First Nations pool players meet at world championship tournament in Las Vegas

Two First Nations men from the Maritimes chanced to meet among thousands of players in Las Vegas for the2024 BCA Pool World Championships.

Wekatesk Augustine said he was on his wayto get some foodwhen someone spottedhis last name on his shirt and asked where he was from. Augustine is a commonMi'kmaw name in Atlantic Canada and he happens to be from Eskasoni First Nation, about 270 kilometres east of Halifax.

The man asking was Hunter Polchies, a Wolastoqew player from Welamukotuk (Oromocto First Nation) nearFredericton.

"I said I used to live in Oromocto when I was a kid," said Augustine, 34.

He knew some of Polchies's teammates from other tournaments but was excited to see another First Nations man passionate about pool.Hesaid hefirst picked up a pool stick after seeing his motherbanksome corner pockets.

Augustine saidhe's met other Indigenous people from all over the world at the Las Vegas tournament.

Polchies said he was introduced to pool by his family, too. His grandfather had a pool table and he watchedhis godfather, his dad and his uncles play for hours.

"They're good players, so just seeing them play just made me think of the chances and developthe passion," said Polchies, 21.

He started playing when he was seven. He tried other sports but picked pool back up in the last few years.

Nowhe practises close to 40 hours a week and came to Las Vegas after his five-man team won the local league in Fredericton.

Both men are competing in a team tournament that determines a winner Saturday. Augustine also competed in the singles eight ball gold division, the singles nine ball gold division and the scotch doubles.

Bothmen say their favourite part is watching the professional players compete live and Polchies even got to meetCanadian pro playerAlex Paqulayan.

"Five years ago if someone told me that I'm going to be playing the world championship. I'd laugh at them," said Polchies.

Augustine said he's looking forward to apool tournament in Newfoundland and is developing a youth pool league in Eskasoni.