 | Val Finnie Earns Tourng Pro Status
With the Nationals approaching and one point still needed to turn Touring Professional before the end of the season, the pressure was on for Scottish native Val Finnie. "Turning touring professional this season was so important to me and the last thing I wanted was to have this pressure on me going into next season, I don't think I've ever been so determined going into a tournament".
 After a first round loss Val went through the one loss bracket beating Helene Caukin 9-5 and a come back nail biter over Janet Attwell 9-8 after being 8-3 down. Then came the match to get that last point and she overcame Alice Rim 9-2 to finally turn Touring Pro. On Saturday she beat new-comer Kim Jones 9-1 'to make the cut' and the re-draw of the last 16, picking out Monica Webb from the winners side. Val defeated #3 ranked Monica 9-5 before being overcome by Ga-Young Kim 9-2 to leave her in fifth place.
Val's success didn't happen overnight; she's worked hard to achieve touring pro status in the States. It all began following the demise of ladies snooker in the UK, when Val Finnie along with friend and Kelly Fisher arrived on fellow WPBA professional Kim Shaw's door step in New Jersey in spring 2004.
Kim loaned them each a pool cue and they set off on the regional tour circuit. In mid summer Val and Kelly were offered a sponsorship deal by Charlotte based Fury Cues. The Charlotte area was so attractive, they packed their bags again and moved to the south. By the end of the first year Val had won the North East Tour (NEWT) and earned herself a WPBA tour card for 2005.
2005 proved to be a tough learning process for Val and with only one pro point earned she was very disheartened and ready to quit pool and go home. Fortunately for her she found support in her friends Kelly, Kim and Tiffany who kept her encouraged and focused on her goal. In order to keep touring pro status, which earns seeded invites to events, a player must finish in the top half of the field four times. With only seven events in a tour season and plenty of competition, this becomes increasingly difficult for even the toughest potential competitors!
In 2006 the four friends decided to rent a house together big enough to accommodate a pool table. "Having a table at home as been a turning point and with four players in the house we are never stuck for a practice partner," Val explains.
The addition of their own table brought a great start to Val's season, with a 5th place finish and a pro point in the opener the Carolina Classic. Then looking like a repeat of 2005 Val didn't get another point in the next three events. But the second half of the year things turned around. She collected another two pro points in the Midwest Classic and the US Open respectively, before her fantastic fifth place finish at the Nationals
"Now I'm looking forward to 2007, and I think the girls at home are relieved that they don't have to listen to me moaning about my pro points anymore," Val said.
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