NORMAN — It was important for Emily Duddy to graduate from college. Despite her intense passion for playing pool, the 26-year-old wanted to leave the University of California Santa Cruz with a diploma in one hand and a cue stick in the other.
Even though Duddy knew she was headed straight for the rigorous life of a professional pool player, she wasn’t going to just hang her bachelor degree in psychology on the wall and forget about it. She has found a way to use it in her chosen profession. And along with other attributes, she and her friends are trying to take the billiards world by storm.
“We definitely have some new opportunities on the horizon,” Duddy said. “Some big ones, I think, that are big for the pool world in general, that might kick things up a notch. I think that can open a lot of doors for pool and us as a team.”
Duddy is a member of the Kiss of Death, a six-player billiards team based out of New York. The team concept is a niche in pool that has yet to catch on with the masses.
“I think that it’s a very special kind of feeling being part of a team where you have different skill levels,” Duddy said. “But everyone plays their part. Each plays a role and you can play as a unit. When you have that energy and flow, and everybody is having a good time and supporting each other, it’s very good for the game.”
Along with Gail Glazebrook, Olga Gashkova, Michele Li, Borana Andoni and Alison M. Fischer, Duddy wants to not only propel Kiss of Death to the top of team billiards, but also make it one of the faces of pool itself.
That’s meant marketing Kiss of Death by highlighting not only their skills as players, but also their physical beauty.
“We all live in America and sex sells,” Duddy said. “For us, it’s not about just sex appeal. It’s more about the way we carry ourselves. The class and self-respect that we have. We all work hard at our games. We all put in time, we all put in money, we all put in energy. We work with some of the top pros in the New York area to be able to be respected as players and as attractive women that dress well.”
The strategy has already paid off with a variety of photo shoots, a web series at NYCGrind.com and a team sponsorship from Olhausen and Amsterdam Billiards.
It has taken hard work, on and off the tables, for Kiss of Death to make it this far. In 2009 they were the BCAPL Women’s Open Team National Champions after taking ninth the year before. They put in extra work to make sure they keep in top shape, which can benefit their game.
“We also work hard at keeping our physiques in that capacity,” Duddy said. “It’s a lot of work. Eating well and exercise, we make that a priority. It not only helps with our pool game and our stamina, but it helps keep our appearances up and it definitely helps us in promoting.”
Despite Kiss of Death’s accomplishments, the players still strive for individual success as well. Duddy is the first member of the team to earn her WPBA tour card after she finished in the top nine in February’s Regional Tour Championship.
This week’s U.S. Open is only her second tour event. Duddy was knocked out of the 64-player tourney after losing matches to Monica Webb and Meagan Smith.
“I had a tough draw,” Duddy said. “I realize it’s a process. I am definitely looking at the big picture. It’s about my progress as a player. The pleasure of this game is when everything comes together.”
In the future, Duddy wants to be one of those players on the WPBA tour that people look upon as tough draw. She knows it will take hard work and for the next five years she is committed to seeing how far she can take her talents before going to graduate school.
In that time she would also like to see the game of pool’s fan base grow even larger than it is now.
“The marketing, I think, needs a makeover,” Duddy said. “Pool is a cool thing. Yeah, it’s intellectual and kind of specific. But it is cool. You need a certain kind of confidence to be good at this. If you can market that and harness that, I think pool will elevate to that next level. I think our team has the potential in helping that happen.”
Michael Kinney 366-3537 mkinney@normantranscript.com
