Jarred Miller is the proud owner of a new billiards venue, Limestone Legends, where he will host tournaments.

Jarred Miller, the owner of a new billiards establishment, Limestone Legends, located on The Square, is planning on hosting tournaments, a pool league and lessons to the people of Limestone County and North Alabama.

The establishment is family-friendly during the day and 21-plus starting at 7 p.m. The venue has a bar and a kitchen, but does not allow smoking on or near the premises. According to Miller, pool has a reputation for hustling, gambling and fighting. However, he is out to change that.

“Pool in the past has had a bad reputation,” Miller said. “I wanted family to be able to say ‘hey, this is a place where we can come in.’ They don’t have to worry. We won’t have to worry about fights or any of that stuff.”

One way he is aiming on doing this is by establishing tournaments that will benefit charity, such as the Child Advocacy Center, which will be one of the first groups to receive the proceeds from such an event. This will take place after the start of 2022. It is Miller’s hope that local businesses will sponsor the prizes for the tournament.

Additionally, he is going to have private and public lessons for people wishing to learn the game, especially youth. The public lessons will be free and come during certain days.

The private lessons will come after the start of 2022 and the price per hour has yet to be set.

“If we as pool players don’t get another generation playing the sport, it will just be a bar game. It won’t be a professional sport like it is now,” he said.

He also mentions that pool is a sport that requires athletic ability, a willingness to work and substantial mental toughness.

“Pool is an athletic sport. You have to be in good shape to be at a high level,” he said. “There is a huge mental capacity to it.”

Limestone Legends is going to have youth tournaments as well to gather interest in the younger generations of the sport.

Miller and Limestone Legends will also be hosting a weekly pool league, which will go for 14 weeks every Tuesday at 7 p.m. The competition will be eight-ball. Miller says it will be around eight to ten teams in the league. The first day of the league will be Jan. 4. The division is the Historic Athens Division.

“All the league play is out of here; they don’t have to travel anywhere,” he said.

Whoever wins the league at Limestone Legends will have a chance to compete at Regionals. From there, they have a chance to keep on winning all the way to the APA World Championships in Las Vegas.

The league will operate on a “handicap system” where the American Pool Association (APA) has ratings for an individual. An APA1 is for beginners and an APA7 is the most experienced.

In order to join the league, individuals must become members of the APA, but, through the APA, will be able to participate in other tournaments throughout North Alabama, depending on the location.

Miller is an APA7 with long-term aspirations of going pro.

Limestone Legends also hosts live music some nights. Miller calls the scene a “Nashville vibe.”