TOLEDO, Ohio — Here in the Glass City, one young man has earned a trip to the Caribbean through his skills in the game of pool.
18-year-old Dustin Muir, who attends Bowsher High School, will be representing America on one of the sports' biggest stages.
"For him to accomplish something like that, it was just mind blowing," said Tim, Muir's father.
His son added, "At first everyone was telling me I was making it, I didn't believe them until I got the email and looked at it. I was super excited because it was my last year."
Through a tournament qualifier in Michigan, the Toledo teen earned himself a spot on Team USA, where he'll be competing in Puerto Rico for the World Junior Pool Championships from November 14-20.
"I try to play 3-4 hours a day after I get off work," Muir said. "I go home and play, I come here [RackTime] and try to get in as much practice in as I can."
Muir's father helped create this passion before Muir even knew how to shoot.
"He would just see me and my friends playing, so he asked to try and I just showed him the basics" said Tim. "He was a natural and just picked it up from there."
Muir added, "I picked up a pool stick, starting playing when I was 11 and around age 13, I started getting into pool leagues."
From then on, sinking a pocket no longer became just casual fun. Billiards for this young pool prodigy has turned into a ticket for travel and competition, among the best in the sport.
"It's been an amazing journey, a bunch of my friends have joined from right here in Toledo," said Muir. "Ben Kleinfelter and Zaiden Leary, they are my road dogs. It's a quick and fun way to be around your friends and make a little money on the side."
With a week to go before his biggest tournament, Muir prepares to chalk up for his first trip outside the U.S. It will be a memorable experience he and his family plan to enjoy.
"I think we might be a little more nervous watching, then he is when he's playing," Muir's father said. "He holds the pressure pretty well."
When asked about expectation, Muir responded with, "I just want to win a match first, that's the first thing. Just get settled in and comfortable and then hopefully win the tournament from there on out."
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