An Orillia teen has solidified himself as one of the best young pool players in Canada.
Harrison Storey, 17, went 7-0 over the weekend at the Canadian Junior 9 Ball Pool Championships in Montreal and was crowned the winner of the boys' U19 division. He qualified for the national tournament by winning the provincial title in Stoney Creek last month.
While the Orillia Secondary School graduate says there was some good competition over the weekend, he didn’t have a ton of difficulty winning the tournament. His biggest competition, he noted, was himself.
“In pool, you can get lucky or unlucky,” he said. “Sometimes, it’s just about taking it all with a grain of salt. You just got to keep going and not pay attention to anything else except for the game.”
During the championship round, Storey admits to feeling some nerves.
“I was able to focus in and not let it distract me,” he said. “I remember to breathe in and out before every shot and just kind of focus.”
Being called a national champion hasn’t set in for Storey quite yet; he admits the achievement has left him speechless.
“I had no idea what to expect going there,” he said. “Coming out a champion is just an amazing feeling.”
Now, Storey will test his talents on the world stage. He will be competing at the World Junior Championships in San Juan, Puerto Rico in November.
Storey says he feels honoured to be representing not only Canada but Orillia on the world stage.
“Orillia isn’t a very big city, but lately you hear a lot about star athletes coming out of our smaller town,” he said. “It’s an amazing thing.”
Storey says his career success wouldn’t be possible without the support of many people — but especially his father.
“There is no one who has driven more miles for pool than my dad,” he said. “I wouldn’t be able to go to any of these tournaments if it wasn’t for my dad.”
