Photo By Carlos Vega | Nicholas Torres, a fireman at Coast Guard Aids to Navigation Team Panama City, vacuums...... read more read more
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PANAMA CITY, Fla. - Every summer comes with another transfer season. In that time, military members come and go - moving from location to location.
New place. New people. A new adventure.
This is the story of one of many Coast Guardsmen and the impact a single person can make in a community, between new friends, co-workers and the surrounding public.
In the heart of the panhandle of Florida, lies a small humble pool hall named the Corner Pocket.
This place would forge the path to create a close group of eight friends who would work together and rise in becoming the local nine-ball champions.
Being the local champions earned them a free trip to Las Vegas for the opportunity to compete in the Amateur Pool Players Association national championship finals.
Nicholas Torres, a fireman at Coast Guard Aids to Navigation Team Panama City, Fla., began playing pool in 2010 upon graduating high school after it was introduced to him by a roommate.
"Pool is calming to me. I can play it all day and never get tired of it," said Torres. "The progress is what keeps me going."
Playing pool quickly became a passion for Torres. It drives him to keep learning and refine his technique to teach others.
"I have gotten so good in such a short amount of time and only keep getting better and better," said Torres. "It keeps me out of trouble."
Playing pool isn't the only thing keeping Torres out of trouble. His passion for helping people keeps him actively involved in the lives of others and is his reason for enlisting in the service.
"I joined the Coast Guard because I wanted to do something bigger than myself," said Torres. "I want to do my part in the community."
Torres joined the Coast Guard last year, and in the time that has passed, he has become an integral part of the tight-knit crew at ANT Panama City. He stays busy doing routine safety maintenance on the boats such as checking the oil, fuel systems and assuring all the safety equipment on board is functional.
Torres is also a small boat crewman and a buoy deck rigger.
"Ever since Torres has come to the unit, he has a been a great worker, a good leader and a tremendous asset to the community," said Petty Officer 1st Class Christopher Whittington, executive petty officer at ANT Panama City. "He volunteers at a local retirement center and for community relations events and really stepping up and going above and beyond."
Torres does volunteer work, in-between his work and hobby, at the Provision Living retirement home where he enjoys listening to their stories and entertaining them.
"If I am able to help people, why not do it?" says Torres.
The combination of interactions for his passions of pool and people has provided Torres an exciting opportunity.
In the early days of his time at the Corner Pocket, he searched for players willing to form a team. He gathered new and experienced players to form The New Guys nine-ball team.
Nine-ball is a contemporary form of pool in which the cue ball, colored in a solid shade of white, is struck to hit one or more of the other nine balls. The object of the game is to legally pocket the nine-ball.
Whoever pockets the nine-ball is the winner, regardless of how many pockets are made.
"Nine-ball is a real mental and strategic game, unlike eight-ball you can't just shoot at a bunch of solids and stripes, you have to shoot the balls in numerical order. Regardless of winning or losing it's all about how you prepare yourself," said Torres. "If you go in thinking you're going to lose, you will lose. Its best to go in focused and do your best and see how it plays out."
Within his first year of forming the team. Torres gained valuable experience as a team captain. The New Guys competed in more than 25 tournaments. The Amateur Pool Players Association hosts three seasons in a year, with 15 weeks per season and five matches per week.
"Nick is a good guy and a good captain, I enjoy being around him. He always makes us laugh and feel good even if we aren't having a good game. He is always there to pick us up," said Karen Pledger, a member of The New Guys. "I'm still learning. Everyday he is trying to show me something new."
During the team's competitions they have had the opportunity to meet people from all over the country, including Johnny Archer and Efren Reyes, professional pool players who are Torres's biggest idols.
"I play on a team, if it wasn't for them I wouldn't be going," said Torres. "It's not just my accomplishment, it's our team’s accomplishment."
Going to Las Vegas to compete means a great deal to the team whether they win or lose, they feel they have already won in the sense that they earned a free trip there.
"All of us, as a team, have really come a long way. We all started out not really knowing each other," said Pledger. "We have made a lot of good friendships with each other. We have all grown as a team and we are all better players because of it."
At the early age of 22, the future looks bright for young Torres. He plans to continue his hobby of playing in competitive pool tournaments and hopes to one day play against the pros.
Torres is scheduled to attend the aviation maintenance technician training “A” school in Elizabeth City, N.C., next year where he will receive the training needed to assist in fixing and maintaining aircraft.
"The future is wide open for Torres, his spirit of volunteerism and extracurricular activities are definitely going to enhance his ability to progress in the Coast Guard," said Whittington. "We are very proud and excited for him. The whole unit feels involved."
Torres is one of more than 38,000 members serving in the Coast Guard. Each person travels from place to place, and each has their own experiences and connections to bring to the public.
This is just one example of how moving military members can make a difference in their new local communities.
They call their shot and aim to win: heeding their call to serve.
They break loose onto new journeys.
| Date Taken: | 07.12.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 07.12.2013 17:22 |
| Story ID: | 110143 |
| Location: | PANAMA CITY, FLORIDA, US |
| Hometown: | WACO, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 96 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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