BLADEL - Football, basketball and darts were the favorite sports of Barry van Beers in his early years. When he was sixteen, his father bought a small billiard table at home in Bladel. Now, nearly twenty years later, he belongs to the subtop players in international three cushion. He plays in the World Cup tournaments and for three teams in national leagues.
Barry van Beers, one of the home players in Den Hoek in Zundert, participates in the Christmas tournament this week from 27 to 30 December. That's the place where he plays for the Dutch league with Snellen Recycling. In the Christmas tournament he's divided in a group with Frédéric Caudron, Gerwin Valentiin and Glenn Hofman. The tournament is known as a bump between the Netherlands and Belgium. The Belgians are in a leading role for years, not least because Dick Jaspers doesn't play for personal reasons.
Barry van Beers was one of those talented Dutch players, who for years were nurtured by the federation and trained by Christ van der Smissen. He was born on January 15, 1976 in Bladel, still lives there, studied on the havo and for Studystore, a bookstore at the Fontys in Eindhoven.
Frits Bakker: ,,The Christmas tournament in your home place must give you a special feeling. For how long are you playing for the team of Snellen Recycling and which clubs did you have before?
Barry van Beers: ,,I first played for BV l'Union in Bladel on the small table, then in Veldhoven for La Carambole led by Toon van Gestel, I started in the first division on the big table there. This is my second year with Snellen Recycling in the highest division, before I played three years for Het Pleintje in St. Willebrord, three years in de 3 Zwaantjes in Sprundel and three years for Jan Verkijk in Rotterdam.''
FB: How did you develope in billiards, you got training sessions in the federation?
BvB: ,,For six or seven years I was trained by Christ van der Smissen, with whom I played together in Rotterdam, Sint Willebrord and Sprundel in later years.''
FB: Did you have some other teachers in billiards?
BvB: ,,The basic principles I learned from my father. Thereafter, Christ van der Smissen was in fact my only teacher, but every now and then I get some tips from other players. Now I have no lessons anymore, but I can always ask my teammates if I want.''
FB: Where do you play now, in the Netherlands for Snellen Recycling of cours, in Belgium? And somewhere else?
BvB: ,,In Belgium this is my first year for Op de Meir in Emblem, where I'm really enjoying myself with amongst others Marc Verhagen. Furthermore, I am on the players list of the Velbert team in Germany, but because they can only play with one foreign player in the bundesliga, usually Henk Habraken is playing all matches.''
FB: How many times have you played in the Christmas tournament. And what were your best results so far?
BvB: ,,This is my sixth year of participating there. Two times in the previous five I played the quarter finals, but I never came further. So that were my best ratings, the quarterfinal in 2005 and 2008.''
FB: Tell us something about the ambiance in the Snellen team, it seems to be a great team, with friends amongst each others and a great place to play your matches?
BvB: ,,In Zundert we have a lot of wonderful and fanatic supporters. They travel with us to the away matches, just like our main sponsor, Hans Snellen. The involvement with the team is huge, as it's is shown every year in the Christmas tournament that they organize. The team is not only strong with players like Roland Forthomme, Peter Ceulemans and Harry van der Ven, but after the matches, the ambiance is great.''
FB: What is the ambition of Snellen this year?
BvB: ,,In any case we want to qualify for the play-offs in the league, with the highest possible ranking. And finally we want to duel for the title. We also try to qualify for the cup final, but because of the new system (the league teams are not protected for the draw) we have a difficult path to go to the finals, with in the penultimate round Martens Cleaning as opponent and possible in the last round the topteam of TOVV.''
FB: Will you play all World Cups again next year?
BvB: ,,I have registered for Antalya in February anyway, but we have to see what the budgets will be in the Netherlands for the World Cup participations.''
FB: We may say that it's unique, what the Dutch federation means for his better players to contribute to the costs.
BvB: ,,That's right, the subsidies of the national Olympic comittee, which comes to us from the federation, are the base for us to play anywhere in the world. If I compare with the Belgian players, we have a much better position.''
FB: What are your best results in international tournaments so far?
BvB: ,,In the World Cup of Barendrecht I came to the quarterfinals after victories against Eddy Leppens, Roland Forthomme, Torbjörn Blomdahl and Jean Paul de Bruijn. Then I was losing in the quarterfinals against Zanetti.''
FB Which is your training location, do you have an own table?
BvB: ,,I practice in Bergeijk at Hoeks van Gompel on Thursday, where my brother plays at home. And further we practice in Waalwijk as much as possible, with Wim van Cromvoirt and Glenn Hofman. And sometimes I play in St. Oedenrode in the local of Marijn Schellekens.''
FB: What makes it so great for you playing World Cups, you really are a player who likes to play and after the matches enjoy yourself in the bar with a good beer, talking about your sport with friends and other players? BvB: ,,Of course, at first I want to come as far as possible in the World Cup. But if I'm out, I can enjoy the ambiance. There are a number of billiard players and supporters with whom I've become very good friends, so the atmosphere is always great in a tournament.''
FB: What does billiards mean for you? More than just a hobby?
BvB: ,,Billiards is for me like it is for most pof the players, it's an important part of my life with practicing, playing matches and tournaments. It has started as a hobby, but actually it's much more than that.''
FB: Do you still have the illusion that it can ever be your profession?
BvB: ,,The only chance that it can happen, is that there will be more publicity for billiards on TV, that it's more attractive for sponsors and the prize money for players will raise. Then we can make a step forward with our sport.''
FB: What are your expectations for the Christmas tournament, how is the form?
BvB: ,,Form is always a snapshot, so I hope to have many good moments during the tournament. I'd like to be in a semi-final, or maybe even in the final. At least I will prepare as good as I can. The audience certainly will support me as a 'home player'. And the atmosphere will be great again, as always in Zundert.''
FB: You're known as a very positive person, nevertheless, what do you think that can be improved in billiards?
BvB: ,,Two months ago Kozoom published an interview with Kurt Ceulemans, who was quite right in many ways. He had a good view on billiards. He has shown what should happen, the main thing is the lack of a gambling element in our sport. And if you look at other sports, which are on TV, it is very important to build up a tradition. Look at the World championship snooker, for instance, always played in the same period and at the same location. And moreover, in a country where many players and fans of this sport come from.''
FB: Finally, your wishes for the new year?
BvB: ,,First of all, a good health to everyone. Then I hope for a very efficient stroke on the billiard.''