WPBA Shocker!

[sjm]

As I do from time to time, I was eyeballing the always-interesting tournament history area on WPBA.com when something shocking became apparent to me.

ONLY ONE WOMAN THAT JOINED THE WPBA SINCE 1996 IS THE HOLDER OF A WPBA TITLE

Give yourself a pat on the back if you said her name is Karen Corr.

Let’s examine those that have joined the WPBA tour since 1996 as a group, excepting Karen Corr (FYI, neither Helena Thornfeldt nor Tiffany Nelson are in this group). Ga Young Kim came closest to winning, missing a double hill nine ball that would have won the 2003 US Open, and Jennifer Chen has had numerous second place finishes including a double hill loss in the final at WPBA San Diego one year. Monica Webb, Romana Dokovik, Kim Shaw and Julie Kelly all have WPBA TV round appearances, and Sarah Rousey, Sarah Ellerby, Melissa Herndon, Melissa Little, Kim White, Ikumi Ushiroda, Line Kjorsvik, and Hsin Huang all have top five finishes on their WPBA resumes. October’s Billiards Digest Cover girl Jennifer Barretta has a career best seventh place finish. But none of these fine players have broken through for a win.

What makes all of this so odd is that the WPBA regional ranks have never seemed stronger than they have been in the past eight years, and, to me, the talent in women’s pro pool has never seemed deeper.

Who will be the first to break through? Will it be Kelly Fisher? Will it be Jasmin Ouschan? Will it be Ga Young Kim? Very tough to say, but, if it’s an American-born player, I think it will be Monica Webb.

 

[vagabond]

sjm,



I disagree with your American pick mine is Tiffany Nelson.

Cheer,

"Gremlin"

Hi ,
since we both like Tiffany so much, we think(with our wishfull thinking),Tiffany is going to make it.I am not betting on her anymore.seeya in Albuquerque.cheers
vagabond

 

[LastTwo]

I say my friend Melissa Herndon does it.

 

[sjm]

sjm,

Most of the ladies don't play consistant enough pool to make the top 8. I think the seeding may the problem? Check out the seeding process at our Kelly Fisher fan site here

http://hometown.aol.com/yorky8ball/SE09index.html

I talked to Kelly about it and she is in favor of the seeding process to give the girls an incentive for them to play well. I think if the other players could beat Karen and Allison they would. They are not good enough to consistantly do it.

I disagree with your American pick mine is Tiffany Nelson. As for winning a tournament Kelly Fisher, Kim Shaw, Tiffany Nelson, Ga Young Kim and Sarah Ellerby are the only players with the skills and determination to do it right now.

Photo attached Tiffany on the break

Cheer,

"Gremlin"

Agreed, Gremlin, Tiffany has enough game to win a WPBA event, and it would make me very happy if she did. Still, the subject of my post was whether anyone who has was not yet on the tour in 1996 will will an event. As she is so young, it's sometimes hard to believe it, but Tiffany joined the tour ten years ago.

You know, Gremlin, I think Kelly Fisher is probably the next one to break through, and that's why I find her upcoming debut so exciting. Thanks for keeping me and others on the forum advised of her progress.

As for seeding, we've had the debate before, and it has its pros and cons, but seeding is popular with sponsors, who, as a group, like having the marquis matchups at the end of the tournaments when fanfare and media coverage are greatest.

 

[JustPlay]

SJM,

That is an interesting observation. With what you have pointed out, do you still think that Jennifer Baretta will be a champion and beat Corr, Fisher, Lee, Ga Young Kim or Nelson?

 

[Kerry Impson]

Very interesting stuff, sjm. Just wanted to clarify that Romana Dokovic actually first joined the WPBA around 1993, during the first year of the Classic Tour; she played off and on for a couple of years and then dropped out until recently. So she can't be included in players that have joined the WPBA since 1996.

Of the non-American players, I'd vote for Ga-Young Kim or Hsin Huang (who just trounced me in a regional tournament). But hopefully it will indeed be one of the talented young American players, and I agree with you that, although it's close, Monica Webb looks to be the one.

 

[bruin70]

i'll go with the natural and say ouschan.

most of the others have been on the tour for a while and still aren't impacting consistantly enough to be any threat. baretta is stiff and just a cover girl. chen had her best years when she started out. fisher and korr will have to retire, get bored, or get old real quick before they get overthrown by anyone previously mentioned.

if ouschan has been honing her skills all this time, then she's the ONE. her first tourney, she came in 8th i think. how old was she,,,,16-17? that's strong.

in the wpba, it's the player who has game and makes the fewest mistakes, because all these gals(save the top 3-5) make a ton of mistakes.

 

[sjm]

SJM,

That is an interesting observation. With what you have pointed out, do you still think that Jennifer Baretta will be a champion and beat Corr, Fisher, Lee, Ga Young Kim or Nelson?

Jennifer is a very hard worker, so who's to say how far she can rise? For now, though, count her among those capable of beating each and every one of those on your list in a WPBA race to nine, but probably not yet capable of winning an event in which all of them play. Of course, JP, I'd sure like to be wrong on that last point!

 

[sjm]

Very interesting stuff, sjm. Just wanted to clarify that Romana Dokovic actually first joined the WPBA around 1993, during the first year of the Classic Tour; she played off and on for a couple of years and then dropped out until recently. So she can't be included in players that have joined the WPBA since 1996.

Wow! I know Romana fairly well, but I never knew that! Thanks for the inside scoop.

 

[vagabond]

Wow! I know Romana fairly well, but I never knew that! Thanks for the inside scoop.

Howdy,
Kim Shaw,Kelly fisher & Monica webb appear to be on that road to the crown.
Ga ya kim need to mature in the Game.Some times she is very eratic in critical situations.one cannot win a pro tournament with erratic play.cheers
Vagabond

 

[bruin70]

Bruin,

I think Jasmin Ouschan has played one WPBA Tournament in two years so she should have to requalify. If she comes over here and doesn't requalify she should not be allowed to play.

The WPBA Regional Tours are 5 levels below Allison, Karen and Jeanette. They are about 3 levels below Rachael Abbink, Kelly Fisher, Valerie Finnie, and Jasmin Ouschan.

Of the Touring Pros I pick Kim Shaw, Tiffany Nelson and Sarah Ellerby to break through first. Among the amateurs I pick Kelly Fisher, Rachael Abbink, or Valerie Finnie as they have the drive and determination to win. Lets not forget Rachael Abbink's road partner is Larry Nevel a very fine pool player who has been teaching her a lot.

The other factor in my picks is the three lady amateurs I mention do nothing but play pool as far as I know. Most of the American ladies can't compete with them because they work full time jobs or take care of households which means limited practice time which causes the mistakes you speak of.

Since Kelly Fisher has had a chance to settle down in North Carolina she has won two back to back qualifiers on consecutive weekends.

Cheers

"Gremlin"

tiffany nelson has been given a LOOOONG time to "break through". i think she will break through when everyone above her starts to falter,,more than whether she can raise her game.

i think that's the case for many newcomers who show promise. they end up spending years coming in at 9-16, while newer better players like shaw, kim, and webb trickle in and keep the tiffany nelsons at 9-16. but while there's a shuffle from 5-8, the top 3-4 will remain until they quit or get bored.

imo, the only thing that will stop ouschan is whether she peaked early, or if she loses her drive.

 

[sjm]

I think Jasmin Ouschan has played one WPBA Tournament in two years so she should have to requalify. If she comes over here and doesn't requalify she should not be allowed to play.

The WPBA Regional Tours are 5 levels below Allison, Karen and Jeanette. They are about 3 levels below Rachael Abbink, Kelly Fisher, Valerie Finnie, and Jasmin Ouschan.

Of the Touring Pros I pick Kim Shaw, Tiffany Nelson and Sarah Ellerby to break through first. Among the amateurs I pick Kelly Fisher, Rachael Abbink, or Valerie Finnie as they have the drive and determination to win. Lets not forget Rachael Abbink's road partner is Larry Nevel a very fine pool player who has been teaching her a lot.

Agreed, Gremlin, Jasmin will have to requalify, and that's as it should be.

Kelly Fisher's domination of the regional ranks has been most impressive. Jasmin Ouschan has played in the US just twice. The first time she totally dominated the 2002 WPBA Amateur Nationals to earn a spot in the 2002 WPBA Nationals. The second time, she distinguished herself in the 2002 WPBA Nationals, finishing 7/8 and beating then WPBA #3 Thornfeldt in the process. Kelly and Jasmin are, by far, the two most promising amateurs.

But how do Abbink, whom I've seen play, and Finnie, whom I haven't seen play, earn mention with the other two? Abbink, whom I agree shows a lot of promise, and whose propsects are brightened by her association with Nevel, has played in two WPBA events. She finished 33rd in each one. Finnie may have bright days ahead but doesn't have a strong track record yet. I'd back the solid amateur Tracie Majors-Hines any day of the week against either Abbink or Finnie.