Questa locals host a pool tournament for education funds
On Saturday (May 7), a pool tournament took place at the small, yet lively Village Stop and Go bar in Questa, where the games stretched from mid-afternoon until the evening as players competed for a good cause: a Questa High School scholarship fund.
“When are we getting this pool game started?” yelled a boisterous Texan from across the bar.
The event — advertised for 2 p.m. — didn’t really get started until almost two and a half hours later.
“We’re just waiting for a few more players,” said the tournament organizer Roger Chavez Jr. “The impatient ones usually are the first to lose,” he added with a chuckle.
Chavez was featured recently in the Taos News for suing the Northern Regional Housing Authority. The lawsuit is still pending. At the Stop and Go, Chavez is kindly referred to as “Pops.”
Just like other small New Mexico towns, time seems to move at a slower pace in Questa. Meanwhile, one of the player’s dogs, the elderly Corn Dog, took a nap on the sofa as stew simmered on the crock pot near him.
“This place is a dog magnet,” said Berna Trujillo, the Village Stop and Go owner and tournament organizer.
The pre-entertainment came from a man who had been “celebrating” early and set up his own karaoke machine and sang along to country songs. The man later cut himself off and left early.
Pretty soon, more people started to pour in for drinks and the tournament.
A frustrated groan was heard when Chavez announced they were playing “straight 8” as opposed to “ball in hand.” The frustration of the player passed as the double elimination tournament was not centered around competitiveness.
While the gathering was centered on raising funds for local high schools students, it was also about drinking, hanging out with familiars and old friends but, most importantly, the remembrance of a life that was on the minds of the players.
Roger Chavez Jr. and Berna Trujillo started the scholarship fund nearly 12 years ago in honor of Chavez’s late son, Roger Chavez III. Chavez said he was looking for ways to keep his son’s name alive, and so he decided to adopt Highway 378 and begin the scholarship. He said it made sense since his son graduated high school with a 4.0 GPA. He also said he’s working on getting a nonprofit designation for the education fund. The pandemic had stalled their efforts to keep the fundraiser going for two years.
Since they started, they’ve awarded five $500 and two $250 scholarships for Questa High School students enrolled
in college for the fall year. The scholarship funds come from the majority of Questa businesses and tournament participants.
“He used to work here. He was like my own son,” said Trujillo, who donated the remainder of the money for the second $500 scholarship.
The 14 players and others at the bar received raffles for beer T-shirts, baseball caps and 10 tons of gravel. It was a mix of young and veteran players. Chavez himself was in a pool team with some of the players there. They went defunct due to the pandemic.
“I started playing when I was eight years old. I had to stand on box crates to play,” Chavez said.
One of the players, Frank Martinez, reverently said he used to play against Chavez’s son. Martinez said that Chavez III was a great player.
“Most everyone here is good,” said elder pool player and Questeño Mike Lucero.
Lucero said the key to pool is to “just have a good time.” He and Pops went head to head in the first round of double elimination. Chavez missed his one shot, and Lucero came in and landed the remaining balls.
They shook each other’s hands and congratulated each other. The two have known each other for 20 years, as did Brian Aragon. Aragon was the victor of the tournament.
He said the trick to pool is to make your shots count and always look ahead of where you’re going to shoot next.
As the games went on into the night, local Victoria Lucero celebrated her birthday, and cake was handed out. The bar filled with more patrons over the course of the evening, as did the El Monte Carlo Lounge across the street.
Ultimately, Chavez said it was a successful night — everyone, for the most part, was happy and the scholarship fund met its goal.
“It was the community gave the scholarship,” Chavez said.
The scholarships will be given out on Senior Night at Questa High School on May 20.