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Judy Byam 
Albuquerque, NM
Cue: Joss with a Predaor shaft

I began playing pool about five years ago. I played in a local bar tournament and realized I had quite a bit of talent but little knowledge. Some of the other players at the tournament would laugh at me as I missed shots over and over. Knowing my ego couldn't handle the embarrassment for long, I attempted to seriously improve my game. Shortly thereafter, April 1994 if my memory serves me correctly, I entered my first Hunter Tournament at Eric's Billiards and placed 9th. From that moment on, I was hooked.

I met June Walter at that same Hunter in Austin and we began traveling together. She and her husband Gerald spent a great deal of time helping me with my game. I will always be grateful to them for spending so much time and energy teaching me.

Eventually, I found bluer skies in Albuquerque, and in November 1996 decided to move there. I became roommates with Shelly Barnes and now have a built-in teacher and travel companion. Shelly also spends a great deal of time helping me with both my physical and mental game. We play sets, do drills, and play Target Pool. She is a very patient and encouraging instructor. I have watched my game grow immensely in the time we have played together.

Currently I compete in all the Hunter Tournaments I possibly can, and have participated in several WPBA professional events in the last year. I am; however, a full-time student, which dictates my schedule more and more with each passing semester.

One of the main things I have realized about the game of pool is that it is a never-ending process of not only learning about the game, but also learning about yourself.