Ben Poppinger finished third in the under-18 event at the eight-ball Junior National Championships in Dingley last week and will be jetting to England in June. By Glen Atwell
WHEN Ben Poppinger was just four years old, he played his first game of pool on a table modified to accommodate his tiny frame.
Today, Ben is 17 and ready to sink some serious success on an international level.
The Devon Meadows cueist finished third in the under-18 event at last week’s Junior National Championships in Dingley and secured a position on the Australian side that will contest the World Pool Titles in England.
With his 18th birthday less than two weeks away, Ben is flying high and come June, he hopes to translate his recent success into world title glory.
Selection in the national side has not come without years of hard work and Ben can still recall playing his first competition.
“I started when I was 11 and won my first state title playing in the under-12 division,” he said.
However his instant success at competition level came years after he was first handed a pool cue.
“My dad won state titles and I guess he had me holding a cue since before I can remember,” he said.
“I’m told I hit the ball well for a four-year-old on my little table.”
His natural pocketing instinct helped the Dandenong-based cabinetmaker collect a hoard of trophies, though Ben looks forward to swapping the ‘dust-collectors’ for serious dollars.
“There is no prizemoney in the junior ranks, just the glory and trophies,” he said.
“But when I turn 18 and start playing senior competition, there’s a lot of money to be won, around $15,000 for a big tournament.”
Next on the schedule for Ben is the Geelong Open, to be played on the same day as his birthday.
“It’s a good lead up for the world titles,” he said.
In his final season as a junior, Ben is aiming to help Australia win the world title and start his senior career in the right frame of mind.
