Eric S. Townsend has been selected as sport coordinator for the Pocket Billiards competition at the 2015 World Police and Fire Games (WPFG). The four-day event will be held at Breakers Sky Lounge in Herndon, VA.
Pocket Billiards is one of over 60 sports that will be represented at these Olympic-style games. Public safety professionals will compete in 8ball, 9ball, and straight pool. BCA rules apply. Entrants will be treated to a pro am tournament atmosphere, including streaming video coverage and live commentary.
One of the event features will be a challenge match between Shaun Wilkie and Brian Deska, two of the current points leaders from the Action Pool Tour (APT). Founder Ozzy Reynolds recently tabbed Townsend to be his new tournament director. The APT is the most successful regional billiards tour in the nation, by participation figures. After their WPFG match, Wilkie and Deska will offer tips and pose for photos.
A marketer by trade, Townsend has consistently put the best interests of billiards and its players first. From 2000-2010, he served as a captain in the American Poolplayers Association (APA), the largest member organization in amateur billiards. His teams were named division champion 14 times. He left the association as a 7 handicap and 3-time Most Valuable Player. In 2010, he joined Cue Sports International (CSI), the second largest member organization in amateur billiards. He partnered to bring the BCAPL format back to Northern Virginia. In 2012, he authored "Sharking: Don’t Get Fooled Again," a colorful book with a simple antidote to billiards gamesmanship (available through Amazon). Currently, Townsend is working with professional pool player and instructor Joe Tucker to take the American Billiard Club and its flagship game, American Rotation, to market.
Founded in 1985, the World Police and Fire Games challenges 12,000 public safety athletes from 70 countries competing for over 1,600 medals. More than 50,000 are projected to attend their 30th anniversary games.
For more information, please contact Eric S. Townsend at eric.s.townsend@gmail.com or www.estmktg.com. You can visit the World Police and Fire Games at their website, www.Fairfax2015.com. Townsend reports to WPFG liaisons Tony Shobe and Tony Adler.
