Sacramento billiards phenom shooting for title at junior world championships in Austria

By SAKURA GRAY

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    SACRAMENTO, California (KOVR) — A local high schooler is chalking up his pool cue to represent our country on the world stage.

He’s a high schooler by day and a pool-playing prodigy by night. At Hard Times Billiards in Sacramento, this 15-year-old is a killer behind the cue.

Adrian Prasad is a 10th grader at Monterey Trail High School and is the Billiard Education Foundation’s 16 and under national champion.

At 13 years old, he was already competing internationally against adult professionals. This month, he’s got his eye on the prize as he represents our country at the junior world championships in Austria.

“Being a world champion means everything,” Adrian said.

You could say he was bitten by the billiards bug early. He discovered his love of the game when he was barely tall enough to peer over the pool table.

“Adrian was 4-5 years old and he would watch us play, and, eventually, he would start playing with us,” said Atish Prasad, Adrian’s dad.

That hobby he shared with Dad quickly turned into an obsession.

“None of our friends can beat him anymore,” Atish said.

Prasad has been referred to as a child prodigy, but the reality is that the results come from sheer discipline.

“During the weekdays, I play 4-6 hours. I try to get at least 4 hours in,” Adrian said. “During the weekends, I try to get in 8-10 hours a day.”

He’s not old enough for a driver’s license yet, so his parents get him to practice — that is as long as his homework gets done.

“Our rule to him: you’ve got to be straight-A in all of your classes, and if you do that, then we give him the opportunity to travel anywhere in the world and play any amount of time he can,” Atish said.

Often the youngest in the pool hall, Adrian has a quiet confidence about him. When the pressure is on, he lets his cue do the talking.

“This is where I belong.,” he said. “I’m supposed to be competing with the best players over here and, honestly, I think they think that this kid is here to win.”

Prasad is heading to Austria on October 16 and he’s looking forward to bringing that world champion title home to Sacramento.

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