DEN HAAG - Two minutes away from the North Sea beach, not too far from the inner city of The Hague, is where Glenn Hofman lives. The Dutch billiard player, 28 years of age now, is the closest to living in the shadow of Dick Jaspers. He has started the new season well: a victory in the first Grand Prix and several strong performances in the leagues he is active in. His teams have a realistic chance at the title in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany, and Hofman is second on the Dutch ranking, behind Jaspers. He is obviously still making progress as a player, even if it has not yet resulted in a spectacular climb up the world ranking.
This is the moment for him to make that, he does realize that. The global 3-cushion is about to enter in its most important era ever. Glenn Hofman follows the news like a hawk, and comments: The world title was good for 4800 euro five years ago. A single tournament can now bring you as much as 40.000 euro." The calendar will be expanded, starting this season, and players are in a position to command the salaries and premiums that exist in other professional sports.
Glenn Hofman will no doubt dream of a career like that, he certainly has the ambition, but he knows the road ahead is long and difficult. ,,I know I have it in me, I have the potential. You need a year when it all goes your way. You need to be high up on the national ranking, play a strong EC or WC and do well in a few World Cups. It is not easy, but it is not impossible. There's no reason I couldn't do it. I was third in the World Games, after all."
Kozoom had a conversation with Hollands youngest top player: Glenn Hofman, former European junior champion, bronze medalist at the World Games, married to the beautiful Andrea from Colombia, a billiard player herself.
Kozoom/Frits Bakker: Tell me about the life the two of you lead. What does it look like, you in the city you grew up in, and Andrea so far away from her roots?
Glenn Hofman: We have a good life together. We live minutes away from the beach, close to the city centre, in an apartment that is ten minutes away from the Jorissen billiard room, which is my second home. This is my world, my nest. Andrea is far away from her family. She does miss them, but we sometimes go to Colombia and they keep in touch of course. From home, she works for her parents firm in marketing and social media. And she does work for an Australian company with an office in Amsterdam, also work done from out of our home. Life is good. We both love billiards, and Andrea sometimes comes along for away matches, because she enjoys to spectate. If there is time in between all the league obligations, the tournaments and the practice, we do fun things with friends.
Kozoom/FB: o do you see the future, now that it is the crucial time to grow and possibly compete for the big prize money?
Glenn Hofman: I still develop as a player, that is important. In the Dutch, Belgian and German leagues I play on first board, second board in France. I win a lot of matches, I am happy to say, and we are in contention everywhere. My average has gone above 1.500, and in Germany, where I have played four, won four, I am on 1.900 even. That progress gives me the confidence I need to believe that the top is not unreachable. I was out of it for a few years, but now I am playing World Cups again. I have two sponsors, Buffalo and Benelux Biljarts, who provide financial support. The Dutch federation also contributes to our travels. You need to re-adjust when you play the international circuit again. The top is wider and there is more depth. New talents emerge, and with the increased prize money, there will probably be more. I need to make my mark, find my moment. If you are anywhere between 50 and 100 on the world ranking, you can make a thirty-spot jump in two good tournaments. Luck comes your way if you play well. And then you are in the action. A World Cup is so different, there's the tension, the strong opposition. The qualification matches are so short, just 30 points. If your opponent is quick out of the blocks, you may not catch him.
Kozoom/FB: In the leagues, you often beat players with big names. In this weekend, you beat Lütfi Cenet in the Bundesliga, on Monday you beat Martin Horn in Belgium, last year you beat Jaspers in the Europa Cup and Caudron in the league.
Glenn Hofman: In the World Cups, I must first make it through a few days of qualification matches to get access to the main draw. That is not an easy trajectory, but I am confident I can do it. I am 28, that is still young. Most of the Korean top players are forty-ish and the Europeans are a decade older than that. I think billiard players are at their strongest between their 45th and 50th. That means I have many years still ahead of me. It is very important to have the experience, the mental toughness in competition. It is also valuable if you are physically fit, which, I am sorry to say, I am not always.
Kozoom/FB: You have been struggling with rheumatic pains ever since you were a kid. What does that do to a billiard player?
Glenn Hofman: I don't talk about it much, but I am in pain every day, every hour. My knees, my back, and other joints. The inflammations are worst when it's cold, like in the past weeks. I need an hour in the morning to even get moving. I take medication, some 40 or 45 pills every week, and one injection per week.I am used to it now, I live with it. It's been like this since I was 14, so half my life. Sometimes, like in the latest Grand Prix I won, it is really tough. On the final day, I had to play four matches in a row. That means I am a wreck at the end of the day, and I can't get out of bed the next day.
Kozoom/FB: How do you live for your sport, when you compare yourself to the Asians and their Spartan practice hours?
Glenn Hofman: I live for my sport completely, because I have always loved doing this. Billiards has become my entire life. Sometimes it is not easy to make the practice hours, with all the travel and the leagues and tournaments. I can practice by myself, anywhere from two to five hours. But sometimes it is better to have a few days of rest. Last week I had not played for two days but I felt really strong. There's no law that says you must play every day. I live for my sport, I don't party, I always want to do well where ever I play. I want that for myself, for also for my fantastic supporters: Andrea, my mom and dad, the fans in the Jorissen billiard room. Billiards is my life and it is my future.
Kozoom/FB: What kind of year will 2018 be for you?
Glenn Hofman: ,,I'll play all the World Cups if possible, the league in four countries, the Grand Prix tournaments in the Netherlands, and whatever comes in between. Late this month I am travelling to Mexico with Caudron to do exhibitions. As I said, it's not a bad life. You never hear me complain.
Glenn Hofman during the last Dutch Masters
Best season start for Glenn Hofman: winner in all competitions