Should pool leagues have a Senior League?

Maniac

2manyQ's
Silver Member
BCAPL, VNEA, APA, etc. Would a Senior League be a good idea?

In the league area I play in (Tarrant County APA) and specifically the place I play out of has a fairly good number of older ladies and gents. Many of them I've been playing with/against for years. I've noticed a decline in ability in more than a few of them (myself included). It's hard to keep up with the "young guns" that have better eyes, straighter strokes, and don't make noises like a bowl of Rice Krispies when they stretch.

Here is why I think a Senior League would work and how I'd format it:

1.) Two, preferably three person teams (if the numbers allow). Age 60+
2.) Three skill levels. Old & Not-so-good, Old & good, and Old & better.
3.) Two matches, three if the numbers allow (team winning the coin flip puts up first player).
4.) Winner of the match must win eight games.
5.) Old & not-so-good players get 2 games on the wire from Old & better players, 1 game on the wire from Old & good players (who get 1 game on the wire from Old & better players).
6.) Old & not-so-good players get 1 time out per rack (given by a teammate).

This is just a general idea of how I think it might work. Obviously, there will be many more rules and tweaking of other rules. Two glaring advantages of a league like this is that us older players with perishable skills can compete with like players, and the matches would be over with sooner to let us old codgers get home at a decent hour.

I would hope if a league like this ever materialized, that it would be a non-cutthroat league with the emphasis on fun and socializing.

What do you think? Is this feasible?

Maniac
 

hang-the-9

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
It's a good idea if there are enough players to play in it. A place I visited in CT had a pretty large senior league going a few times a week where they did random teams of (I think 5) players, everyone put in $5 or $10 and the winning team got the cash. Basically a 50% payout, with rotating teams each week. They had a program to assign players to a team going by average rank form the overall pool so the teams are even. Each player played one rack against every other player on the team and I think they did a few rounds so several teams played several other teams during the day. Each rack was played by points, so many for balls made, so many for a win, highest score won, no handicaps. My son and I were invited to play in it one time and we had a lot of fun with that format.

Really since leagues are all handicapped by skill level anyway, age/sex/color/planet of origin don't matter much past hanging out with people of your own kind. A C player that is 20 is the same skill level as a C player that is 80. Best part of a senior league is doing it during the day when the youngsters are working and you can enjoy the retirement benefits LOL
 
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David in FL

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Why?

In other sports/games you find senior or super-senior divisions because as we get older our athletic abilities diminish and we can’t physically compete with the young, flat-belly studs anymore.

That’s generally not nearly as much the case in pool. Any handicapped league should offer plenty of reasonable competition to just about anyone, of just about any ability, regardless of age.

I’m 62 and just don’t see a need for yet another league. Especially one, that by design limits the number of players and thus teams that are eligible to even consider playing in it. many leagues struggle to fill rosters as it is these days.
 
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Geosnookery

Well-known member
Nothing stopping anyone from forming their own league. One billiard group I play with is a Meet Up group...Age 60 and over. We play tuesday afternoons (pre Covid). Maybe 50 participants or so. Pool hall to ourselves. No music blaring. No TVs on. Everyone has a great time.

Another Meet Up group I play with are over age 55 at a community centre, 4 tables so limited to 20 of us and we get 16 or so out...we play 8 ball.

I also play with ‘old ‘ folks in two other Meet Up groups. Not structured but a dozen just get together to play when one of us schedules a time and place.

These groups are way more fun than affiliated billiard leagues. Some excellent quality (also beginners) but nobody is concerned about ‘who wins’. No squabble over rules or egos bruised. I also belong to a league with 20 to 75 year olds...meh...Too noisy, too much beer, too many egos...every second person on their cell phone when not at the table.
 

Tennesseejoe

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I am 77 and prefer to play with all ages due to the wide range of interests. It is much more interesting talk about sports, cars, motorcycles, politics, clothes, shows, music, or any of a wide range of interests instead of your latest sickness, operation, medication, etc. Young folks help me think and feel young.
 
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HNTFSH

Birds, Bass & Bottoms
Silver Member
Why?

In other sports/games you find senior or super-senior divisions because as we get older our athletic abilities diminish and we can’t physically compete with the young, flat-belly studs anymore.

That’s generally not nearly as much the case in pool. Any handicapped league should offer plenty of reasonable competition to just about anyone, of just about any ability, regardless of age.

I’m 62 and just don’t see a need for yet another league. Especially one, that by design limits the number of players and thus teams that are eligible to even consider playing in it. many leagues struggle to fill rosters as it is these days.
There's plenty of things that remind us we are 60+, pool doesn't need to be one of them. 👍
 

Johnny Rosato

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I am 77 and prefer to pay with all ages due to the wide range of interests. It is much more interesting talk about sports, cars, motorcycles, politics, clothes, shows, music, or any of a wide range of interests instead of your latest sickness, operation, medication, etc. Young folks help me think and feel young.
You are the perfect candidate to play in two leagues, as I would do if one started here.
 

Cuaba

Livin Large
Silver Member
Younger players have a lot to learn from older players and I believe older players enjoy sharing their knowledge & experience.
 

muskyed

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
As a senior, I really enjoy the mix in our league. We have 32 people in it, with ages from the early 20's, to the mid 70's, and about 25% are women. My skill level is about in the middle, but the league is handicapped, so it works out pretty good. Everyone gets along great, and we really look forward to meeting everyone, and playing against them. I've shot archery tournaments as a senior, in a senior division, and really didn't care for that.
 

The_JV

'AZB_Combat Certified'
I'm looking forward to being able to crush the free bus pass crowd.... The guys that tortured me in my youth are all hiding in senior leagues now. Ducking me at every opportunity. Just a few more years boys...., few more years ;)
 

alstl

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
They had - pre covid - a weekly tournament at the senior center but you didn't win anything so I never played in it. From what I heard the rules were kind of made up by the seniors themselves.
 

Bavafongoul

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Yes......and also super seniors if the senior age admission was too low of an age.
The PGA recognized the need for a senior tour because you can still play very
competitive golf against one’s peers but youth and vitality still command the #1
position in professional golf (PGA Tour). So yes, pool deserves similar distinction.
 

joelpope

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
If I owned a pool room I might consider a seniors league for an entirely different reason. As far as skill levels, in my area there are bunch of older guys who shoot lights out, not sure you need a different ranking system.

From room owner's perspective
- many people in the target age group are retired and would be available to play during the slower afternoon time slot
- this keeps evenings available for other league play / in house promotions, etc...

From "senior league target audience" perspective
- many people in the target age group would prefer the quieter room in the afternoon
- as long as Covid is around a less crowded room is an attraction
- some people in that age group might prefer not to drive at night, especially after a beer or three

There are a lot of players who work the 3-11 or 11 - 7 shift and might like to be able to join a league that plays in the afternoon so maybe this isn't a "seniors only" league but just an alternative time slot
 

Geosnookery

Well-known member
If I owned a pool room I might consider a seniors league for an entirely different reason. As far as skill levels, in my area there are bunch of older guys who shoot lights out, not sure you need a different ranking system.

From room owner's perspective
- many people in the target age group are retired and would be available to play during the slower afternoon time slot
- this keeps evenings available for other league play / in house promotions, etc...

From "senior league target audience" perspective
- many people in the target age group would prefer the quieter room in the afternoon
- as long as Covid is around a less crowded room is an attraction
- some people in that age group might prefer not to drive at night, especially after a beer or three

There are a lot of players who work the 3-11 or 11 - 7 shift and might like to be able to join a league that plays in the afternoon so maybe this isn't a "seniors only" league but just an alternative time slot
This more or less describes our afternoon league at the pool hall. The exception being we don’t allow younger players who may work other shifts. No desire to watch them on their cell phones or hear about video games.

I must live in a different universe from some posters. The seniors I play billiards with are, for the most part, quite fit and active. We also hike in the mountains and cycle together. Many are professionals and we don’t talk about aches and pains but prefer rather more stimulating topics like cosmology and physics. Most of us also play ball hockey and pickle ball. My wife’s favourite activity is dodgeball as she is still as spry as when she studied ballet...she cant throw a ball but trying to hit her is like trying to catch a falling raindrop.
 
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