Jennifer Barretta

Can you tell me a little about yourself and when you first started to play pool?

I started playing pool only 6 1/2 years ago. I used to play recreationally sometimes and one of those times I caught the bug and decided to take some lessons. Since then I've played obsessively.

Pool is such a wonderful sport, what are the main reasons which keep you playing and give you a thirst for the game?

The more success I have the more desire I have to
practice and improve. There is always more to learn.

How much do you practice every week, and what does your practice routine consist of?

I practice 40-50 hours a week, and I practice everything. In my alone practice I do drills and work on things that I struggled with in recent tournaments, and then I spar with better players. I find it helpful to keep a mental checklist in my tournament matches to find what I need to work on. Usually the same problems keep popping up.

What do you think are the main points to study in order to win games and do you have any philosophies that help you win?

My main philosophy is that if I play well everything else takes care of itself. I never focus on the score or winning and losing. When I play the best I can and I lose anyway I never feel badly about it.

Do you ever play pool for money?

Never. People have told me that it's the only way to improve because it makes you play harder, but I always play hard. Tournament pressure is different, anyway.

What other interests do you have?

I used to love snowboarding, but I gave it up for pool. I've put so much of myself into it that I can't risk an injury at this point.

Find out more about Jennifer Barretta at http://www.jenniferbarretta.com/