ARDEN, NC (WLOS) — A local league of pool players took their game to the next level at the APA World Pool Championships in Las Vegas.

For them, it’s not just about winning. It’s about the community.

Christopher Ray of Fat Cat Billiards said they are sending about 50 players to Las Vegas this week.

“We’re all going to go out there and fight for the championship,” he said.

The teams consist of members from all over Western North Carolina.

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But what does it take to be good enough to keep up?

“The hands of a surgeon, the mind of a chess master and the mental strength of a professional athlete,” said Patricia Lahepelto, an APA player from Blue Ridge.

These athletes will take their skills to Las Vegas, where they will compete on 400 pool tables among 16,000 players from 49 states and four countries.

They compete in different categories until the best two are determined.

“This is a really big deal for billiards. This is pretty much the biggest deal for amateur billiards players in the world,” Ray said.

But the truth is that these participants in this local league in Western North Carolina are not just interested in intense competition.

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“Pool – pocket billiards – is a really, really, really fun sport,” Lahepelto said.

“We’re all friends. We’re all family. It’s a community. I’ve been coming here for about five years now. When I first came in, I didn’t know what to expect, and now I have friends for life,” Ray said.

It’s a group of friends who play at all different levels, the only requirement is the desire to putt the ball.

“These are people I would do anything for and they would do anything for me,” Ray said.

So a soft hit or a perfect shot is not necessary – just a good attitude, love for each other and love for the game, regardless of the outcome.