Know better ... Raul Hebles

Today we are fortunate to interview the Girona player Raul Hebles, one of the best pool players and recent national finalist in the 1st Test Cup Spain Ball 10 Masterpool Circuit.

How long is your passion for the pool?

My hobby is when I´m 12 years old. I was a quiet child but moved, I liked sports and played soccer, football and trained me to be runner with neighbors, also to Taekwondo (green belt / blue). That all changed when my father and my sister who was a year playing Blackball (pool 51) decided to buy a table and put it home. I did not know what was the pool and after a week watching my sister played and my father, I decided to start playing the sly when I came from school. A week caught me playing, so I was stunned championship Gerona pointed to second-rate. It was my first championship and my first win, for me one of the most beautiful and still remember and continue remembering.

What are you most passionate about this sport?

I love the gameplay, I love how you can meet lots of people and different cultures, I love the crowd worth, I love what a great time we had at any tournament .... I love almost everything and I say more, hate envy and hatred that we do very very good friends and a long lifetime, that I hate.

What are the modalities you practice?

I focus a lot on making quality training, but all the practical arrangements for American. Rotation, 14.1, Ball 09/08/10, One pocket, bank pool, caroms to 3 bands (American table), etc .... When I have the chance I like to play some snooker tournament and if I can combine with Blackball.

What cue brand you usually play? What do you change to another?

Predator, Mezz, Longoni ... I would change if I sponsor any brand and help me to compete internationally as Eurotours, etc ... All cues are tools and as such some help you have better things to do or help other ... but is actually pulling oneself. If Don Miguel Brooms sponsor me and allowed me to live this ... I tell you I would train with that broom to make kicks three tables .. jajaja

How often do you play each week? Do you think that is enough to improve your game?

Everything depends on the tournament, if I have a tournament near one week I can get a couple of hours each day, but I train when I can and when the family let me. I focus a lot on quality training, and the truth that not only I maintain my level of play. If I could devote myself to this 6-8h would train daily as a job and that if it would be different. But as I say good quality with no need to train these atrocities, not only to keep, but to improve.

What club you play normally? Do you think that is well suited for the practice of billiards?

No play in any club, I have a table at home in a very large garage. No practice is conditioned to the pool, but it is what I have and what I adapted. As they say it is not the strongest that survives, but the first to be adapted to the medium.

What do you think should make billiard clubs to attract more players?

Make systems attractive to the player. Training is very expensive and you have to try to make a compromise between your business and the interests of the players themselves. In that balance is the key. Above all there is to do school and teach new generations of pool. And always try to give competition within the club, with qualifiers, pyramids, bring "pepito" to teach or exhibitions, etc...

What was your best game or tournament?

Best tournament, I have many after all these years. Perhaps one of the most extensive was in 2007 the CEP International Open Championships in Spain against Magid. It was a game where I was winning with a 7-2 series many against, where I traced him with 5 series at 7-7, where I wanted to cheat and pitarme that there was a foul. Discussing got to stand up to 30 minutes! That time I decide when I ask, he calls time. Total stand another 30 minutes. We came back, I took, I finished the game and won the match.

The best game, not the best, but it is one that I will remember for many circumstances. It was a city of Madrid, on Saturday night, where we play for money and I David Alcaide. There 3.600 euros at stake in that game to 17 wins. I was witnessing the whole tournament and I remember starting as cheering and shouting when he won a game. I ended up winning that game 17-11 playing very well, and seemed always remember as moving the Masterpool Madrid when he won a game. INCREDIBLE!

Have you always had confidence in your game or, on the contrary, you have come moments of doubt?

I've always had confidence, ever doubt ... But as doubt anything. Moreover, we must hesitate to try to improve and improve yourself every day. Especially I hesitated for 4-5 years for my poor eyesight. I decided to change my style of play to adapt my game to that "disability".

Have you had the opportunity to compete outside Spain?

If I raced out, I have not competed even a quarter of what other players have competed, but I can not complain, because I've always played motivated and that has helped me do very well.

What is the player that you look to try to improve your game?

I look at everything and everyone. On the internet look like Ephrem, Bustamante, Shane, Orcollo. But improved worldwide, if you, who are reading this ... I'm sorry but you also get better, haha. Efren spends his life in the pool rooms ... and in his time he trained a lot and when he stopped to rest or eat, sit and see people playing there to have fun and that they had no idea of ??play. People wondered why these people looked. He said that these people just do not know and strike as often wrong, sometimes take balls and incredible effects, which I can study and apply them in their game. If the Wizard of the pool so I do not think I'll be less.

Tell us a story that happened to you playing pool

There are many, good, bad and funny. With permission from my friend Efren Bustos (skillful player and a better person), we were in Vegas, he was playing with an American who is winning, but he is winning because he was having a terrible fate, bouncing balls, fail and capped, placed perfect and would not. Let everything imaginable, Ephraim with his good play and good work you back in the game and win has given birth to a little luck in the placement and starts screaming American OOHH Good Lucky! Good Lucky! Like mad and pissed Efren tells all; "As you lucky, Lucky YOU! Lucky YOU! jajaja. It was super funny because you see me in Vegas crawling on the floor laughing so much.
   

How do you see the health of the sport in Spain now?

Currently, very wrong. When did the Super League Showsports, that reflotaba the pool or sink for a few years. So it has been.

Why do you think that is down to the players participation in national tournaments?

Money, we must remember that the pool is an expensive sport. If there is less money, fewer, less sponsors, less prizes... everything is a wheel.

Where do you think can be the solution?

Do things always best and everything in his time comes. Right now in my point of view with Masterpool and Federation on track.

Why do you think that in Spain the pool is not a very attractive sport for the media?

It's a matter of culture. Also here in Spain on Sesame Street with The Color of Money have cast a lot of damage. The Spanish culture is going to the bar... but go to the bar to drink, eat, etc... not for your sport.

What would you say to young people that was encouraged to practice?

If you want money playing poker, if you want a challenge playing chess, if you want to have fun party salt, but if you want the opposite of everything else a little and also the feeling of playing God, the pool is your sport.

Is there anything you would like to add ..

Yes. I wish people would do a bit of self-criticism at all, why this and why that. Think about why this is so and not this other way, and not to swallow the first to tell you a little face and eyes. I also wanted to add something very important... without good sports equipment can not play... so you know; raul.hebles@unitsport.eu. And thank you very much to Poomania and congratulate him on his brilliant website.

Thanks to Raul Hebles for your time and for the interview. Now that we know better :-)