New goals for 2012!

Now when I was asked to write a new column at the start of January, I doubted because I was in a quiet period. But soon, I spoke to myself to set and reach some new goals for the new year.

2011 was indeed a very successful year for me. To try to match or even get close to my accomplishments of the past year, will be hard. I feel like there is an actual revolution going on with the new generation professional players and high averages per match. Probably the ones with the most constant accomplishments over the whole year, will be on top of the world ranking.

But how vulnerable have we become in a single match! That is most certainly due to the new talents in the game. That's why I am very cautious with the demands of top accomplishments and tournament winnings. Hopefully I can shine again in the world tournament and can I defend my European title with verve. It's an interesting challenge and I really look forward to it.

Playing games is for us, as professional players, kind of like an addiction. Always looking for new boundaries, trying to push these boundaries and maybe even go over them. Look for example at the match of Eddy Mercks versus the Korean Kang in Germany, where Merckx in 6 turns made the whole 50 points, with help of a series of 26. What an unbelievable accomplishment that was. This has put the billiards world upside down last October. I don't have to tell you how we, the profs, dream about delivering that kind of outcomes. New goals and challenges enough I would say. I'll go for it with the same amount of energy!

And the funny thing is, as I am writing this column, I will be playing in the Bundesliga in two days on the exact same table in Fehrbach, where I will play my first away game. Could I...? No, I'm not going to think about that. The record is so sharp, though it would be fun and it will give this, at first sight, normal game of Fehrback versus BC Magdeburg (my club) a little extra something. After that, there will be the Dutch National Masters in Kapelle. And hey, I've got some new goals stuck in my head. Enough to stay motivated. Will you stay motivated to follow our games? We do enjoy your attention!

Sportive greetings,

Dick Jaspers