DIMBOOLA pool player Brian Reddie will travel to Malta in November to represent Australia after being selected as part of the All Nations Cup team last week.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The 51-year-old said he was over the moon when he found he had been selected.
“It’s not something I expected at all,” he said.
“I play a lot of state pool around Western Victoria and my name had been put forward a couple of years ago but I still never expected to be selected.
“I simply enjoying playing pool at the highest level possible.”
When Reddie moved to Dimboola in 1987 he started playing pool to meet new people in the community.
“I just love the social aspect of the game,” he said.
“It’s about meeting new people, catching up with friends and enjoying the challenge.”
Almost from the start he was regarded as one of the best players in Dimboola and the Wimmera region.
He put it down to a natural sporting ability and an eye for angles developed while drafting and working as a cabinet maker.
“I can see the angles on the table as I am playing,” he said.
Reddie favours a soft and controlled game style and said one of the most difficult things to develop was a control of the cue ball.
“It is all about controlling the white ball,” he said.
“You need to have a good idea about where it will finish.
“I play with a fair bit of touch so that if I miss a shot the ball is in position to be pocketed on my next shot.”
The Dimboola community has quickly come together to help Reddie get to the Malta in what will be his first ever trip abroad.
Stoph and Meran Pilmore from the Victoria Hotel have already told him they would pay for his air fair.
The pair are just the tip of the iceberg of all the businesses around Dimboola that have offered to sponsor the trip.
“I also need to thank my boss at Curtains by Robyn Creek for giving me time off,” he said.
“November is generally our busiest time of year.
“There is really a lot of people that I need to thank for their support including the Horsham and Dimboola eight-ball associations.”
He said he looked forward to travelling and playing against some of the best players from different countries.