How bad are the people in your league?

B

Break and One

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Hey Everyone. Hope the title doesn't offend anyone or come off incorrectly but really How bad are some of the people in your pool league? I have tried to do some research and I only really can find how well some people play but nothing on the people who are not very talented.

The reason I ask is I have interest in joining a league but don't know if I can compete with the other untalented pool players. I am new to pool i've been playing for almost 3 months. And beyond some family members I do not have anyone else to play with. I have read in some posts that some of the higher skill levels do not care for some of the new players and it is torture to watch two beginners bang balls for 10 innings. I don't want to join a league and be waste of everyones time or bring down a team that is seriously competing to make it further in the league (Nationals, City, etc.).

I know their is a bca and apa league as well as a in-house league in my area. So i have a few options.

One last thing, I have no idea what skill levels equal. I understand in APA you are ranked 2 to 7 in 8 ball but have no idea how that relates to skill. Same thing with speed. I have seen people on here say pro speed or B level speed and I don't know what that really means or equated to skill level.

I appreciate any replies I receive.
 
Being brand new your speed is probably "d-d+"(d,c,b,a,aa,master,pro) leagues and handicaps are built for beginners, you shouldnt worry too much about that anyways.

Ask the front counter guy, he is usually informed, tell him your concerns and get in a league and have fun with the game!
 
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B and O,
Go ahead and give the APA a try. Generally considered a beginner league. There will most likely be people below and at your level. Further, because of the way teams are handicapped (the 23 rule) you will be a highly sought after player. Good luck and have fun. Steve
 
Beginners have the easiest time getting better. So they are often rated lower than they are currently playing. Handicap league teams will value that.

Thank you kindly.
 
My advice, don't worry about it and get out there and enjoy playing league if you want to. I joined a local house league and I'm just below middle of the pack, in part because I perform poorly under pressure so far (something I'm working on). But it's great and I enjoy it very much. We have skill levels that run the gamut, from people who struggle to run two balls to those who you're lucky if they don't break and run on you each time. We have a nice in-house handicap that keeps it competitive for everyone and just a welcoming group that gets all skill levels to play together.
 
go ahead and sign up, there are always teams that are looking for lower level players.......

you are on a steep learning curve (likely getting better fast), which is perfect for league handicap play

have fun
 
couldnthinkof01 said:
Being brand new your speed is probably "d-d+"(d,c,b,a,aa,master,pro) leagues and handicaps are built for beginners, you shouldnt worry too much about that anyways.

Ask the front counter guy, he is usually informed, tell him your concerns and get in a league and have fun with the game!
Click to expand...

Excellent advise ... it's all relative. You will fit into the group that best matches your skill level. Go for it and you will improve. :smile:
 
There is a very simple test to see if you should join a pool league.

Rack 10 balls, 1-10 with the eight in the middle, just like you would with a regular 8 ball rack.
Break the balls, don't worry about scratching, just break them up.
After the balls come to rest, grab the cue ball, and place it anywhere you want, and start shooting, start with "Cue ball in hand" only after the break.
Shoot all the balls, in any order except for the Eight, the Eight ball is last. Stop shooting, when you miss, scratch, or pocket the Eight, whether it be and the end of the run or unintentionally during another shot.
Now count all the balls you have pocketed, even ones made on the break.
Do this 9 more times for a total of 10 racks.

After 10 racks if your score is;
0 - You might not have fun in a league
1-100 - You will have fun in a league, go join one!

If it is more than 50, do a AZBilliards search for ways to self rate yourself.

And remember, have fun and leave the worries at home!
 
Break and One said:
. I am new to pool i've been playing for almost 3 months. . I understand in APA you are ranked 2 to 7 in 8 ball but have no idea how that relates to skill.
Click to expand...

also - If you have truly only been playing 3 months, you are a level 2 (or maybe 3).......but keep in mind they may initially rate you anywhere from 2-4. don't worry about the rating you get, it will self adjust over time based on your actual playing ability.
 
Give the apa a try. The rating of a 7 is like a B+ and above. The separation of levels below that allow you gage where you're at and your progression pretty well, imo. Some players are good, some are serious, but a large number fall into the recreational range and that can make it enjoyable for beginners and others with limited schedules.
 
Who gives a crap what anyone else thinks? League pool is a social event.

Go sign up and have fun. You're not wasting anyone's time by joining a local league. The more, the merrier.

If people aren't embracing the new players, the rest of the league ought to shun them regardless of their ability. The better a player is, the more they should remember where they came from. Everyone was a banger when they started.

//end of rant
 
Banks said:
Give the apa a try. The rating of a 7 is like a B+ and above. The separation of levels below that allow you gage where you're at and your progression pretty well, imo. Some players are good, some are serious, but a large number fall into the recreational range and that can make it enjoyable for beginners and others with limited schedules.
Click to expand...

Really?

I always considered myself a C player. I know in the early 90,s I was much better than I am now before I stopped shooting for along time. I suppose I was a A player then. Well when it came to 8 ball no slop. I did not play much 9 ball back then. I started playing 9 ball a lot more around 2000
 
Go to a league night and watch some, and meet some people. I know in our APA division people like to see new folks join, we point folks in the direction of teams that need players.

Like others have said, have fun and play. Let the rest sort itself out.
 
Here is a list of rating systems Dr. Dave compiled
http://billiards.colostate.edu/threads/ratings.html

From my limited experience, the APA captains around here think the SL 2-7 corresponds to max balls per inning. So, an SL 2 is expected to run 2 balls per inning, maybe 3 max. SL 5 maybe 5-6 per inning. If a SL5 is consistently is breaking and running out, then likely a sly wink or a call to the league operator is made.

Around here in NYC, SL7 is C,C+ and up.
 
Don't worry about, join up.
In my experience most league teams are not super uptight and determined to get to Vegas or win money.
Most of them understand league is a social thing.

In fact, weak players are strongly in demand in my league. The handicapping in the most popular league (APA)
kind of forces you to add some weak players if you already have some very good players.
Like someone who's a skill level 9, probably can't play unless there's also a skill level 2 playing.

My current league's 9-ball division has 63 players, and about 30% of them are rated 1, 2, or 3, which means
they can't run a rack, or they have a few times in their life but it's unlikely. The most common skill level is 4.
The average skill level is a hair above that, because my league's unusually top-heavy.
So a beginner could EASILY find a spot and be welcome.

I would say that BCA is a bit more serious and competitive than APA and you might have a tougher time
finding a home there, but I wouldn't 100% rule it out. House leagues generally welcome everyone.

League is a very good way for a beginner to learn from good players, get deeper into the game,
and learn early how to handle pressure without needing to risk much money. It's also pretty fun.
 
As others have stated most teams are looking for low ranked players. The problem is because many of the low ranked players want to and do improve and move up in rating. The only low rate players that stay low are those that just use the league as a night out and don't play pool other than the games played on league night.

The main thing is to join a team where you fit in with the team mates and that will take a little research on your part.

Call your local APA, BCA, Valley, or TAP league operator. Ask if any team is looking for a player. If there is more than one start with the one closest to home and visit them on league night. It may even be that you don't like the place where their home base is. If you don't like the team or place move on to the next one.

Remember that most of your time will be sitting around waiting for your turn to play if you do during the league night. If you don't like the place or the other players you will be miserable. Sometimes it is also nice if there are more than one table so you can at least play some on that other one while waiting.

🎱
 
As some have pointed out, playing in a league (I strongly recommend the APA,) is about having fun as well as playing pool. I love being around the people I play with and have rarely encountered people I'd rather not be around in any league. More importantly, what you will very likely encounter when you join a team is that people on your team who are better than you will help you learn. When I first joined the APA, I was a 3. A guy on the team named Ryan was a 6 and a really nice guy. From that first week, he started pointing things out to me to help me learn fundamentals. How I stood, where my back foot was, how my line of sight was, how tight or loose I grip the cue, and all sorts of stuff. It took time, but I learned a lot from him, and from many others I played with in those early years. And I'm still learning. More to the point, every team I've ever played on had people like that. People who helped newer players learn things. Most of the better people I've played with were encouraging and helpful.
The APA skill levels run from 2 (which is a beginner, or maybe a typical barroom player) to a 7 (which is a really good player; the best you can be in a league like the APA). You'll probably start off as a 3 or 4 until you get enough matches in for your league rep to determine what your skill level should be. Skill level is really not something to worry about. The key will be finding a team where you like the people and feel comfortable. The more you play, and the more you practice, the better you will get. But being around people you can have fun with will make the whole experience much better.
One other thing to explain about the APA and their skill levels is that the skill level determines how many games you have to win to win a match. Usually (although there are exceptions to this, but usually) you have to win one game less than whatever your skill level is. So if you're a 3, you have to win 2 games. If you're a 4, you have to win 3. If you're a 5, you have to win 4. If you're a 6, you have to win 5. So if you start off as a 3, you'll have to win 2 games to win your match. If you're opponent is a 4, he'll have to win 3. So if you win 2 and he only wins 2, you win the match. It's a handicap system to level the playing field a little. It gives everyone a pretty fair chance of winning a match regardless of who they are playing or how skilled anyone is.
The key is go out there and have fun!
 
My suggestion is to do what you enjoy. If you enjoy the social setting more than fierce competition, join a league that has a reputation as a social league. If you're the type of person who really enjoys competing (not just at pool, at whatever you do) join a league that has a more competitive reputation. In the end, if you don't enjoy what you're doing, you won't do it for long.
 
In the APA an unrated player comes in at what they consider the average player skill.
In 8 ball for men that is a 4 and for women it is a 3. I don't play 9 ball so I can't speak to that.

With that said based on how well you shoot and win games (not matches) your rating will be adjusted. APA keeps track of a lot more stats then most leagues to figure in their skill ratings. One of the biggest determining factors is your average innings played in games you win.

As someone else recommended you should go up there on the night that they have league and shoot with some of the players. Find a captain and speak with them as they may be looking for another player at your skill level or know of one that is.

I would venture to guess the BCA league there is like the MO8 league here. The better players have a tendency to shoot in it. The BCA rules require a little better skill level as they are less forgiving in some respects over APA.
 
Although I personally have an unfavorable opinion of it, the APA would be a great starting point for you. You'll be able to receive coaching and mentoring, keep track of your progress through matches, and get advice for your practice sessions or other resources on improving, including basic fundamentals from which to grow your game. You might even make friends in the process, too! :thumbup:
 
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