Billiard Education Foundation Visits Dallas High Schools

On the recent trip to the Four Dallas-area high schools—the Sachse H.S. Mustangs, Naaman Forest H.S. Rangers, North Garland H.S. Raiders, and the Garland H.S. Owls, Laura Smith and Dawn Hopkins of the Billiards Education Foundation give instruction to teacher sponsors.

Smith and Hopkins give instruction to teacher sponsors. The BEF directors are also competing players on the Women’s Professional Billiard Association Tour. Smith is a longtime professional player with the WPBA and was this year appointed as the BEF Executive Director. Hopkins, also a longtime professional player with the WPBA and ESPN commentator for the WPBA, is also a newly appointed BEF Program Development Director. 

Smith and Hopkins’ visit to Dallas was to observe and gather information on the pilot high school billiard program founded by Earl Munson, who is the current program director for the high schools. The program here in Dallas is the first of its kind in the U.S. and is in its seventh year of operation. The BEF's objective is to educate and promote high school billiards across the U.S.

Students and teachers were thrilled to have the two professionals attending the opening night of the season, in which 12 area high schools will be competing to see which school is the best in Texas. Dawn and Laura were gracious and excited to share their experience and knowledge with the teacher sponsors and even offered challenge matches to the students. The students and onlookers were awed by their high level of play, making that a night to be remembered. 

Also in attendance for the opening night were several professional BCA instructors assisting with training the students, including Carl Oswald, a newly certified BCA Master instructor, of which there are only 14 worldwide; and BCA-certified instructors Earl Munson, Bill Suden, and Mike Winger.

Thanks go out to all the students and parents in attendance, as well as a big thank you to the teacher sponsors—Ann Marin, Carla Green, Sue Ellen Spangler, Caryn Teeling, Colin Avant—and BCA instructors Carl Oswald, Bill Suden, Mike Winger, and Mike Vincent. Thank you to AMF Richardson Lanes for the new equipment, and a great big thank you for making the night special goes to Laura Smith and Dawn Hopkins.

We look forward to a great year. 
More information about high school billiards can be found at www.billiardeducation.org and www.betterplaybilliards.org.