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An Interview with Frank Dewens
ABSC President May 2016 |
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Billiards Australia: How old were you when you first started playing? Where was the billiard room?
Frank: I first started playing at the age of 16. This was however against the law as at that time as you could not enter a billiards room unless you were over 18. I had a few clips under my ear from my father when he realized where I was. The first billiard room I played in was Royal Oak at Norwood.
Billiards Australia: Did you receive any coaching when you began, and if so by whom?
Frank: When I was about 24 when I ran into Bill Barrie who took me under his wing. Bill was a great inspiration to me and had a huge influence on not only my game, but me as a person. I looked upon Bill as my second father.
Billiards Australia: In the early days, did you have a preference for Billiards or Snooker?
Frank: Always played snooker as that was where the money was. It wasn't until players no longer wanted to play for money so I had to take up billiards.
Billiards Australia: Do you recall your highest competitive breaks in each discipline and when you made them?
Frank: Yes, as we all should remember our achievements. My highest snooker break was 142 made in the Royal Park Open where I made three centuries in four frames. My best billiards break was 328 made against Leon Haywood in the Norwood Club Championships.
Billiards Australia: What was your proudest achievement as a player?
Frank: Possibly the time I played in the Australian Open in Launceston when I had both Leon Haywood and Gary Cullen in my group. I managed to go through undefeated but lost in the 1/4 final stage to Chris Staples. A most forgettable match.
Billiards Australia: How has the sport changed in South Australia in your time?
Frank: The closure of many billiard rooms has had an enormous effect on our sport over the years. The CBD in Adelaide is situated within one square mile and at one time accommodated over fifty rooms. Now there is only one. When both Bill Barrie and Max Williams were playing there would have been over twenty players who had made many century breaks. By having both Bill and Max playing it resulted in us having to put an enormous amount of time into practicing so that we had some chance of beating them. All to no avail.
Billiards Australia: How many years have you been a qualified referee?
Frank: Not sure but at a guess I would say 40
Billiards Australia: Is there one particular billiards match that you refereed that stands out in your memory, and why?
Frank: I always enjoyed refereeing George Ganim Jnr.
Billiards Australia: What is your favourite billiard room in Australia (outside of SA)?
Frank: Cannot reply to this at the risk of upsetting anyone.
Billiards Australia: What sport do you watch on TV (when you’re not watching cue sports)?
Frank: Love all sports but AFL is my preference
Billiards Australia: Who is your sporting hero (outside of cue sports)? Why?
Frank: It would have to be Sir Viv Richards. Fearless aggressive cricketer who dominated the ball.
Billiards Australia: When did you first become involved as an administrator?
Frank: Well over 50 years ago.
Billiards Australia: In your time on the ABSC, what has been the high point, the thing that gave you the most satisfaction at the time?
Frank: I possibly gained the most satisfaction acquiring poker machines for the SA Association. This put SA in a great financial position ($300K) which has now benefited them by setting up Snooker SA at the Venue. My biggest high point on the ABSC would be the honour of contributing to the game as President. There is a considerable amount of work done but much more on the agenda.
Billiards Australia: What about the low point?
Frank: There will always be highs and lows but we should always remain positive and forget the lows and concentrate on the positives.
Billiards Australia: 2015 was a tumultuous year in billiards. Were you surprised at the depth of feeling created, not just here but around the world, by the split between the IBSF and WBL, and Australia’s decision to host the IBSF world billiards?
Frank: Yes I was surprised at the negative responses from people who did not know the full story. I believe the IBSF faltered by not publicly releasing the reasons for the split. I fully supported Australia hosting the IBSF World Billiards but in hindsight would not have done so if I knew the disruption it caused. My allegiance is with Australia and I acted in what I believed to be in the best interest of billiards within Australia. People have short memories, as it was I who initially lifted the profile of billiards in Australia by arranging the SA Billiards Invitational and inviting players like Geet Sethi, Peter Gilchrist and others into the event. SA poured over $40k into billiards but as usual these things are long forgotten.
Billiards Australia: If we had that year over again, is there anything you’d do differently?
Frank: Yes, not do anything then I would not make mistakes.
Billiards Australia: The ABSC has had its current structure for a number of years (it’s a little like proportional representation in the Australian Senate). Do you see that serving the ABSC well into the future? Do you see a time when more sub-committees might be used, with more involvement from people with expertise in specific areas?
Frank: The ABSC comprises of one executive member from each state. Most Board Members have full time jobs and can only dedicate a certain amount of time and money to fulfil their position on the ABSC. In the ideal world it would be good to have the Board Members retirees who could dedicate more time. There may be a time when more sub-committees be used but unfortunately most snooker players expect things to be done for them and are not willing to contribute. This was quite apparent during the recent OBSF Championships. Prior to the event some people said that they would assist in refereeing but alas they did nothing but complain. Those who did assist my thanks go to them.
Billiards Australia: In a fairly short space of time Cueball TV has gone from a novelty at a few events to almost required at all events. How do you think this might change the way tournaments are structured and packaged to sponsors?
Frank: Cueball TV is an important tool for the future of billiards & snooker within Australia. The more exposure we can give our sport the more chance we have of gaining additional sponsorship. We as an Association must take the game to the media because at this point in time the media will not come to us. We must make sure we have a "marketable product" which is entertaining to the public. Most of us remember the days of Pot Black and how entertaining it was. The game has improved greatly since then but appears the media in Australia are not interested. If, through Cueball TV, we can gain a large viewing audience we then may get free to air TV interested.
Billiards Australia: How big an issue for administrators is the rise of social media, where players can express their views instantly and reach hundreds of others in a short time frame?
Frank: Social media, if used constructively, can be a great form of communication but unfortunately there are some thoughtless people who use it in a damaging way to our sport. I wish these people sat back and thought about the damage some of their remarks cause before they post these articles. The biggest concern I have with social media is that these people do not know the facts and their postings are purely based on emotions.
Billiards Australia: Our sport is filled with tradition – players in their vests and bow ties, administrators and referees in their embroidered jackets and logo ties. Do you think this is always a good thing? Do you think it might hold back some juniors and pool players from making the move across to the full size table, or do you think it enhances the image of our sport?
Frank: I must admit I believe our dress code adds a certain amount of professionalism to our sport and could never agree otherwise. The juniors I have contact with appreciate our dress codes and they believe it adds to the atmosphere. I could be persuaded though to somewhat relax dress rules for women but in saying this our representatives playing in world championships must comply with the dress rules of the IBSF.
Billiards Australia: Do you have any thoughts on the constant battle to find sponsorship, especially for billiards?
Frank: We will always have a problem gaining sponsorship with timed billiards. Unless the match is closely fought to the end of the time it can be boring to the uneducated. 150 billiards has the potential to be a more marketable product due to the format of the game. Irrespective of this we will always endeavour to seek sponsorship for both.
Billiards Australia: Do you think the players in general understand how much time the volunteer administrators put into the sport? If not, is there a way to get that message across?
Frank: I have no hesitation in saying the players have no idea what time, effort and their own money we volunteers spend in administering our sport. I for one would spend on average 20 hours a week working on various matters. I then attend most of the National Championships networking with venue management and building our relationship with them ensuring longevity of these championships. We have a Treasurer, Secretary, National Media Officer, National Coach, IT and webmaster all of which dedicate an enormous effort into billiards and snooker.
Billiards Australia: Is there anything you would like to say to the billiards enthusiasts (and others) who will read this interview?
Frank: I would only like to say that I gain an enormous amount of satisfaction doing what I do for both billiards and snooker. It can be discouraging at times when I hear of some postings on social media but I do believe everyone has the right to be heard, but there is a time and place for everything. To those who gain some sort of satisfaction from posting these damaging statements I ask for them to think of the consequences if our sponsors take offence to them. We must all work together for the sake of the game and try to be constructive in every way..
Frank: I first started playing at the age of 16. This was however against the law as at that time as you could not enter a billiards room unless you were over 18. I had a few clips under my ear from my father when he realized where I was. The first billiard room I played in was Royal Oak at Norwood.
Billiards Australia: Did you receive any coaching when you began, and if so by whom?
Frank: When I was about 24 when I ran into Bill Barrie who took me under his wing. Bill was a great inspiration to me and had a huge influence on not only my game, but me as a person. I looked upon Bill as my second father.
Billiards Australia: In the early days, did you have a preference for Billiards or Snooker?
Frank: Always played snooker as that was where the money was. It wasn't until players no longer wanted to play for money so I had to take up billiards.
Billiards Australia: Do you recall your highest competitive breaks in each discipline and when you made them?
Frank: Yes, as we all should remember our achievements. My highest snooker break was 142 made in the Royal Park Open where I made three centuries in four frames. My best billiards break was 328 made against Leon Haywood in the Norwood Club Championships.
Billiards Australia: What was your proudest achievement as a player?
Frank: Possibly the time I played in the Australian Open in Launceston when I had both Leon Haywood and Gary Cullen in my group. I managed to go through undefeated but lost in the 1/4 final stage to Chris Staples. A most forgettable match.
Billiards Australia: How has the sport changed in South Australia in your time?
Frank: The closure of many billiard rooms has had an enormous effect on our sport over the years. The CBD in Adelaide is situated within one square mile and at one time accommodated over fifty rooms. Now there is only one. When both Bill Barrie and Max Williams were playing there would have been over twenty players who had made many century breaks. By having both Bill and Max playing it resulted in us having to put an enormous amount of time into practicing so that we had some chance of beating them. All to no avail.
Billiards Australia: How many years have you been a qualified referee?
Frank: Not sure but at a guess I would say 40
Billiards Australia: Is there one particular billiards match that you refereed that stands out in your memory, and why?
Frank: I always enjoyed refereeing George Ganim Jnr.
Billiards Australia: What is your favourite billiard room in Australia (outside of SA)?
Frank: Cannot reply to this at the risk of upsetting anyone.
Billiards Australia: What sport do you watch on TV (when you’re not watching cue sports)?
Frank: Love all sports but AFL is my preference
Billiards Australia: Who is your sporting hero (outside of cue sports)? Why?
Frank: It would have to be Sir Viv Richards. Fearless aggressive cricketer who dominated the ball.
Billiards Australia: When did you first become involved as an administrator?
Frank: Well over 50 years ago.
Billiards Australia: In your time on the ABSC, what has been the high point, the thing that gave you the most satisfaction at the time?
Frank: I possibly gained the most satisfaction acquiring poker machines for the SA Association. This put SA in a great financial position ($300K) which has now benefited them by setting up Snooker SA at the Venue. My biggest high point on the ABSC would be the honour of contributing to the game as President. There is a considerable amount of work done but much more on the agenda.
Billiards Australia: What about the low point?
Frank: There will always be highs and lows but we should always remain positive and forget the lows and concentrate on the positives.
Billiards Australia: 2015 was a tumultuous year in billiards. Were you surprised at the depth of feeling created, not just here but around the world, by the split between the IBSF and WBL, and Australia’s decision to host the IBSF world billiards?
Frank: Yes I was surprised at the negative responses from people who did not know the full story. I believe the IBSF faltered by not publicly releasing the reasons for the split. I fully supported Australia hosting the IBSF World Billiards but in hindsight would not have done so if I knew the disruption it caused. My allegiance is with Australia and I acted in what I believed to be in the best interest of billiards within Australia. People have short memories, as it was I who initially lifted the profile of billiards in Australia by arranging the SA Billiards Invitational and inviting players like Geet Sethi, Peter Gilchrist and others into the event. SA poured over $40k into billiards but as usual these things are long forgotten.
Billiards Australia: If we had that year over again, is there anything you’d do differently?
Frank: Yes, not do anything then I would not make mistakes.
Billiards Australia: The ABSC has had its current structure for a number of years (it’s a little like proportional representation in the Australian Senate). Do you see that serving the ABSC well into the future? Do you see a time when more sub-committees might be used, with more involvement from people with expertise in specific areas?
Frank: The ABSC comprises of one executive member from each state. Most Board Members have full time jobs and can only dedicate a certain amount of time and money to fulfil their position on the ABSC. In the ideal world it would be good to have the Board Members retirees who could dedicate more time. There may be a time when more sub-committees be used but unfortunately most snooker players expect things to be done for them and are not willing to contribute. This was quite apparent during the recent OBSF Championships. Prior to the event some people said that they would assist in refereeing but alas they did nothing but complain. Those who did assist my thanks go to them.
Billiards Australia: In a fairly short space of time Cueball TV has gone from a novelty at a few events to almost required at all events. How do you think this might change the way tournaments are structured and packaged to sponsors?
Frank: Cueball TV is an important tool for the future of billiards & snooker within Australia. The more exposure we can give our sport the more chance we have of gaining additional sponsorship. We as an Association must take the game to the media because at this point in time the media will not come to us. We must make sure we have a "marketable product" which is entertaining to the public. Most of us remember the days of Pot Black and how entertaining it was. The game has improved greatly since then but appears the media in Australia are not interested. If, through Cueball TV, we can gain a large viewing audience we then may get free to air TV interested.
Billiards Australia: How big an issue for administrators is the rise of social media, where players can express their views instantly and reach hundreds of others in a short time frame?
Frank: Social media, if used constructively, can be a great form of communication but unfortunately there are some thoughtless people who use it in a damaging way to our sport. I wish these people sat back and thought about the damage some of their remarks cause before they post these articles. The biggest concern I have with social media is that these people do not know the facts and their postings are purely based on emotions.
Billiards Australia: Our sport is filled with tradition – players in their vests and bow ties, administrators and referees in their embroidered jackets and logo ties. Do you think this is always a good thing? Do you think it might hold back some juniors and pool players from making the move across to the full size table, or do you think it enhances the image of our sport?
Frank: I must admit I believe our dress code adds a certain amount of professionalism to our sport and could never agree otherwise. The juniors I have contact with appreciate our dress codes and they believe it adds to the atmosphere. I could be persuaded though to somewhat relax dress rules for women but in saying this our representatives playing in world championships must comply with the dress rules of the IBSF.
Billiards Australia: Do you have any thoughts on the constant battle to find sponsorship, especially for billiards?
Frank: We will always have a problem gaining sponsorship with timed billiards. Unless the match is closely fought to the end of the time it can be boring to the uneducated. 150 billiards has the potential to be a more marketable product due to the format of the game. Irrespective of this we will always endeavour to seek sponsorship for both.
Billiards Australia: Do you think the players in general understand how much time the volunteer administrators put into the sport? If not, is there a way to get that message across?
Frank: I have no hesitation in saying the players have no idea what time, effort and their own money we volunteers spend in administering our sport. I for one would spend on average 20 hours a week working on various matters. I then attend most of the National Championships networking with venue management and building our relationship with them ensuring longevity of these championships. We have a Treasurer, Secretary, National Media Officer, National Coach, IT and webmaster all of which dedicate an enormous effort into billiards and snooker.
Billiards Australia: Is there anything you would like to say to the billiards enthusiasts (and others) who will read this interview?
Frank: I would only like to say that I gain an enormous amount of satisfaction doing what I do for both billiards and snooker. It can be discouraging at times when I hear of some postings on social media but I do believe everyone has the right to be heard, but there is a time and place for everything. To those who gain some sort of satisfaction from posting these damaging statements I ask for them to think of the consequences if our sponsors take offence to them. We must all work together for the sake of the game and try to be constructive in every way..
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Billiards Australia: Will we see you in Yarraville in June this year for the Australian Billiards Championships?
Frank: I will be attending the Australian Open Billiards and timed billiards. The ABSC have decided not to align ourselves with either the IBSF or WBL for these championships as we do not want to be embroiled in the politics between both bodies. We are however inviting players from India, NZ and other countries to participate in the Open and hope we get a positive response. Billiards Australia: Thanks for your time Frank |
