Rough Riders II

I joined a pool league here in Tampa last night. I played in NYC for a couple years on a team out of Barrow's Pub. I contacted the Tampa APA several times but nothing had worked out until yesterday. I got an email in the morning and was playing in the evening.

I was a little worried about meeting the team. Teams can get very close and, like any group, come with a dynamic that is greater than any one part of the group. Competition only adds to the mix. Luckily, the guys were very nice and it turns out that this is a rebuilding time for this team.

I was a ball of nerves the whole night. I had Kendra along for moral support and she told me afterward that she thought I was going to puke I looked so nervous. It probably seems nuts that I was so nervous about playing pool. But, having to prove myself to complete strangers that I will be spending every Tuesday night for god knows how long seemed good enough reason to get ridiculously nervous.

Well, that, and I'm competitive. I really wanted to win. I wanted to show my team that I was a good choice (even though they didn't really pick me - I was placed on their team - but I want them to want me to stay).

Anyway, I won my match! I couldn't believe it. It won't always go that way, and that's part of the challenge. Either way, I'm gonna bask in my win for today.

(BTW, Rough Riders II? Nice name. We are the sequel to another tampa pool league team? Seems like we may need to revisit that)