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Faces
of the APA:
“Okinawa Slim”
 Nate
Bryant wasn’t exactly born with
a pool cue in his hand, but if it were possible, he probably should have
been. Bryant’s father
owned a Billiard parlor, restaurant and tavern in Sanford, Florida where
Nate and his two brothers learned the game of pool. “My father
taught us how to play,” remembers Bryant, “he bought us
each our first cue stick and I remember every Saturday we’d play
pool. Sometimes we’d play on school nights, but we’d play
for so long I’d fall asleep in school the next day!”
Today, Bryant is known as “Okinawa Slim” in his area of Marietta,
Georgia; earning his nickname while serving as a U.S. Marine when he
was just 20 years old. “I played a lot of pool in the service.
In 1979 I played against the Okinawa pool champion in Japan. A local
news reporter did a story on the match; I had won the match and remember
saying something about wanting to win so many more games while I was
stationed there. So I decided to put an exhibition team together, we
were called the “Okinawa Slim Club”, we all enjoyed pool,
and we’d go around challenging other poolplayers at each base.”
Bryant has evolved his poolplaying abilities
for a greater cause these days, often performing trick-shots in charity
events. “I started
practicing trick-shots in the early 80’s. I started learning shots
from books and performing them. I now mimic shots I see on ESPN; however,
I have developed a few shots of my own,” said Bryant. Today, Bryant
uses his poolplaying abilities to raise money for charities. “Along
with others who help raise money, I have participated in raising money
for the SEALS Tour, the Atlanta Children’s Center and have participated
in charities in conjunction with local radio stations.” Bryant
also has performed free exhibitions at Senior Citizen homes.
Bryant has been an APA member for 3 years and
plays 8-Ball as a Skill Level 7. “I really focus on my mental
game now. I practice cue alignment, stance, posture and I also set
myself up in practice situations,
sometimes setting up virtually unreal situations, because in pool you
never know when you will have the most impossible shot staring you in
the face.”
This article orginally appeared in the Spring
2003 issue of The American Poolplayer Magazine produced by
the American Poolplayers Association.
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