VNEA World Junior Pool Championships in Erie This Week

The 26^th Annual VNEA World Junior Pool Championships will be held in Erie for the first time this week, beginning Thursday, June 16 at the Bayfront Convention Center. Nearly 200 junior pool players representing 10 states, Canada, and New Zealand will participate in the tournament, which runs through Sunday. 

Participants will compete in three divisions – Youth (ages 7-13), Minor (ages 14-17), and Major (ages 18-20). Competition will be held in singles, teams, and scotch doubles formats with several artistic and speed pool challenges taking place throughout the weekend.

Warner Coin Machine, which hosts the annual PA State Pool Tournament, will host the World Juniors event. Eleven former World Juniors Champions have come from Erie.

The Erie Sports Commission and Warner Coin Machine won the right to host the tournament during the 2015 event, which was held in Rochester, Minn.

Practice for the tournament opens at noon on Thursday, June 16, with registration to follow from 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. Singles competition will begin on Thursday evening. Admission is free for spectators.

“This is a great opportunity for Erie,” said Ed Borgia, First Vice President of the VNEA and Partner of locally owned Warner Coin Machine. “The Bayfront Convention Center is the finest facility that this tournament has been hosted in, and we’re thrilled for our players to see what Erie brings to the table.”

“Erie has been hosting exceptional pool players for years, we are happy to be able to take that to another level,” said Rod Didion, the Tournament Event Coordinator from Warner Coin Machine. “We’re honored to have been given the chance to host an event of such a high caliber.”

“It’s truly thrilling to have a world-level event take place in Erie,” said Ron Sertz, Executive Director of the Erie Sports Commission. “I hope the community will pull together to show these young athletes from around the world what a spectacular place Erie truly is.”

For more information and a full schedule of events, visit www.worldjuniorpoolerie.com or call Warner Coin at 814-454-1587.

The Erie Sports Commission is committed to promoting the Erie region as a prime destination for sports and recreation. The major goals of the ESC are to attract, create, support, and host sporting and recreational events that have a positive economic impact on the region, and assist in maximizing the potential of all regional sports facilities and venues. The ESC strives to enhance the image of Erie by showcasing the community, promote wellness through healthy lifestyles, and improve the quality of life for community members of all ages.