MOUNT VERNON — It’s a sure bet that when Averie West leaves home to shoot pool, she takes two very important items with her: Her custom pool cues and a roll of quarters.
Depending on where she is playing, even the elite 16-year-old is not exempt from feeding the table.
“Yeah, 50 cents,” she said with a smile as she placed the quarters into the coin receiver.
A far cry from the smoke-filled pool halls where men like Minnesota Fats made their living hustling, the petite Mount Vernon High Schooler hopes to erase the stigma some believe permeates the game of pool.
Introduced to the game by her grandfather, Joe West, when she was just 7 years old, Averie has always felt safe playing the game she loves.
“I have never felt unsafe,” Averie said. “After playing for a few years, my grandpa would take me to Legends (Mount Vernon’s Bowling Alley), and some were concerned that he was bringing a 12-year-old to a bar environment. But it has always been super safe.”
Grandpa Joe said he always checks new venues before venturing into new territory.
“I’ll call and first of all make sure that they will allow her into the establishment, some won’t,” he said.” I try to be very particular about where we play.”
Averie explained that the environment can be the opposite of threatening.
“All of these people,” she said, looking at this gathering for Tuesday night pool at Moose on Cue just outside of Mount Vernon) “help me a lot, and none of them would allow anything to happen to me.”
Also scanning those gathered for an evening of pool, Joe made one more point about the environment.
“Most of these people who are serious about the game do not drink, if they do, they might have one or two.” he said. “Of course, I spoke with her mother about it and got the OK.”
Averie’s mom, Jerica Tipton, is glad to support her daughter.
“I just enjoy watching her,” mom added.
The hobby that has taken Averie from Mount Vernon to Canada and even Nebraska began in her grandfather’s home.
“I have a table at my house, when she started, she almost needed a crate to stand on,” Joe remembered with a laugh.
“Yeah, the table came up to my collarbone, and I had to use my bridge a lot”, Averie recalled.
In 2020, at the tender age of 10, West claimed the championship at the Nebraska tournament.
“There were players from as far away as New Zealand, this is sort of our world championship,” she said.
When did grandpa notice something special about his granddaughter?
“Not so much special, but she just really loved the game,” Joe said. “In coaching, I see kids get tired and lose interest; she never did.”
Averie, believes the game she loves requires planning.
“The most difficult part of the game is when your mind wanders, but you can’t dwell on that,” she said. “I try to think two or three shots ahead so I can play position. I am pretty good at playing defense.”
As for her future, she has a realistic grasp on what the game has to offer.
“Very free people make a living playing pool, I do want to go to college, but someplace close,” she said as she thinks about her hometown.
“The community is so supportive, it is amazing, really.”