WBPA Feature: Allison Fisher

APA: Allison, congratulations on your victory at Valley Forge in the Cuetec Cues Players Championship. Tell me how it felt to open the WPBA Classic Tour season with a victory, and a victory none-the-less over maybe your top rival, Karen Corr, in convincing fashion (7-1)…

Fisher: "I was very happy with the way I played. I think I actually played better against Karen in our first match, but I was certainly happy with the win."

APA: Speaking of your victory over Karen… Given her success last year and really since joining the WPBA Classic Tour, and your well-documented success since joining as well, do you consider her to be your biggest rival?

Fisher: "Definitely. She makes so few mistakes and with her and I both having a snooker background, I think most consider us rivals."

APA: Most sports have well-defined rivalries that help to promote the sport, do you think it's important to have rivalries such as yours and Karen's?

Fisher: "I think rivalries are great for any sport. They definitely play an important part, and I think they're a natural thing. Before Karen came over, I think it was a rivalry between Jeanette and I."

APA: I know you recently finished 3rd in the WPBA Spring Classic, how did you feel about your performance in that event?

Fisher: "I played really well through the tournament, but didn't make the most of my chances in my last two matches. Once you get to the television matches it's very different. There's a lot of pressure. The table seems to run differently, usually faster."

APA: As a past WPBA president, and one of the tour's most successful players, where to do you see the direction of the WPBA going?

Fisher: "It's an exciting time for the WPBA. I think we've gone through some growing pains, but with a new Executive Director and our marketing agency, Trifecta, we're getting it together. I think we've got an exciting future ahead."

APA: Since joining the tour in 1995, you've been extremely successful on the tour. What do attribute this success to, and how have you been able to maintain it?

Fisher: "My snooker background has really helped me with my fundamentals and discipline. I try not to be overconfident, and I always maintain a certain level of respect for my opponents' abilities. I'm never complacent."

APA: Some have compared you to the "Tiger Woods" of women's professional billiards; do you feel that's an accurate comparison?

Fisher: "I think if you look at my records of achievement, most within the sport don't compare. So I think in respect to overall record, I think it's accurate, and it's a very nice comparion!"

APA: Do you feel any added pressure given these comparisons?

Fisher: "No, not really. I try to maintain a certain balance in my life. If I win, I win, if not, it's not the end of the world."

APA: With Karen dominating the Tour last year, and winning all six Classic Tour events, do you feel less pressure to perform than in past years?

Fisher: "Not really. My goal is to always finish in the top of every tournament and I've continued to do that, but I'm also a little disappointed anytime I don't win."

APA: How has your game evolved since coming to the states?

Fisher: "It hasn't changed that much, but I've learned a lot. I also enjoy teaching pool now. So many of the facets of the game are different, and they're so much information available on pool. I think snooker can be somewhat boring, but I think pool is a great sport to be involved in."

APA: When you came to the U.S., obviously you came with the intention of being successful. Did you anticipate that your success would come so quickly, or were you somewhat surprised?

Fisher: "Very surprised. My goal was to win my first tournament within the first 6 months, and I won it in the first two weeks, so yes, I was surprised. After about a year I started to really feel comfortable."

APA: Being an organization of nearly 200,000 poolplaying members, the APA has some members that probably have aspirations of one-day playing pool professionally. Do you think pool leagues are a good starting point for someone with professional aspirations, and what other tips can you provide?

Fisher: "I get lots of email from amateur players asking the same thing. I'd encourage anyone to join a league, or anything that provides you a level of competition. I think leagues are a good starting point before moving on to local, regional and eventually national tournaments. I think the social and competitive aspects of a league are great for everyone."