'Michaela Tabb, the stunning TV referee...'

Source: http://www.eukpf.uk8ball.co.uk

We interview Michaela Tabb, the stunning TV referee and the top pool player who's also competing in the Scottish Ladies Team at the worlds this year...

The Scotland Ladies Pool Team will boast one of the most well-known faces in the world of TV cue sports at the 2002 EUKPF World Championships in the Shetlands this year.

But fans needn't run for cover! Thankfully, Stephen Hendry will not be donning a skirt and a wig to bolster the title defence of reigning Ladies World Team Champions, the Scottish Ladies team.

The stunning Michaela Tabb, however, will again be chalking up for the national team she's represented with distinction for 11 years.

Michaela is, of course, the beautiful brunette who's got pool fans the world over tuning in as she officiates at the TV stages of various world eightball and nineball pool events.

She's a regular referee at the Mosconi Cup and the World Nineball Championships, which both have worldwide audiences – and she's also a mean wielder of the cue herself, with countless titles as a key member of the all-conquering Scottish Ladies Team as well as the winner of the 1997 UK Singles title and the 1998 European Ladies Championships in her own right.

And, bizarrely, her adventures in the world of the green baize occurred by a happy accident.

I first got involved in the game at the start of the Nineties when I used to go to a local pub where everyone else played pool. So I had a choice of either joining in or sitting on my own watching – so I picked up a cue and took my chances! Fortunately, there was a Scottish Ladies international who also used the pub and I used to play with her so my game started to rapidly improve. A year later I was invited to trial for the Scottish Ladies Team and I made my debut in 1992. I've more or less been a member of the team ever since and, although I don't have the potting game that a lot of the girls have, my tactical game is very sound and I can hold my own against most players. I pride myself on the fact that I am a tough competitor and won’t lie down in any game.

A few years after she joined the Scottish Ladies Team, Michaela met the man she married earlier this year – namely eightball legend Ross McInnes.

I actually thought he was an arrogant sod when I first saw him. But we've been together for eight and a half years now and we have a little boy called Morgan, who's five.

And it was her relationship with Ross that lead to her first TV refereeing job.

'Again it was something that happened quite by accident,' admits Michaela. 'Sky were holding a one-day nineball event in Scotland which featured the likes of Steve Davis and various people. Ross was also involved and he said if they needed someone to referee it then he knew someone who refereed a lot of nineball matches – namely me!'

So I got involved and I found it absolutely nerve-wracking when I refereed at that event. Then I went home and thought no more about it – until I got a telephone call and I was asked if I'd like to officiate at the Mosconi Cup. So that's how it all started really.

Since then, Michaela has become a regular face at many snooker, eightball and nineball events.

I'm actually an employee of World Snooker now and myself and three other young referees are being fast-tracked away from the main tour and the TV games so we can learn the ropes,' reveals Michaela. 'I think World Snooker are keen to pull the game forward by not making the players dress in such a stuffy way and also by introducing some younger faces as referees.

Essentially the game still looks very similar to how it would have appeared 100 years ago and I think World Snooker is very conscious of that. Snooker's the number-two most popular viewed sport in the UK and, although audience figures have not significantly dropped off, they are looking to the future and aiming to attract new viewers.

So my involvement and the involvement of the other three referees who are being fast-tracked are all part of that move. I also think they've taken a look at the very casual image of nineball and taken a lead from there in the way players are encouraged to play without bowties and the like.

Michaela admits that eightball may not be her number-one priority in life at the moment, but it will certainly take centre stage when she puts her Scotland waistcoat on and she and the rest of the team go to defend their world title in Shetland.

I would never class myself as one of the favourites for the ladies singles event or even one of the strongest players in the team, but I intend to keep my place and I will fight tooth and nail to ensure Scotland win the ladies world crown for a few years yet!

And, the way she keeps her cool in front of the TV cameras, who would bet against her on the eightball table?

Find out about Michaela @ Eurosport

Source: http://www.eurosport.com/snooker
Posted on 27/04/2007

See Michaela's Interview Video at http://www.eurosport.com:

Video @ YouTube.com: Michaela's Interview (2007)

Interview with snooker referee Michaela Tabb about her career ahead of becoming the first woman to referee a world ranking event at the 2007 Welsh Open.

Source: http://youtube.com/watch?v=1zkG4cVETIw

Michaela is looking forward to refereeing the Masters for the first time (30 January, 2004)

source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/snooker/3445541.stm

...The tournament will also see Michaela Tabb become the first female referee to take charge at the Masters.

Tabb will add another chapter to her refereeing CV
Tabb, who caused a stir at last year's World Championship, will referee two matches, including the meeting between Steve Davis and Ken Doherty on Tuesday.

"I'm really looking forward to refereeing at the Masters for the first time," said Tabb.

"I know the atmosphere at Wembley is electric and it will be great to experience that."

Michaela Tabb: AZBilliards Interview.

source: http://www.azbilliards.com/interviews/michaelatabb.cfm


Michaela Tabb is one of the most recognized faces in 9-ball for fans across the world who are able to watch the Matchroom Sport presentations of events like the World Pool Championship and Mosconi Cup competition. She is one of the top referees of professional 9-ball and recently refereed her first Snooker World Championship. Michaela took time from preparing for this year's World Pool Championship to answer a few questions for us.

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AZB: Can you start by telling us about your refereeing career? How long have you been a ref and how many events have you refereed?

Michaela: I started refereeing Professionally in September 1997, at the St Andrews Cup - a 9 ball event run by Matchroom. I have since refereed nearly 30 major events including events in Europe, Canada, UK and I am going to Dubai later this year!

AZB: What would you say is the biggest event you have refereed?

Michaela: The biggest would be the World Championships Finals, but the hardest would be the Mosconi Cup!

AZB: What got you started refereeing?

Michaela: My husband and I run our own tournaments which are English 8 Ball and American 9 Ball amateur events. As funding is tight, I used to referee when it was required and so learned the basics that way. Matchroom were running their one day event in Glasgow in 1997 and Ross, my husband, phoned Sharron Tokley and advised her that I could referee for her, if she would like, and it would be financially better as she wouldn't have to pay accommodation and travel as I was on hand. I sent down a CV (Resume) and the rest is history...

AZB: Some of the fans over here in the states may not know this, but you are also a very accomplished player. Can you tell us about that?

Michaela: I play English 8 Ball pool with the reds and yellows on a 7 x 4 table. I started in a local pub because everyone else played and joined the Scottish Ladies International Team in 1992. I still play with them now and will in fact be travelling to play in my own World Championships the day after Cardiff's final! My biggest individual achievement was European Ladies Champion in 1998 in Gibraltar. It has to be said that refereeing has now taken my time up more so I have less time to practice...

AZB: Which do you enjoy more?

Michaela: I prefer refereeing now because my standard is not as high as it used to be as a player. In saying that, they are two very different things and both bring levels of satisfaction in different ways.

AZB: You don't have the benefit of going to instant replay on a call. Have you ever watched a match on tape later and saw that you had blown a call?

Michaela: Yes, I have made wrong calls and realized afterwards or due to someone advising me who had seen it - Sid or one of the commentary team. It for me is one of the hardest things about our job, we have to make a decision in a split second and we can't always be right... All we ask for is not to be considered a cheat, which unfortunately some people think you are. They are too small minded to realize that this is a career, not something we do for a hobby and that our reputations would be irrevocably tarnished for something like that...

AZB: Do you get nervous before a big match?

Michaela: At the Mosconi Cup, always... Also, the latter stages of the World Championships when it really starts to get exciting! You feel the pressure building up around you at these matches and you naturally get caught up in it.

AZB: Pool players are not known as the most even tempered people in the world. How do you keep them in line?

Michaela: We have the advantage of Matchroom and the WPA behind us really, which makes this one easy... All the players know that if they step out of line they will either be reprimanded by the WPA or not invited back by Matchroom and that's a pretty strong incentive. During a match if needs be, we would speak to a player in whatever shape or form we feel necessary, some it's a quiet word others it's a dirty look lol... The good thing is they all know that Nigel and I will not put with any of their c**p, so they don't tend to try it on...

AZB: Most of the fans in the states will only be familiar with your 9-ball events, but didn't you just ref a major Snooker event?

Michaela: Yes, I just made history by being the first lady referee to ever referee at The World Snooker Championships final stages and also at The Crucible! That was one of the greatest moments of my live because I have been a snooker fan since I was little girl.

AZB: How did that all transpire? You are not the image I have of the average snooker ref.

Michaela: That's exactly why that transpired! lol I was approached by the Chief Executive of World Snooker after the 2001 World Championships and asked if I would be interested in refereeing snooker. They wanted to change the referees profile by introducing ladies, younger referees and foreign referees. I was lucky to be headhunted following my involvement in 9 ball which is covered on Sky television.

AZB: When they showed the US Open on Pay Per View last year, there was a female referee that bore a striking resemblance to you. How did that make you feel?

Michaela: Luke, from Matchroom, actually emailed me about it because he had been there and he couldn't believe it! Apparently, she was even wearing a black and white top like mine? It has to be positive though, doesn't it? It's great that they like the job I do enough to want to copy it ... but why didn't they just ask me if I was available? lol

AZB: The men's pool scene is a mess in the states. How is it on your side of the ocean?

Michaela: In the UK, it is very structured now in the form of UKAPA in England and SAPPA in Scotland, they work together to promote the game in the UK. The UKAPA also have regular tournaments which are attended by a number of European players as well. In Europe they have a very structured set up with ranking tournaments, European Championships and also a Wheelchair division.

AZB: You have an internet site now at www.michaelatabb.com. How did that come about? When you started as a referee, did you ever think you would have fans like you have now?

Michaela: My website came about by accident actually! I was posting on the Matchroom forum during last years World Champs and some Philippine fans said I should have a website. I acknowledged that I would love one, but didn't know that much about it - three of them offered their services for free! It is unbelievable really what has happened through Sky's coverage, and I would never have dreamt it, but I also won't take it for granted because it could end at anytime...

AZB: I understand you recently got married. And married a very well know pool player. Can you tell us about that?

Michaela: My husband, Ross McInnes, is one of the top english 8 ball pool professionals that the UK has known. We met when I started playing pool in 1991 and started 'dating' in 1993. We were married on 3rd May last year after nearly 9 years together - I wanted to make sure I could live with him first... :-) and we have a 6 year old, Morgan who is someone you should definitely look out for the coming years!

AZB: So, you are reffing the WPC in July. What is on your schedule after that?

Michaela: I am travelling to play in my own World Championships the very next day, I will have my cue with me in Cardiff to try and catch some practice when it's quiet... After that, the World 9 ball Masters is in Amsterdam which I am looking forward to! And then the snooker season starts again at the beginning of September, so it's all go... Refereeing is now my full time career, but I can't imagine a better way of earning a living - getting paid to do a job that I would do for nothing... :-))