TOM PARRY
POOL
By TOM PARRY
POOL prodigy Jack Green is continuing to go from strength to strength.
A fixture of the Wellington and Latrobe Valley billiards scene, Green is preparing to represent Australia at two international tournaments in October.
The first of those tournaments is the World Blackball Championships in Albi, France from October 8 to 15, with Green part of the Australian Under-23 team.
Following that, he will participate in the World 8-Ball Pool Championships in Killarney, Ireland from October 19-27 with the Under-19s squad.
His participation in the latter tournament has been a long time coming, having qualified for the Australian side back in 2019.
“I qualified sixth in the singles, which got me first emergency for the 8-ball side; then one player pulled out, which got me the spot in the 8-ball team,” Green said.
At present, the youngster is excited rather than nervous about travelling overseas – “the nerves haven’t really kicked-in” – and is currently raising funds to help with expenses.
“We’re trying to get our local leagues to help me a little bit, and we’re having a few fundraisers at Bunnings, selling a few sausages as well, so that’ll help me,” Green said.
Additionally, Big Country Carpentry – Green’s employer – has sponsored $500, while there are also plans for fundraising tins at Sporting Legends in Sale.
Given the support he’s received so far, it’s clear that the community sees great potential in Green and a successful international career is not out of the question.
And yet, despite all the hype, Green himself is staying humble and modest.
“I’d love to go to more world championships, but at the moment, my main goal is just to practice hard,” Green said.
“And there’s a new competition out called the Pockets Pro Series, so my other goal is to eventually make that.”
