Following the cues
Casey County pool champ teaches next generation of pool pros
With few counterparts worldwide, Anthony Beeler believes the key to his success as a billiards instructor lies in his ability to break concepts down into their simplest parts, a skill he developed while teaching kindergarten for nine years.
Beeler uses his spare time from his current day job as director of pupil personnel for Lincoln County Schools to guide his students how to angle, aim and perfectly send their pool balls zinging neatly into the desired pockets time after time using his own BAM (Beeler Aiming Method) technique.
Beeler, an Inter County RECC member, says his interest in pool began around age 8, when he and his father would frequent a country store near the family farm with a pool table where men would gather, chat and play.
He began watching, learning and asking questions and eventually joined in, absorbing all they had to teach him. That led to winning a few partners tournaments and eventually singles tournaments as a passion for pool took root.
Beeler’s pool instructor at Campbellsville University had worked with the Billiards Congress of America billiards instructors program and introduced Beeler to the mechanics of professional-level pool playing, leading to even more tournament wins.
Now 49, Beeler’s a magician of sorts who doesn’t mind revealing his secrets. In 2011, he launched Beeler’s Virtual Billiard Academy at his home in Jacktown, an unincorporated community in Casey County.
His students learn online, hybrid virtual and in person, or less formally through his popular YouTube videos, where he has more than 18,000 subscribers.
”You wouldn’t think they’d drive all the way to rural Casey County to get pool lessons,” Beeler says. But they do—his waiting list often spans three to six months.
Beeler has won more than 300 tournaments and conquered more than one pro player, with a worldwide reputation for his teaching and coaching skills. He’s an official ambassador for McDermott Cue and a Diamond Billiard Products-sponsored instructor. He was the 2013 BCA (Billiard Congress of America) Pool League National 9-Ball champion.
Beeler says Kentucky is home to many pros, including his childhood idol-turned-friend Nick Varner of Owensboro, the late Buddy Hall of Crab Orchard and several other elites whom he’s watched and played against.
“In the 90s, there was a period of time where literally 10 of the top 20 players in the world were all from Kentucky,” he says. “To this day, Kentucky is still considered the hotbed of professional-level pool in the entire world.”
Keeping potential champions coming, Beeler has trained the last three instructors of the year as named by the Professional Billiard Association of the American Sports Pool Alliance, 27 American Poolplayers Association regional champions and six BCA pool league national champs, among other high-ranking notables.
He was recognized by SPM Billiards Magazine as its 2018 Instructor of the year and Instructor of the Decade. He is an instructional columnist for noted industry magazines like Billiard Buzz.
At his home, a spacious pool room greets visitors and students. Beeler owns a custom cue collection, a top-of-the-line Diamond pool table and historic pool memorabilia, including autographed and historic pieces dating back to the 1800s.
New York native and retired sales professional Jerome Jordan said he moved to Lexington a year ago just to be near and learn from Beeler, as he hopes to become a professional player.
Beeler comes to Jordan’s home monthly for two hours, and after working on different skills, he assigns Jordan a technique to improve by the next session.
“This is the first time I could see real coaching,” Jordan says. “He probably wouldn’t be as nearly as good if he hadn’t been a school teacher. The school teaching gave him the education and abilities that most pool coaches can’t touch.”
Once Beeler retires from his education job in the next few years, he hopes to launch traveling pool instruction services and see more of the United States in the process.
“I would like to start doing clinics on the road and maybe taking 10 students at a time and doing some kind of clinic,” he said.
More: Do You Want to Play Like a Pro? That’s the lead-in for Beeler’s YouTube guide here.
