The future of pool

[buckshotshoey]

There has been so many posts and comments about how pool, as a sport, is dying. I thought maybe it would be popular as an Olympic sport. Doing a forum search here on AZ pretty much changed my mind. The politics of the Olympics would probably do more harm then good. My head is spinning trying to think of fresh ideas.

Here is one that will probably draw criticism but here goes.......
The future of any endeavor is with the younger generation. My idea Is start a high school league. Something for kids freahman through seniors. There are many good junior pool formats out there, and I'm not even going to mention one. Thats not the point of the thread.

So many schools, if not all of them, are having financial difficulties. Compared to some of the other sports being played now, billiards would probably be the most cost effective. The students parents would only need a very modest investment to get the kids started. For instance, a modest playing cue and a case. This could be done for less then a 100 dollar bill. A lower end Players cue or a cuetec and a wal mart case would be good enough, and could last a lifetime if taken care of properly. And it could even be set up so everyone uses the same cue....just allow weight adjustments.... to keep things affordable and fair. The schools could have very little investment if sponsors cover the cost of tables. Two to four tables would be all that Is necessary to allow adequate practice time and enough for hosting other schools.
Far cheaper then maintaining a baseball or football field. Recover tables twice a year is cheaper then mowing grass twice a week! Now grant it, football does draw in a certain amount of revenue, so its an unfair comparison.

Other benefits include such things as.......students won't get injured as in contact sports. The game of pool is physically and mentally challenging. ...students who are not very athletic will have something challenging to do and could excell in pool where they would probably fail in other sports. On the pool table, physical differences become less important. Male and female can both play. And they will be on equal footing. The girls have as much potential as the boys....if not more so. And for a lot of kids, it will get them off their butts, away from the computer, and moving around doing something.

Now for the benefits to the sport of pool. The one that sticks out the most is get fresh blood into the sport. Learned at an earlier age, the skills will develop sooner (with good coaching). It is a skill that will be used for a lifetime. How many of us old timers (I'm 47) still enjoy football? ( I mean actually playing it, not the armchair quarterback we end up being). How about baseball? If we played these sports in high school, we pretty much wasted our time in the scheme of things. Pool lasts a lifetime.

Another advantage to the sport....these kids (especially the non athletes) will gain a sense of sportsmanship....a sense of accomplishment. It would be far better for the sport for the younger generation to learn sportsmanship from a respected individual instead of getting all their sense of fair play from a drunk asshole in a bar! For some, if not most, a kids first time playing pool is in a bar. That is the atmosphere where all the bad habits are formed. Giving a kid a sense of fair play before they ever see a bar is much better for the game. Think about it. Look at some of the responses from certain individuals here on the forum. Some people just don't play well with others. Did they learn that behavior at a young age from the wrong people, or are they just natural born assholes? You make that call. But starting a kid out in the right direction could have a very positive impact on the image of the game.

I don't know how this ball could get rolling. I think it is a great idea. I want to hear your ideas....your thoughts....on how to make something like this work. I know there are a million ways in which it could fail, I want to hear how to make it succeed!

 

[noMoreSchon]

I have had a similar idea, a non profit institute for billiards. Primarily for school but open for anyone. Just like a gym or the YMCA, monthly payment would include access to video and book library, maybe videoing yourself and coaches to help with your game. Students would not pay the fee, or get substantially reduced fees. The fun would begin as different chapters would be able to compete, say St. Louis vs. Kansas City, or Boston vs. Philadelphia...the students would be able to compete locally and as more venues become available travel to new places. The question is how much would you pay a month for access to a billiard library with the resources to improve your game? And how many members would be needed to be financially stable? Questions I have not had the time to answer myself. And idea to be thought through definitely.

 

[336Robin]

Thought

You've put some thought into what you said and I don't disagree really with much of anything you said. I've posed similar questions before myself. It seems to me that pool itself is a very large and unregulated business in which the ones that are making money survive and thats pretty much it.

As the economy waxes and wanes so does pool seem to move.

The facts that rents rose pretty much eliminated the stand alone pool rooms and the Recreation Centers of past that were there in the 80's disappeared via the video game so pool was left to accompany alcohol and thusly excluded children.

I think you are right but there is no body of pool that would benefit directly from the scholastic concept to the point that it would be something of corporate interest to get going.

Pool as a sport sounds good but most people see it as a game whether you want to like that or not. Its a hard game that many people have trouble understanding how to learn. Even if it were easy it would be a hard sell to replace traditional sports no matter how you justify it.

If you can find someone who has the cash to come up with start up programs there is the key then statistics might be found that prove that its increasing pool but not business necessarily because there are so many different products to buy the person paying the tab for the program might not be the one that benefits from the sales.

Nice idea though.

 

[Bella Don't Cry]

Great thinking... :thumb up:

1st, To get your idea up and running, may I suggest that you associate yourself with an organisation. The only one I can think of that embraces the education of youth billiards in America is the BEF. I could be wrong, but that would be my first stop.

Secondly, disassociate yourself from the with the common practice of current pool scene in America - e.g. major events in Vegas. There are too many gambling connotations involved which education can not be seen to be a part of...

The 3rd would be to source as many collage workers (lecturers / teachers) who already play billiards who have a stronger identity within the ranks of education to help get your foot in the door.

And that's just the beginning.
Without a strong foundation, education will see you coming and will shut its doors.

 

[Johnnyt]

Very good post. There are a few schools now that have a pool program. The one in Texas if I'm not mistaken was funded with donations. I believe the man that started it is a member here (norwood I think). Johnnyt

 

[macguy]

You've put some thought into what you said and I don't disagree really with much of anything you said. I've posed similar questions before myself. It seems to me that pool itself is a very large and unregulated business in which the ones that are making money survive and thats pretty much it.

As the economy waxes and wanes so does pool seem to move.

The facts that rents rose pretty much eliminated the stand alone pool rooms and the Recreation Centers of past that were there in the 80's disappeared via the video game so pool was left to accompany alcohol and thusly excluded children.

I think you are right but there is no body of pool that would benefit directly from the scholastic concept to the point that it would be something of corporate interest to get going.

Pool as a sport sounds good but most people see it as a game whether you want to like that or not. Its a hard game that many people have trouble understanding how to learn. Even if it were easy it would be a hard sell to replace traditional sports no matter how you justify it.

If you can find someone who has the cash to come up with start up programs there is the key then statistics might be found that prove that its increasing pool but not business necessarily because there are so many different products to buy the person paying the tab for the program might not be the one that benefits from the sales.

Nice idea though.

To go along with the gist of what you are saying, pool is in a catch-22 situation right now and I don''t know how it can get out. All you would need to do is poll the members on this boards to find out how few pool rooms there are today. Many people have to travel to another town just to play.

Pool now pretty much exists only in bars for the most part and I have a feeling that is not going to change anytime soon. So the idea the original poster has to grow the sport can't work if there is nowhere to play even if you can generated all this new interest.

Big table pool is dying if not already dead, that is just a fact. Pool now is bar table pool. No one want to open a pool room anymore. If a new room opens it is big news on here and that is nation wide. Maybe pool needs to establish private billiard clubs to keep the game going. It would be a lot easier to open a private club with membership then open a public pool room.

I don't know what will work but I do know the game in the US is dying. We here may not want to believe it, because we are caught up in the sport and can't see beyond our own love for the game. Take a step back with an honest object view and look at the general public. I would say hardly anyone cares about our sport but us. There are no new players coming into the game period. Why, there is nowhere to play thus the catch-22.

 

[336Robin]

Youve got that right

To go along with the gist of what you are saying, pool is in a catch-22 situation right now and I don''t know how it can get out. All you would need to do is poll the members on this boards to find out how few pool rooms there are today. Many people have to travel to another town just to play.

Pool now pretty much exists only in bars for the most part and I have a feeling that is not going to change anytime soon. So the idea the original poster has to grow the sport can't work if there is nowhere to play even if you can generated all this new interest.

Big table pool is dying if not already dead, that is just a fact. Pool now is bar table pool. No one want to open a pool room anymore. If a new room opens it is big news on here and that is nation wide. Maybe pool needs to establish private billiard clubs to keep the game going. It would be a lot easier to open a private club with membership then open a public pool room.

I don't know what will work but I do know the game in the US is dying. We here may not want to believe it, because we are caught up in the sport and can't see beyond our own love for the game. Take a step back with an honest object view and look at the general public. I would say hardly anyone cares about our sport but us. There are no new players coming into the game period. Why, there is nowhere to play thus the catch-22.

Your exactly right. What is ironic is that the pool league system that exists may end up being the ones that have to build those private clubs else there will be no pool league systems. Now that quite a turn of events when you think about the fact that many of them ask the owners for free practice time and very little compensation if any from their members.

As one thing dies, it actually makes it possible for another form to be born. The Private Club Concept is popular in Europe, what happened to make it so I have no idea but these Pool Centers that the Leaguers might build could also be places to go see Professional Pool Played and streamed. It would certainly depend on numbers of proposed business over the years ahead before that would happen but if there is going to be growth in the Pool League System they are almost going to have to consider getting into the Private Club Business in my way of thinking or simply fold up and leave their Independent Operators hanging.

 

[Chicagoplayer]

Great thoughts-

There has been so many posts and comments about how pool, as a sport, is dying. I thought maybe it would be popular as an Olympic sport. Doing a forum search here on AZ pretty much changed my mind. The politics of the Olympics would probably do more harm then good. My head is spinning trying to think of fresh ideas.

Here is one that will probably draw criticism but here goes.......
The future of any endeavor is with the younger generation. My idea Is start a high school league. Something for kids freahman through seniors. There are many good junior pool formats out there, and I'm not even going to mention one. Thats not the point of the thread.

So many schools, if not all of them, are having financial difficulties. Compared to some of the other sports being played now, billiards would probably be the most cost effective. The students parents would only need a very modest investment to get the kids started. For instance, a modest playing cue and a case. This could be done for less then a 100 dollar bill. A lower end Players cue or a cuetec and a wal mart case would be good enough, and could last a lifetime if taken care of properly. And it could even be set up so everyone uses the same cue....just allow weight adjustments.... to keep things affordable and fair. The schools could have very little investment if sponsors cover the cost of tables. Two to four tables would be all that Is necessary to allow adequate practice time and enough for hosting other schools.
Far cheaper then maintaining a baseball or football field. Recover tables twice a year is cheaper then mowing grass twice a week! Now grant it, football does draw in a certain amount of revenue, so its an unfair comparison.

Other benefits include such things as.......students won't get injured as in contact sports. The game of pool is physically and mentally challenging. ...students who are not very athletic will have something challenging to do and could excell in pool where they would probably fail in other sports. On the pool table, physical differences become less important. Male and female can both play. And they will be on equal footing. The girls have as much potential as the boys....if not more so. And for a lot of kids, it will get them off their butts, away from the computer, and moving around doing something.

Now for the benefits to the sport of pool. The one that sticks out the most is get fresh blood into the sport. Learned at an earlier age, the skills will develop sooner (with good coaching). It is a skill that will be used for a lifetime. How many of us old timers (I'm 47) still enjoy football? ( I mean actually playing it, not the armchair quarterback we end up being). How about baseball? If we played these sports in high school, we pretty much wasted our time in the scheme of things. Pool lasts a lifetime.

Another advantage to the sport....these kids (especially the non athletes) will gain a sense of sportsmanship....a sense of accomplishment. It would be far better for the sport for the younger generation to learn sportsmanship from a respected individual instead of getting all their sense of fair play from a drunk asshole in a bar! For some, if not most, a kids first time playing pool is in a bar. That is the atmosphere where all the bad habits are formed. Giving a kid a sense of fair play before they ever see a bar is much better for the game. Think about it. Look at some of the responses from certain individuals here on the forum. Some people just don't play well with others. Did they learn that behavior at a young age from the wrong people, or are they just natural born assholes? You make that call. But starting a kid out in the right direction could have a very positive impact on the image of the game.

I don't know how this ball could get rolling. I think it is a great idea. I want to hear your ideas....your thoughts....on how to make something like this work. I know there are a million ways in which it could fail, I want to hear how to make it succeed!

___________________________________________

After searching for answers myself during the course of filming "Raising the Hustler"
it became abundantly clear that most endeavours will not gain ground unless there is a mainstream interest coupled with a sufficient fanbase.
The only vehicle that's driven the billiard industry with fervor has been film.

 

[336Robin]

New Face for Pool

___________________________________________

After searching for answers myself during the course of filming "Raising the Hustler"
it became abundantly clear that most endeavours will not gain ground unless there is a mainstream interest coupled with a sufficient fanbase.
The only vehicle that's driven the billiard industry with fervor has been film.

I think youre right and all of that adds up to a significant amount of years to go by to create a new face for the game. Maybe even a complete change in the industry to the Private Club as being involved in the grassroots of the game.

We slid by a number of years the way things were and perhaps we didnt grow the way we should have.

Pool is about entertainment value for the player these days as most people work all of the time just to make ends meet. Try finding the entertainment value for a player and you will be hard pressed to find it.

The closest thing to entertainment that I see is either Modified Round Robin format Doubles Matches or Ring Game format. They can be tweaked to offer the lesser players more play time for their entry fee. Somehow people need to be moved to want to play in order to build a fan base and I would say we are 10 to 20 yrs behind that reality as we stand here basically with no kids becoming involved in the art. It needs to be exciting and most tournaments arent.

 

[cluelesscuer]

It would be great if it was high school activity

It seems to me that high schools are coming up with more available sports over the years so that more kids can be involved. It would seem perfect if more high schools had pool teams. But with pool's reputation, I would think the powers to be and parents might not go for it.

Too bad because since you don't have to be big, strong, fast, etc. to play it, thus available to more kids. Not to mention, the analytical part of the game makes it great tool to teach people how to learn how to learn...

 

[buckshotshoey]

You all have valid points. Some positive. ...some negative. I'm trying to think of a way to sell it. As for the parents, I think that would be the easy part. The kids will never even get downwind of a bar. I was thinking all matches would be in school. So the environment would be controlled by the educators, which would be a positive to the school administration. I don't know. Going to put some serious thought into this. Somebody has to do something. I don't want to just sit here and watch it die.

As for the private club, yes Europe has been doing it for decades. It was an economics thing. And I think it will have to happen here if pool is to survive. If I had a private club around here, I would jump on it. I, for one, have pretty much had it with the bar scene anyway. One local bar has tables but they won't go as far to even clean them every now and then. The owner is too busy catering to the corn hole players. Cornhole? Serious? He can kiss my cornhole.

 

[Bella Don't Cry]

It's not about private clubs. Private clubs can and will only provide the 'safe house'. Education is not bothered about the safe house as it is an institution and therefore can provide a safe house for its students.

This thread is about organisation - and there lies the situation...

 

[Dunnn51]

I think youre right and all of that adds up to a significant amount of years to go by to create a new face for the game. Maybe even a complete change in the industry to the Private Club as being involved in the grassroots of the game.

We slid by a number of years the way things were and perhaps we didnt grow the way we should have.

Pool is about entertainment value for the player these days as most people work all of the time just to make ends meet. Try finding the entertainment value for a player and you will be hard pressed to find it.

The closest thing to entertainment that I see is either Modified Round Robin format Doubles Matches or Ring Game format. They can be tweaked to offer the lesser players more play time for their entry fee. Somehow people need to be moved to want to play in order to build a fan base and I would say we are 10 to 20 yrs behind that reality as we stand here basically with no kids becoming involved in the art. It needs to be exciting and most tournaments arent.

I don't know the "Recipe" for the future of pool, But I know there are many ingredients.
I DO KNOW it involves the younger generation, (ie: those under 40). It also involves mingling the older,more experienced with the younger willing to learn crowd. Promotion and marketing toward Pool is mis-aligned,......that needs work as well.
Poolhalls need to evolve. I (personally) would like to see an Internet cafe' style of poolroom. Actually they would be more like entertainment lounges, where ppl could play MMORG, in a room. play pool onna tbl outside in the open, lobby, or get something to eat/drink in another area.
just random thought.

 

[macguy]

I don't know the "Recipe" for the future of pool, But I know there are many ingredients.
I DO KNOW it involves the younger generation, (ie: those under 40). It also involves mingling the older,more experienced with the younger willing to learn crowd. Promotion and marketing toward Pool is mis-aligned,......that needs work as well.
Poolhalls need to evolve. I (personally) would like to see an Internet cafe' style of poolroom. Actually they would be more like entertainment lounges, where ppl could play MMORG, in a room. play pool onna tbl outside in the open, lobby, or get something to eat/drink in another area.
just random thought.

That is all fantasy though, who is going to open theses places? There is no evidence there is any market for such an investment. Pools heyday as mentioned many times was because it was linked to bowling. That is when almost everybody from the 50's thru the 90's discovered the game.

From there it expanded to stand alone rooms that were pool only but still had the bowling alley's producing new players. That is all gone now. The bowling alleys with 20 and 30 table billiard rooms are long gone and the stand alone pool room is all but extinct.

The game is in the bars now and the bar table and league play "IS" pool today. I don't see anything turning that around. If not for the bar pool the game would be as dead as miniature golf. Remember when there was a Miniature golf courses in like every town? When is the last time you saw one?

What you describe if it actually happened would most certainly have bar tables. Put in some change and play a quick game just for something to do. Little of that would produce a new generation of pool players or resurrect the classic game.

 

[Ty-Tanic]

I think this is a amazing idea!!! It is very much possible to do as well. When I started high school I played lacrosse and our school didn't have a team. So what did my dad and I do. We made a team for our high school by fundraising pretty much. It wasn't supported by the school (meaning the didn't invest any money) so it was a bit more expensive but we did manage to kick start the team. And a few years after it started getting more popular and the school started to support the sport. If I were to do this with Pool at that same school it would be way easier because the investment is pretty much cut in half if not more. You know what! I may try talking to a couple of high schools in my area and see what they think of this idea. I think it would actually go very well. I know if they had pool tables in my high school and would always be playing!

 

[macguy]

It's not about private clubs. Private clubs can and will only provide the 'safe house'. Education is not bothered about the safe house as it is an institution and therefore can provide a safe house for its students.

This thread is about organisation - and there lies the situation...

I am not sure what you are talking about safe house. The deal with the private club is it makes it possible to open a place where pool can be played more easily. They operate differently then say a pool room. In many cities it is pretty much impossible to even a open a pool room.

You have to jump through many hoops they have put in place for the sole purpose of preventing a pool room from opening. You don't need 20 tables just like 5 and you would be good to go. It is run as a nonprofit and all it needs to do is break even to be viable. Now imagine these in every city.

I was surprised to see a chess club near me. It is just a store front with a bunch of tables and chess boards. When I went on to the USCF website there are hundreds of such clubs across the US.
Pool maybe need a new model for what it's future is to be.

As it stands pool is now a game played in bars almost exclusively. I don't know how you bring young people into the game in that atmosphere. In fact this is such the perception I could see a kid telling their parent they want to play pool and being told "Over my dead body, that is just a game for bar flies".
Before pool had the problem of the hustler/gambler perception, now it has a new perception problem.

 

[hsbilliards]

Welcome Students and Parents to the Sport of High School Billiards!

We would like to welcome and introduce you to the 2013-2014 BETTER High School Billiard Program (Billiard Excellence Through Training, Education & Recreation). This unique sports billiard program was started in 2001 in Dallas, Texas and was designed as an after-school sport for 9th- 12th grade boys and girls students. Freshmen students and girls have excelled in the billiard program and are highly encouraged to participate.

Program Objective: To train, educate and offer a recreational life-time sport that is competitive and fun for all high school students.

“In high school billiards, the students most interested are...the competitive students who love the challenge of the SPORT, the thinking students who thrive on analyzing the GAME, and the social students who enjoy the camaraderie of competitive high school team PLAY.”


To be a student of billiards will involve learning the arts and science of the sport. This will require discipline, concentration and focus. Traditional classroom subjects will be introduced and thoroughly used in the program such as: Geometry, Physics, Physical Education, & History.

In order to participate and compete on the high school billiard team or club requires the students to maintain and prove academic satisfactory grades. PAST STUDENTS HAVE SHOWN DRAMATIC IMPROVEMENTS IN THEIR CLASSROOM GRADES!!

The billiard program is ALWAYS highly supervised and the school code of conduct is strictly enforced.

Some students will have experience and natural talent while others will need a little coaching and instruction. As in the past, ALL eligible students will receive professional billiard instruction from PBIA Certified Instructors. Beginner players have excelled in the program and have qualified and participated at the National level. Students with no experience playing billiards are encouraged to join.

There are student opportunities for national and international competition, college scholarships, and academic and billiard excellence recognition. In past years we have sent dozens of our students to compete at the U.S. Junior Nationals across the U.S. to represent Texas, their high schools, and themselves. We are extremely proud of those students who have participated at the “Nationals”, earned BEF Academic All-American recognition, and to the students who have received college scholarships for their commitment to billiards.

This past summer Dallas high school billiard program students competed at the 25th BEF Junior Nationals in Las Vegas, Nevada along with 130 other top U.S. junior players in the country. In December the U.S. will be sending its top junior players to the World Junior Championships being held in Johannesburg, South Africa. In 1998 the International Olympic Committee had recognized billiards as a legitimate sport. Since then countries around the world have successfully started high school billiard programs to compete internationally. In order for the U.S. to be competitive in the future we will need to prepare and develop our students. We need you.

Seniors who qualify may be eligible for 2014 billiard college scholarships. Players will also be selected to compete at the 2014 BEF Junior Nationals. To be a competitive player at the National level takes skill, commitment, knowledge and a strong desire to improve. To excel in the sport of billiards you will need to learn and master basic physics and geometry problems. Critical thinking, decision-making and problem solving skills will be exercised throughout game play practice and competition.

The ultimate success of this program is with the teacher sponsors, students and the parents who will be involved in this much needed alternative sport for your student. Talk to your friends to join the team or club. We look forward to exciting and competitive play in the 2013-2014 seasons. Don’t miss out on this opportunity!


“I thank you for your interest in the great sport of billiards and look forward to working with you in this year’s program.”



Earl C. Munson Jr.
BETTER H.S. Billiard Program- Director
BEF Junior National- Tournament Director
PBIA Certified- Billiards Instructor

 

[MiscueBlues]

I think there is only one way that pool could become really popular with kids.

Pool needs it's own justin bieber type.

A good looking young kid that can run racks, that becomes really popular for some reason.

Then all the teenage girls will think pool players are cool, and all the teenage boys will want to play to impress them.

Then pool halls where teenagers can hang out need to open at the local town centers... Near the cafés and movie theaters, maybe inside the malls.

Pool at the YMCA and high school teams would be good too.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[buckshotshoey]

Welcome Students and Parents to the Sport of High School Billiards!

We would like to welcome and introduce you to the 2013-2014 BETTER High School Billiard Program (Billiard Excellence Through Training, Education & Recreation). This unique sports billiard program was started in 2001 in Dallas, Texas and was designed as an after-school sport for 9th- 12th grade boys and girls students. Freshmen students and girls have excelled in the billiard program and are highly encouraged to participate.

Program Objective: To train, educate and offer a recreational life-time sport that is competitive and fun for all high school students.

“In high school billiards, the students most interested are...the competitive students who love the challenge of the SPORT, the thinking students who thrive on analyzing the GAME, and the social students who enjoy the camaraderie of competitive high school team PLAY.”


To be a student of billiards will involve learning the arts and science of the sport. This will require discipline, concentration and focus. Traditional classroom subjects will be introduced and thoroughly used in the program such as: Geometry, Physics, Physical Education, & History.

In order to participate and compete on the high school billiard team or club requires the students to maintain and prove academic satisfactory grades. PAST STUDENTS HAVE SHOWN DRAMATIC IMPROVEMENTS IN THEIR CLASSROOM GRADES!!

The billiard program is ALWAYS highly supervised and the school code of conduct is strictly enforced.

Some students will have experience and natural talent while others will need a little coaching and instruction. As in the past, ALL eligible students will receive professional billiard instruction from PBIA Certified Instructors. Beginner players have excelled in the program and have qualified and participated at the National level. Students with no experience playing billiards are encouraged to join.

There are student opportunities for national and international competition, college scholarships, and academic and billiard excellence recognition. In past years we have sent dozens of our students to compete at the U.S. Junior Nationals across the U.S. to represent Texas, their high schools, and themselves. We are extremely proud of those students who have participated at the “Nationals”, earned BEF Academic All-American recognition, and to the students who have received college scholarships for their commitment to billiards.

This past summer Dallas high school billiard program students competed at the 25th BEF Junior Nationals in Las Vegas, Nevada along with 130 other top U.S. junior players in the country. In December the U.S. will be sending its top junior players to the World Junior Championships being held in Johannesburg, South Africa. In 1998 the International Olympic Committee had recognized billiards as a legitimate sport. Since then countries around the world have successfully started high school billiard programs to compete internationally. In order for the U.S. to be competitive in the future we will need to prepare and develop our students. We need you.

Seniors who qualify may be eligible for 2014 billiard college scholarships. Players will also be selected to compete at the 2014 BEF Junior Nationals. To be a competitive player at the National level takes skill, commitment, knowledge and a strong desire to improve. To excel in the sport of billiards you will need to learn and master basic physics and geometry problems. Critical thinking, decision-making and problem solving skills will be exercised throughout game play practice and competition.

The ultimate success of this program is with the teacher sponsors, students and the parents who will be involved in this much needed alternative sport for your student. Talk to your friends to join the team or club. We look forward to exciting and competitive play in the 2013-2014 seasons. Don’t miss out on this opportunity!


“I thank you for your interest in the great sport of billiards and look forward to working with you in this year’s program.”



Earl C. Munson Jr.
BETTER H.S. Billiard Program- Director
BEF Junior National- Tournament Director
PBIA Certified- Billiards Instructor

Thank you for the post. I really needed the encouragement.

 

[Bella Don't Cry]

I am not sure what you are talking about safe house. The deal with the private club is it makes it possible to open a place where pool can be played more easily. They operate differently then say a pool room. In many cities it is pretty much impossible to even a open a pool room or bar.

You have to jump through many hoops they have put in place for the sole purpose of preventing a pool room from opening. You don't need 20 tables just like 5 and you would be good to go. It is run as a nonprofit and all it needs to do is break even to be viable. Now imagine these in every city.

I was surprised to see a chess club near me. It is just a store front with a bunch of tables and chess boards. When I went on to the USCF website there are hundreds of such clubs across the US.
Pool maybe need a new model for what it's future is to be.

As it stands pool is now a game played in bars almost exclusively. I don't know how you bring young people into the game in that atmosphere. In fact this is such the perception I could see a kid telling their parent they want to play pool and being told "Over my dead body, that is just a game for bar flies".
Before pool had the problem of the hustler/gambler perception, now it has a new perception problem.

I guess this was my point. Why concentrate on areas of development that are difficult and near impossible? When there are countless numbers of educational institutions already purpose built for learning activities. In this case, pool. :thumbup: