A very unflashy but nevertheless very steady player in the European Billiard community is Christian Reimering from Germany. Born in Leverkusen, Germany in 1971, he started playing pool in 1986. Christian’s career is very interesting as is Christian himself. A man with many faces. Read the interview below.
The family man
Kozoom: What was your greatest achievement in life so far?
Reimering: My greatest achievement was meeting my wife Sihame, marrying her and having two beautiful children (Nathan, 8 years and Leonie, 1 ½ years old) with her.
Kozoom: So you can be called a “family man” these days?
Reimering: Definitely! My kids have completely changed my life. They, together with my wife, are the center of my life these days. In former times, I loved to go out with friends and play pool and have a good time. This has changed. Today, my family comes first, then there’s nothing for quite a bit and then my pool billiard passion comes next.
Kozoom: What do you do for a change? What are your other hobbies?
Reimering: I regularly go swimming and do fitness in order to stay in shape for competition play. Other than that, I love to follow football, tennis and NBA basketball.
Kozoom: You were quite successful in younger days in football!
Reimering: Yes. I used to play for the junior’s team of Bayer Leverkusen. I was selected in 1984 for the German U-15 team. I was selected at the time by Bertie Vogts who later became the coach of the German men’s team. Who knows, maybe I would have become a decent football player.
The business man
Kozoom: You are very multifaceted with regards to your business life, Christian. What do you do besides playing pool in order to make a living for you and your family?
Reimering: First of all, I of course play professional pool tournaments. I also train and coach other people.
Kozoom: How long do you educate other pool players already?
Reimering: I started doing this about 20 years ago and I got into it by chance. The women’s team of my regional federation ”Mittelrhein” in Germany was without a coach and I was asked at the time whether I would do the job in order to help the girls to prepare for the German Championships. I accepted the job and I realized that I loved doing it. I’m a perfectionist, and I love to see other people accepting and adopting my knowledge and increasing their level of play.
Kozoom: What else you do for a living?
Reimering: I also run a company with a partner called “pool4motion”. This company creates a lot of supplies and equipment around the pool sport. We manufacture and design cue sticks (King Cues) and pool clothing. We also work with teams and equip them with shirts, etc. Everything we create is handcrafted in Germany.
Kozoom: You have also accepted another job lately?
Reimering: Yes, I also now work as a media consultant for the “Wochenpost”, a regional newspaper in the Leverkusen area.
Kozoom: Wow, that’s very impressive! You are really versatile, Christian.
Reimering: Living off pool billiards alone is something which gets harder from year to year. You need to be flexible in order to keep your focus, especially when you have a family to take care of.
The pool man
Kozoom: You started your pool career in Leverkusen at the PBC. Which persons have influenced your way to professional pool?
Reimering: I started playing pool in 1986. Three years later, in 1989, I played in the German Bundesliga for teams together with Marc Glatz and Dieter Johns (who today is an EPBF coach for youth). Dieter, Marc and I have been good friends ever since.
Kozoom: Then you went to Kiel, North Germany in 1993.
Reimering: Yes. I was asked by Bustamante’s manager at the time whether I would like to join the team in Kiel. That was a dream offer to me. Francisco Bustamante, Monja Kielhorn, Alexander Dremsizis were all managed by the same guy. And all of a sudden he wanted me in the team! It was a great honour and also a great step for my career. I really improved my game there.
Kozoom: Bustamante is your role model in pool. You were lucky enough to spend a long time with him and learn from him. Any special stories you want to share with us?
Reimering: There is a hoard of anecdotes but it would be too many to tell them here.
Kozoom: How would you describe Bustamante?
Reimering: He is a very friendly, congenial and warm hearted person. Even though he was so successful and famous at the time when he lived in Germany, he never got arrogant or was out of touch with reality. He was a good friend and a mentor to me who always had a sympathetic ear for me when I needed it.
Kozoom: What did your parents say when you left home to play pool in Kiel, some 600 km away from your hometown?
Reimering: My father, who unfortunately passed away in 2004 already, was in the beginning not in favour of me playing pool at all. After I have won my first German junior’s title, he realized that it was my way to go and from then on, he and my Mum supported me with my pool activities. Leaving home was not easy but I guess this is the same for most young men. However, my parents supported my decision and helped me along the way wherever they could.
Kozoom: Why do you hate to play against an opponent that does not “know what he is doing” at the table?
Reimering: I myself am very structured and focussed with my game. As I mentioned earlier, I work as an instructor for pool for over 20 years now. I see the game structured and analyse it. I prefer to play opponents like Ralf Souquet who also play structured since that is the perfect way to play the game according to my understanding. I do not like to play against opponents where luck is a huge factor in their game. I believe that billiard is a mirror of one’s soul. You radiate and you receive many things during a match. Therefore, you are also influenced by what your opponent does at the table.
Kozoom: Interesting approach.
Reimering: Positive as well as negative aspects of your opponent’s game can influence you when you are in a match.
Kozoom: What are the weaknesses – if any – in your game?
Reimering: I’m not telling you, Thomas! That remains my secret! ;-)
Kozoom: Thank you very much for this interesting interview, Christian.
Christian Reimering in short facts:
Born: 08.08.1971
Plays pool since: 1986
Cue stick: King Cue
Break stick: King Breaker
Jump stick: King Jumper
Sponsors: Krueger Systeme; eseven
Victories: Two times Euro-Tour and Mercedes Benz Cup Champion
Marital status: Married, two children
Favourite Music: Black Music, Jazz, Vocal House and Classic
Favourite food: Roulades with red cabbage and potatoes
Favourite drink: Coca Cola, Latte Macchiato, Milk
Other sports interests: Football, Tennis, NBA Basketball
Role model in pool: Francisco Bustamante
Which living person would you like to meet: Roger Federer
Which person in history would you like to meet: Steve Jobs
Characterize yourself in three words: Honest, passionate and responsibly
Who is your role model in sports: Roger Federer, Tiger Woods, Steffi Graf, Oliver Kahn, Juergen Klopp
Are you superstitious: A little bit
Which headline would you love to see: "(Any TV station) broadcasting the Euro-Tour LIVE and I win the whole season"
Which headline would you hate to read: "There are no more Euro-Tour tournaments"