Lance Sheen AEBF Life Member (inducted 1996)
It is with great sadness to announce the passing of one of our original founders and pioneers of Eight Ball in Australia – Lance Sheen who passed away after a long battle with ill health on Sunday morning 13th September 2020.
Our deepest condolences go out to his wife Lauri Sheen and family of Australian Eight Ball Federation Life Member, who was instrumental in shaping eight ball in Australia as it is today. Being involved on so many levels of administration over the years, he was truly a shining light in Australian Eight Ball, and worked on the National and State committees for many years.
Over the coming days, the AEBF will honour this amazing, dedicated and passionate man, and we invite the community to share their stories and memories of Lance.
R.I.P Lance Sheen 13-09-2020
Travis Crawley
President
On Behalf of the Australian Eight Ball Federation Inc.
https://player.vimeo.com/video/461234844/
AUSTRALIAN EIGHT BALL FEDERATION (AEBF)
1983 Founding member of the AEBF
1989 Elected as President of AEBF
1989 Introduced Women’s Singles to National Championships
1990 Introduced Women’s Doubles to National Championships
1990 Elected to the position of Australian Team Manager for the inaugural International series against New Zealand – The Trans Tasman 8-Ball Test Series – Hamilton, New Zealand (also umpiring).
1991 Promoted the introduction of Women’s Team events into the National Championships
1991 Pushed for the introduction of annual Junior National Championships to be held in three age groups.
1995 November resigned his position of President of the AEBF after a term of 6 years which saw great achievements take place, not the least being establishing creditability and Respectability for the sport of 8-Ball pool.
1995 Elected by the AEBF Executive to the position of Consultant to the AEBF.
1996 Finalist (final 6) for the title of Administrator of the Year in the Annual Telstra Australian Sports Awards conducted by the Confederation of Australian Sport (February).
1996 Awarded Life Membership of the Australian Eight Ball Federation on 28th October.
1999 Elected Board Member for the AEBF to the Australian Confederation of Cue Sports.
He has attended almost all Annual General Meetings, since the inception of the AEBF.
He had only missed two National Championships up until about 5 years ago (in Cairns 2001 owing to knee replacement surgery, N.T. in 2006 back surgery).
WORLD EIGHT BALL POOL FEDERATION (WEPF)
1991 Worked on forming this body with the United Kingdom and New Zealand.
1992 Saw the formation of this body, between New Zealand, England, and Australia. Elected as Chairman of the Steering Committee, and World Rules Committee.
1993 At the completion of the inaugural World Championships held in Manchester, England was elected President of the WEPF.
Umpired at World Championships.
1994 Umpired at inaugural matches in South Africa prior to World Championships. Re-elected as the President
1995 Re-elected as President
1996 Re-elected as President
1997 Re-elected as President
1998 Declined re-election nomination as President, due to ill health.
1998 Elected as the inaugural member of the World Eightball Pool Federation’s Hall of Fame.
2004 Received Hall of Fame plaque in Adelaide at AEBF Championships.
EDPL Rego #1
Lance Sheen has played 1019 EDPL Winter Games, and 159 Summer Games.
Lance Sheen was probably the longest serving Administrator of 8-Ball, both within Australia and overseas. Beginning in the late 1960s and was always passionate about all areas of cue sports.
*It all began at Doncaster Inn Pool/Social Club (DISC).
Member since 1968.
President 1981-1984.
Treasurer for a great many years, also Captained the Club in the 1st Division.
Awarded Life Membership in 1978.
It was this club, together with another, that was responsible for the formation of the “Eastern Districts Pool League” in 1973.
1999 DISC became the Templestowe Hotel Pool Club
2003 Vice Captain of 4th division, taking over as captain later in year. Captain 2003, Premiership Team for the club.
EASTERN DISTRICTS POOL LEAGUE (EDPL)
1973–1987 Founding member and Treasurer / Statistician
1973–1994 Administrator
1980 Awarded Life Membership of the EDPL in September
Attending over 95% of all EDPL meetings in about 40 years, as an executive to EDPL.
Has competed in over 1000 pennant matches in the EDPL, and played his 1000th game at the beginning of 2013 (only the 3rd player to do so).
2003–2010 Delegate for the EDPL, to Pool Victoria.
2005 Transferred to Manhattan 8-Ball Club, competing in 2nd and 3rd div.
2005 Awarded inaugural EDPL Hall Of Fame
2009 Awarded 2nd EDPL Life Membership (playing 700 EDPL Winter games)
Awarded Club Person of the Year, Manhattan 8-Ball Club
2013 Final year competing for the Manhattan 8-Ball Club.
*Channel 9 Television, Sportsman Committee for Yooralla Crippled Children.
1975–1979 Chairman of the 8-Ball Fundraising Committee.
Via his own Electrical Contracting business, Lance sponsored entrants in the Miss Sportsgirl Quest for 3 years. In the first year (6 months) ran second for the highest money raised.
In the following 2 years, his sponsored entrants raised the highest funds.
Over ¼ million dollars in 3 years, in collaboration with DISC.
VICTORIAN EIGHT-BALL ASSOCIATION (state body) (VEBA)
1983 Founding member [1 of 3 people]
1983–1995 Administrator
1991 Awarded Life Membership
1984–1990 Victorian Team Manager
1984–1989 Victorian Delegate to the Australian Eight Ball Federation.
*POOL VICTORIA (new state body, replacing VEBA)
2000 Founding member
2000 Victorian Delegate to the Australian Eight Ball Federation.
2001 Executive Committee Member
2012 Executive Committee Member
Has actively been involved (heavily) in most of the very successful Nationals held in Victoria, both Senior and Junior.
*AUSTRALIAN BILLIARDS & SNOOKER COUNCIL
1992 Elected to the Executive of this body for 2 years.
Lance was the “King” of EDPL
Everybody knew him. The “Lance Sheen Perpetual Trophy” was a major annual tournament, with many competitors vying for the trophy named in Lance’s honour.
Lance attended many meetings, world wide, for promotion of 8-ball pool, over a number of years.
He eventually was to see cue sports recognized by the Olympic Movement via General Assembly Sports Federation.
Up until the last 4-5 years, Lance attended most EDPL meetings, as well as attending the EDPL office regularly during the week to keep up to date with all that was going on & to help out when he could. Unfortunately due to ailing health, Lance was no longer able to attend the EDPL office or meetings, but he regularly kept in touch with lengthy phone calls & emails, keeping us on our toes, & making sure we were looking after “his baby”, EDPL.
Lance loved to attend EDPL finals, whether he was playing, umpiring, helping out on an Executive level, or just spectating!
He worked the room, & would get around to chat to as many people as he could, and he loved the atmosphere.
His friend circle within the pool community was immense.
Lance was one of a kind, and a pioneer in 8-Ball, and along with his wife Lauri, he made our league what it is today, 47 years later!
Lance will be sadly missed, and I’m sure we’ll be talking about him for many more years to come.
~ RIP Lance ~
Reference, Eastern Districts Pool League
<https://www.facebook.com/edplaus>
Lance Sheen