a cute thing that women did. It wasn't what it is now."
What the WPBA tour is now is one of the staples of ESPN's programming slate. The tour has had a contract with the network for several years now, and the sport continues to pay dividends for everyone involved.
"You win a couple of tournaments now, you should have enough money to last you a lifetime," Laurance said.
In order to even get invited to the Open, a player must be ranked in the Top 40 or a state championship winner.
"If there are any open spots after that, they are filled by ranking," Herndon said. "The invitation process is another aspect of the U.S. Open that separates it from our Classic Tour events. In Classic Tour events, we fill some spots with regional tour winners and qualifier winners. But because this is such a prestigious event, we limit our nonexempt players to state champions."
Laurance, who is from Sweden, almost didn't make it to see the big paydays the players can earn now. Despite her passion for the sport, there came a point she nearly gave it up as a profession.
"It has become my whole life," Laurance said. "There was no money to be made when I first came out. No ESPN contract. No endorsements. We would just pack up three or four players in a car, drive across country to a tournament to win $900. Over the years I played for the love of it. But after giving birth to my daughter, I said I need to make money or quit and get a job.
"I decided to make money."
Laurance was the first billiards players to be featured in a national magazine when she appeared on the cover of the New York Times Magazine in 1992. The media attention she received help pave the way for added exposure to the burgeoning WPBA tour that has grown bigger than its male counterparts.
Many of the players on the tour have crossed over to become personalities, such as Laurance and Jeanette Lee (The Black Widow), who will both be competing at the U.S. Open.
Laurance readily admits there is another reason for the success of women's billiards.
"People are mesmerized by the game," Laurance said. "We have a lot of beautiful women playing the game. We are in a male watching sport. That's a big part of why we have lasted."
Herndon, who is also known as the Dragon Lady, agrees with Laurance that the players' beauty is one of the reasons fans should attend the Open.
"There will be a pro-am on Wednesday night, and the casino has arranged for a table for Challenge the Pro matches in the evenings," Herdon said. "Fans will have an opportunity to play a game against their favorite players. But mostly, they will see beautiful, talented women playing world-class pool in a top-notch venue. What more could anyone want?"
What: Women's Professional Billiard Association U.S. Open
Where: Riverwind Casino
When: July 30-Aug. 3
Tickets: $15-25
The invasion is set. Figures such as The Striking Viking, The Dragon Lady, Little Devil Girl, Irish Invader, The Black Widow, The Assassin, 9mm Barretta and Sledgehammer are on their way to Norman.
They are not some extreme radical group or even a defunct wrestling troupe. Those nicknames belong to members of the Women's Professional Billiard Association, which will hold its U.S. Open tournament this week at Riverwind Casino.
It's the first time the WPBA tour has held an event of this size in Norman. The U.S. Open and the WPBA Championships are currently the only two major events that are held each year.
"The WPBA held a wonderful Classic Tour event at the Riverwind Casino in 2007," WPBA board member Melissa Herndon said. "So, when the Riverwind asked us to come back in 2008, they expressed interest in holding a major event. Oklahoma has always been a big state in the billiards world, producing top-caliber players. The fans were so enthusiastic about having us here last year, so we decided that we'd accept the Riverwind's offer to host our U.S. Open."
The fact the tour is able to attract such a large field would have come as a surprise to the members who have been around since the tour started 15 years ago.
http://www.normantranscript.com/localnews/local_story_209002846?start:int=0
Ewa's incredibly COOL website: http://www.strikingviking.com
JAM
![Gallery_01[1].jpg](/data/attachments/51/51307-ba3005a31873343fe4cd0a6cc01c03c3.jpg?hash=ujAFoxhzND)
