Helen is a valuable member of the Hunter Classics Board.

Helen has been playing pool for 4 years

I started playing pool because of my husband.  Before I got to college, I had never picked up a pool cue.  I moved around a lot growing up (born in Jackson, MS, then moved to Pennsylvania, then to Louisiana, and finally to Texas). I guess I was never lucky enough to be exposed to a pool-playing crowd before I met my husband, Jimmie.  He told me stories about skipping classes in high school to go hang out at the local pool hall. When I first started, making a ball was the most exciting thing on earth! I mean, I was pretty bad.  I guess I just had a little spark of natural talent as well as a huge love of the game which kept me interested and playing.  Pretty soon I started to tire my husband out on the whole pool thing!  I kept playing on an almost daily basis, because I joined the Texas A&M Pool Club which entitled me to free pool every day from 3-6 p.m.  While in the club, I made it to the ACUI regionals 4 times, and won them twice.  At the nationals, I won 13th place and 9th place.  I also became president of the Texas A&M Pool Club and participated in a variety of intercollegiate tournaments, which are a lot of fun!  Eventually I found out about the Hunter Tour and have been playing on it for 2 years.  I look forward to them passionately, since in College Station, I can count the number of women pool players on one hand!  I hope to keep playing pool until I die or my arms fall off.  I don't know if I'll ever make it near a professional level, but I'm going to keep on hoping!

I love most about pool:
The fact that you can rack the same 9 balls 1 million times in a row, break, and have a different layout on the table.  The game is brilliant, it requires you to use the basic techniques you learn to apply to a near-infinite variety of new situations.  I'm always learning something playing pool!

Did someone influence you and pool?:
As I said up above, my husband is the whole reason I play pool now.  I owe him a huge thank you!

I want people to really know about me:
I laugh a lot.  A WHOLE lot.  It's a nervous tic kind of thing.  I'm not simple-minded, I'm just friendly!

Non-pool related:
I may be moving by the end of 2004.  I am working on finishing my Ph.D. in Physiology at Texas A&M.  I have a postdoctoral position waiting for me in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  I am very reluctant to leave, most especially because of the wonderful people I have met on the Hunter Tour.  It's the most friendly, dignified group of women I have ever met, especially playing pool!  I hope I'll at least be around to the end of the year to spend some more time with you wonderful ladies!

Highest Finish:
5th, Alvin, 2003 and 7th, Legends and Legend's Billiards and Grill, both in 2004

Second Chance highest finish:
2nd, Fast Eddie's, 2004 and 3rd, Lake Jackson, 2004