Small town player, Shane Little, had a big idea — real big, in fact. It was to create an application for pool players wanting to find a game wherever in the United States they may be traveling.
Growing up in Chickamauga, GA, Shane began playing pool at a local grocery that housed a pool table. As a kid he played 8 and 9-Ball, but now prefers one pocket. His wife Tisha doesn’t play pool, but instead watches her husband play. Together they have four children between the ages of nine and 19, which includes one son and three daughters. Only one of their daughters plays pool. Shane says that she definitely has some talent, too. The home table is a nine foot Brunswick Centennial, and he shoots with a Schon LTD R8.
So begins Shane Little’s big story. One night, while traveling out of town, Shane wanted to find a game, a challenge match, but could not. He was disappointed, to say the least.
It was not long after that he put together a fascinating idea: to create a map-based app that pinpoints one’s destination, then searches up to a 100 mile radius, any zip code, city, or state to locate a place where or player with whom a challenge match could take place.
Being in the business of financing automobiles for folks, Shane’s big break was just around the corner. In financing, one meets many different people of many different professions. As fate would have it, Shane was on the brink of meeting somebody big — real big, in fact.
He met and financed for a software developer. Not just any software developer, but thee exact man who worked on facial recognition software for The World Cup in Brazil! Yes, you read that correctly. This was no small matter.
Big things were about to roll in for Shane Little.
To make an even bigger splash, if that is possible, this man, Lucus Darnell, has given speeches at the very prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He knows his stuff, and he knows it well. Shane knew this quite possibly could turn into something huge for the pool playing world, and was not going to get stuck behind the 8-Ball. He jumped on an opportunity to ask Mr. Darnell to lunch where he pitched the idea to him.
Needless to say, lunch was a big success.
Lucus Darnell, being a social pool player himself, immediately saw the utility and business opportunity of Shane Little’s big idea, and accepted the invite to work with him in bringing it to fruition.
This pool world changing app is called Action Hound. It is up, working, and available. In addition to locating places and players, Action Hound allows for space to record wins and losses as well as a place to chat with players.
To not mention Tisha’s help would be remiss. She “sat hand typing every single pool hall, name, address, etc. into Excel Files,” many times thinking she was just done with it, but continued on. The work was “tedious.” After a year of blood, sweat and tears by everyone involved, the app is now free to all Android and Apple users.
Also, it has been extended to include darts, golf and ping pong. Presently, Action Hound is available through Google Play or the Apple Store. Reviews are excellent. On a five point scale, it’s rating is four point eight, which is huge for new technology!
Players have asked for it to be available in Canada and Peru. Pool is played around the world, so… well I think we all can see where this is going, which is surely worldwide.
Shane sees the future of Action Hound in helping form amateur and professional pool tournaments by sending messages to app holders. Not too shabby for a pool player from a small town who had a big idea to help the ever growing, ever popular pool community.
There’s an expression which has been applied to different sports, including pool: “If you can’t run with the big dogs, you’d better stay on the porch.” In all, use of this Action Hound will continue to separate the big dogs from the little dogs. Shane and Tisha Little, Lucus Darnell, and their Action Hound app soon will be “household names” among pool players of the world.
Fantastic job to all of you for making the pool world a little, no, a lot better. I’d like to meet and be able to shake both of your hands one day, maybe even after winning a game or two, but for now I extend a big thank you! Shane and Tisha Little can be found on Facebook. More information is on their website. Get your Action Hound app today. I’ve got mine!
In her 35+ years of pool playing, Missy has been deeply involved with many aspects of the sport. She and her husband ran a BCA 8-Ball League for 15 years, as well as three person 9-Ball, Singles 8 & 9, and Scotch Doubles part of that time. She ran a Junior BCA/BEF Junior League—the largest and longest running in her area—for 13 years, with year end banquets and tournaments for all of the leagues. She has run tournaments for all ages and levels of play groups, and is a Certified BCA Instructor with concentration on children and females.Missy has played at local, regional and national venues. She even has a $6400 fundraiser tournament for Domestic Violence and Wheelchair Players under her belt. Many, many hours have been donated to the sport with 300+ in free lessons and clinics for juniors. She is happy to be writing articles for Sneaky Pete Mafia Magazine, presently. Missy has been, and will continue to be, a true ambassador of the sport. Photo: Japanexperterna Editor: Hannah Blue