Cindy Speaks

An Interview with Cindy Head by Mary Grayson

Legends in sports are what makes it all worthwhile. They give hope and encouragement to the rest. Individuals who achieve legendary fame through their consistent success, whose reputation precedes them, whose accomplishments stand the test of time and are still spoken of among their "modern" day peers, achieve this "legendary" status. Cindy Head is the first true legend to surface among the women of foosball. Her list of achievements is awesome, by anyone's standards. Cindy holds 14 consecutive World Championship Titles, including 8 Women's Open Singles titles, 6 consecutive Designated Mixed titles and her fair share of Women's Doubles titles as well. In 1986, Tornado and Dynamo held a union World Championship tournament. Cindy won six World Championships that weekend, three on Tornado's table and three on Dynamo's table. The list of state and tour titles is beyond our ability to print. You get the picture.

One would assume that along with such accomplishment and fame would come the respect and admiration of your peers. You can't participate in too many conversations among the men without hearing admiration or respect about one of their many legends, Todd Loffredo. His game is respected and studied, his advice considered golden and his partnership is a blessing. Cindy doesn't feel she has any of these things among her peers. If anything, she feels somewhat neglected by the sport and isolated among her peers. Table Talk feels it's time to hand her the mike and ladies, did she have something to say !

Mary: Cindy, how do you explain the logic behind the fact that all the top players, male and female, attribute their ability to stay on top with touring, yet you're able to stop touring for six years and still show up each Labor Day weekend and take home at least one World Championship title?

Cindy: I'd like to make an announcement. I was unable to tour the last six years due to my position with the police force. I arn now in a position to be able to tour more often and intend to do so. I'd like to say, watch me this year, because I intend to take that World Championship back. To answer your question, I think it's just a matter of natural talent, experience and confidence. Not a lot of women have demonstrated a surplus of natural talent in the game, it's rare, and my experience and confidence are huge.

Mary: Do you feel like your natural talent outweighs the mental side of the game among the women?

Cindy: I'd have to say the mental aspect of the game is most likely what it's all about, but the talent is absolutely necessary to reach great success. I've put my time in, I used to live on my table 3 hours every night, constantly practicing. I work out regularly and also feel that being in top physical shape is vital. But along with natural talent, I'm talking about the "Eye of the Tiger", the ability to focus all you've learned with your confidence and do what comes naturally to you.

Mary: Regardless of your incredible run on World Championship titles among the Women's events, you've never come close in the Open Events. How do you deal with that reality?

Cindy: I am the only woman to win an Open Doubles title playing forward at the state level. I won in both a Louisiana State and an Georgia State. I think the package deals offered by Tornado are the reason the skill level among the women has increased the way it has. It is necessary to play in Open to keep your skills up. I have a goal to win an Open Doubles at the tour stop level now, playing forward.

Mary: Do you have any goalies in mind for that goal?

Cindy: I really don't know who's good right now. I have to get out there and watch the men play. I just don't enjoy playing in goal in doubles. I'd like to play with Dave Gummeson and we're talking about playing together in Minnesota. His game impresses me right now.

Mary: You realize that you have been both a source of inspiration and frustration among your female peers. Many of the women feel that perhaps your long reign has more to do with lesser competition than dynamic skills. Do you agree with this idea or see it as sour grapes?

Cindy: I'd have to say that's along the lines of sour grapes. I know inside that my top game is better than anyone else's top game out there right now. I just have to get my game to its potential, learn what's out there and I intend to do that this year.

Mary: Do you resent not being the number one player?

Cindy: I'm glad you asked that. Yea, I'd have to say that in my heart I know I'm the number one player. I just haven't had the time to tour and rack up points. Liz Hill's style, I have no trouble with it. I beat her at World's 5-1, 5-1. Her style doesn't challenge me.

Mary: Have you seen any other players grow?

Cindy: Tiffany Billirakis and Cami Carter are both strong players. Stephanie Dean has really improved her game over the last few years as well.

Mary: You've pretty much been able to play Women's Doubles under the aspect of "any goalie will do". Do you feel that way?

Cindy: Not really. I have to feel a bond with my goalie. I've played with Gena Smith, Liz Trotter and Jimmie Watkins.

Mary: Why didn't you and Gena Murray ever team up? Her goalie game is as legendary as your forward game.

Cindy: Oh yeah, Gena is a great goalie. She was always sort of a rival with me, on the other end of the table in the finals many times. I think it was better for both of our games to keep it that way, helping each other strive.

Mary: Well, here's the big question, do you intend to tour this year or not?

Cindy: Oh yeah. I'll be playing with Jimmie Watkins at every tour stop I'm able to. Except for maybe Nationals if I have to work across that weekend. Otherwise, I'll be there too.

Mary: You don't play what is considered an "orthodox" game, i.e. a set style of passing, one shot, etc. Would you recommend your flashy style and aggressive style to younger players?

Cindy: Different people have different styles. Mine works for me. Murray and Loffredo, two greats in the game, two very different styles. The styles I've watched across the years that I have enjoyed the most would have to be those two and now, Dave Gummeson.

Mary: Have you considered taking on any pupils?

Cindy: Not really There are not a lot of women playing at all in Alabama. I am usually the only woman playing with all the men. I don't play to my potential among the women, I never have. I always play better against men.

Mary: Your game has been described as aggressive and your style as loud and intimidating. Do you feel like your training with the police force has helped you intimidate your opponents?

Cindy: That is not my intention. My yelling is to fire myself up. I don't have to intimidate my opponent to beat them. My game beats their game. Like I mentioned before, different players have different styles and that is just part of my style. I can play a quiet game. I choose not to. I am the type of person who sometimes has to dig down and pull something up to play.

Mary: You seem almost removed among your peers. Why do you think that is?

Cindy: That's definitely true. It's hard to have an entire room rooting against you because they're rooting for the underdog. That's happened to me at every World's for as long as I can remember. I don't feel I have the respect of my peers. If I do, I don't see it. I think it's just sour grapes. I'd also like to say that I feel cheated by Table Talk in the sense of recognition for my successes. After I won my 8th consecutive Women's Open Singles World Championship title I was mentioned in a paragraph on the back. If it had been Todd or anyone else, it'd have made the front page.

Mary: You are one of the few women who may have a referee called when playing against you. We have no female referees in the sport. Now certainly women aren't above mistakes or even cheating, so it seems like there is a need. Do you feel that if some of the pro women took the test and became referees, that more women would call upon using them, thereby increasing the level of skill by having to know and abide by the rules on a constant basis?

Cindy: Definitely. I'll have to spend the next two years getting to know everyone's game right now and concentrate on mine, but once I'm comfortable with that I'd consider becoming a referee. I absolutely agree that that would increase the skill level of the women.

Mary: Since you have played on TS tables, Dynamo tables, and Tornado tables, which do you prefer?

Cindy: Tornado.

Mary: Considering the run you held on Designated Mixed titles, do you miss the event now that it's no longer on the roster?

Cindy: Without a doubt. Steve Murray and I won that event six years straight. I think removing that event has sent a message to all the women that bringing your forward game up to that kind of level is not necessary, which I completely disagree with.

Mary: Cindy, you've been playing for 24 years now. With all that you've seen, who do you think could be considered the best male and female players in the sport to date?

Cindy: Todd Loffredo and . . . well, I'd have to say me.

Regardless of the confidence and hunger expressed by this legendary player, you sense a state of loneliness in her. Perhaps it's just the old cliche of "it's lonely at the top". Perhaps it says something about women in competition. Why don't you hear constant praise of her game like you do of Todd's? Some say you have to tour constantly to get that kind of respect among your peers. Some say women don't know how to respect their competition unless they're on the winner's side. I think perhaps we just have a group of young women who are playing with their neglected warrior side, putting their natural nurturing side to rest for a moment, and struggling with how to deal with the aggression necessary for results. Despite the current mood, Cindy is the type of player that makes the sport happen. Her reign has ignited passion in the sport, bonding among the female player base and made the prize of winning that much more valuable. For this alone, she deserves both the respect and admiration of ALL her peers. Can she be beat? Just ask Tiffany Billirakis or Cami Carter. Anybody can beat anybody on any given day, right ladies?