Q: What are some tips for junior players who are getting started?

A: If kids are too short when starting out, I recommend standing on a foot stool, or something secure, that will allow for a proper stance. It’s very easy to pick up bad habits, and the ones that are with you from early on are the toughest to get rid of.

For older kids that want to excel in this game, remember…school comes first. That goes for all sports. You never know if you will make it all the way, no matter how much talent, desire and heart you have. Even so, if you do make it to the top, you will need all the writing, math and social skills you can get your hands on, in order to run your business, which is you!

Finally, get some help from a local pro. Read books on the game. Watch pool videos. It’s amazing how much you can learn from the best!

–Ewa Mataya Laurance is one of the most visible superstars in the history of pocket billiards. Known as The Striking Viking, she took the billiard world by storm since she moved to the US from her native Sweden.

Following her childhood dream of becoming the best in the world, she continues to be a dominant presence on the international billiard scene.  Ewa is the current International and World Cup Trick Shot Champion, the holder of multiple World and US Open 9-ball titles, and has also won the Swedish, European and US National Championships in her incredible career. A former # 1 ranked player in the world, Ewa has received Player of the Year honors, been named WPBA Sportsperson of the Year, and in 2004, was inducted into the prestigious Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame.