With only 18 months of exposure and experience in playing 8Ball, a young duo from Ngāti Porou are set to represent Aotearoa at the upcoming VNEA World Pool Championships in Iowa, America.
Twin brothers Tyler and Harlem Hoggart are only nine years old, both have won three national trophies each and were recently named NZ's Junior World Pool Championship team.
The boys' dad Cole Hoggart is a coach at Masse' Pukekohe Club. The twins explained how dad introduced them to a new sport, "He would bring us down basically three times a week."
At first, dad Cole says he thought the twins were happy playing just to spend quality time with him, but it turns out that Tyler and Harlem have a genuine interest in the sport.
Tyler says, "Pool is a fun sport that everyone can do. All you need is a cue and a table."
Practising two hours minimum a day, the twins are working hard in preparation for the worlds.
"He's [Dad] tried to get us to play as much as we can," says Harlem.
The twins are also members of their club's senior team and are grateful to be practising against their older counterparts.
Dad Cole says the twins are also learning some lifeskills a typical nine-year-old may not know. He says it's about, "Being respectful, being humble and working as a team."
Come July, the World Pool Champs won't know what hit them!