2nd Annual NEPVA Billiards
Tournament
By Brad Carlson
Sports Director
A good time was had by all at the 2nd Annual NEPVA Billiards Tournament which wrapped up PVA Awareness Week on April 17-19. We managed to raise money for our sports programs and continued to get our name out there in areas where NEPVA is not generally known.
In
all, 26 teams from the Central Mass area competed along with the eight
teams competing in Nashua, NH at Boston Billiards clubs in each city. On
Friday evening, Nashua had the Opening Ceremonies which were awesome. We
had a full fire brigade of pipes and drums from the Nashua Fire
Department, which was absolutely bone chilling, and of course, our
standard color guards from the Nashua VFW. Following the Opening
Ceremony, World Champion Ewa Laurance performed her trick shot show. 
Then
it was time for the real competition on Saturday morning. Though we only
had eight teams competing in Nashua (which promises to be bigger next
year), and 26 teams facing off in Worcester, it was time to “get it on.”
The top two teams from Nashua competed in Worcester on Sunday for the
finals, along with the top six teams from the Central Mass area; and
boy, what a show it was! At 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, all the top players had
their game face on. One of the highlights of the tournament was to have
continental breakfast and lunch served daily at both locations which was
generously donated by Boston Billiards. After the final players were
finished, we had a large honor guard from the Marine Corps Leagues from
Blackstone Valley and the Worcester Detachment. And once again, the
“Striking Viking”, Ewa Laurance came in to give the Central Mass boys a
show. Congratulations go out to our tournament winners which included:
First Place-Kevin Blackstock and Eric Savoie; Second Place-Ken Ludy and
Bill Ludy; and Third Place- Phil Leduz and Bill Brennan.There are so many thanks to so many people that there is not enough room in this column. With that being said, I’d like to thank all of our volunteers from NEPVA. Without the volunteers, a tournament like this could not take place. And along with that, we need to thank our sponsors – starting with Senator John Kerry, the Hanover Theater for Performing Arts, the Fairfield Inn, the Holiday Inn Nashua, Destination Worcester, Nashua Fire Department, Nashua VFW, GE Billiards Sales and Service, Standard Auto Wrecking Inc., Outdoor Explorations, Robert’s Fish and Chips, and the Pike Radio 100 FM.
As the tournament grows each year, our sponsors continue to grow. There are no words to thank them enough for supporting our organization. We’ve already started planning next year’s tournament, which will be held again in April. Finally, one last person that needs to be thanked in a big way -- Ernie McLeod, who has been by my side for two years helping me run this tournament. I would be lost without his help.