Young People and Pool

[mnorwood]

It is an often lamented fact that pool's popularity is in decline. All over the country rooms are closing and pool seems like its in a death spiral. I know this may appear that I am grasping at straws, but his is an observation based the daily prevalence of it over the last 5 years. I am a school teacher by day and over the last 5 years if I catch a kid on his or her phone in class and they are playing a video game 90 percent of the time they are playing pool. To me the game still has appeal and I think generation Z is open to it.

 

[boogieman]

Pro pool is all but dead as far as tv viewership goes. Casual pool is alive. I still say the key to pool is average players and not pros. People want to see good players, but not perfect players. People want to play and socialize, not watch flawless runs that put you to sleep. If pool is to ever "live" on tv again, it needs to be in the form of a reality show with imperfect characters.

If anyone cares about the future of pool, I'd suggest trying to get pool clubs started in high schools or colleges. Even donating tables, cues, etc can get more people interested. If there were a company with half a brain, they would donate tables to such places and use them as a tax write off. Imagine a diamond or whatever brand at your high school, it could do nothing but give brand awareness and get people interested.

 

[Stew boo]

Pro pool is all but dead as far as tv viewership goes. Casual pool is alive. I still say the key to pool is average players and not pros. People want to see good players, but not perfect players. People want to play and socialize, not watch flawless runs that put you to sleep. If pool is to ever "live" on tv again, it needs to be in the form of a reality show with imperfect characters.

If anyone cares about the future of pool, I'd suggest trying to get pool clubs started in high schools or colleges. Even donating tables, cues, etc can get more people interested. If there were a company with half a brain, they would donate tables to such places and use them as a tax write off. Imagine a diamond or whatever brand at your high school, it could do nothing but give brand awareness and get people interested.

I agree that would be awesome, I'm only 20 and we have a few kids in our area that are playing pool.

 

[Geosnookery]

Pool is more popular than ever. China even has dedicated billiard programs and a Snooker school.

Chinese 8 ball gets about 60 million viewers, second only to Snooker.

Here in North America, I know a lot of people with home tables. I didn’t even know the ‘concept’ of a home table when I was a kid. I play with 3 groups in unaffiliated leagues, maybe 150 or so. At least half female. Likely A quarter have home tables. There’s 8 houses in my area and I know that three have tables.

People play American pool the way they play slow pitch or go fishing. They have fun ‘doing it’. No desire to watch ‘pros’. Why watch when you can play?

Also, young billiard players today are better than ever be they 18, 28 or 38. Many lead healthy lifestyles and are into fitness.

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

Well kids should be deprived of electronix, video games, encourgaged to get off their backside & go out and play sports. But every parent want better for their kids, so 5 or 6 y/o have their own cell phone. I see children as young as 3 in the shipping cart, or walking beside parents in grocery store, eyes glued to mom or dad phone. Do what I do not know.

Many of us grew up in as different time when every home did not have a TV, or if they did kids were told go outside and play. We obayed, without question, or calledthe Cops saying mom & dad abused us. Lock em up.

This subject is frequent topic, I see no answer to problem.

 

[justnum]

I work at a school. One of the students started talking pool.

Then another student wanted to join in. Next thing I know we go across campus to a pool table.

Some one is telling me Joshua Filler is their favorite current pool player. The other person never tried to play pool. they never knew anyone interested.

people will try pool its just no one is promoting it at the mainstream level
local level pool is alive and well but as a sport the institution is not supported enough

 

[straightline]

Phone pool in class just means it's better than class. Real pool will cure the phone pool for most who will subsequently take up girls.

 

[The_JV]

Phone pool in class just means it's better than class. Real pool will cure the phone pool for most who will subsequently take up girls.

Nope... it's about instant gratification for the younger generation. Once they realize real pool is more difficult than phone pool, and doesn't provide the happy ending girls do, they'll move on to the next shiny thing.

 

[justnum]

Nope... it's about instant gratification for the younger generation. Once they realize real pool is more difficult than phone pool, and doesn't provide the happy ending girls do, they'll move on to the next shiny thing.

online can help introverts socialize.

most teens are kinda of weird

online communities like discord and twitch is where gamers meet. some even meet their wives and husbands from dating.

an internet wall can filter out a lot of perverts

if a teen reads the main forum this place doesnt have the same pull as a forum where people just pick up gamers for online group play

if there was a regular live meeting it could help. pat fleming does it on youtube but new people dont find it

 

[straightline]

Nope... it's about instant gratification for the younger generation. Once they realize real pool is more difficult than phone pool, and doesn't provide the happy ending girls do, they'll move on to the next shiny thing.

That's what I said. Exactly why they'll move on to girls - phrum phone pool.

 

[Swighey]

Nope... it's about instant gratification for the younger generation. Once they realize real pool is more difficult than phone pool, and doesn't provide the happy ending girls do, they'll move on to the next shiny thing.

Nonsense. Don't blame the kids for the sins of the fathers with "instant gratification" bollox. All of us nowadays are subjected to instant gratification regardless of our generation - why blame the young? Young people today are far more diverse in their pursuits than we were. The ones who are into pool are way more into it.

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

Nope... it's about instant gratification for the younger generation. Once they realize real pool is more difficult than phone pool, and doesn't provide the happy ending girls do, they'll move on to the next shiny thing.

Partisipation Trophies are not part of Pool, it a game that is Tought. Younf generation want look off good Job's, Partisiptation Trophies, and last no stress. Many never group and move out, why would you free rent, free food, laundry & cleaning service. Girl friend can move in an s***** you PRN (frequently). great life,.

 

[justnum]

Explaining why young people should go to a pool hall doesnt work

Pool Halls have to demonstrate why they are worth visiting and that usually involves a strong fan base.

There is no mainstream fan base for pool, its mostly used as a cliche location for skin flicks (pornos mostly).

Pool tables are seen in some big budget productions but it feels so dated and out of place in todays media.

Being a pool fan is like selling life insurance, you ask all the people you know first.

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

Explaining why young people should go to a pool hall doesnt work

Pool Halls have to demonstrate why they are worth visiting and that usually involves a strong fan base.

There is no mainstream fan base for pool, its mostly used as a cliche location for skin flicks (pornos mostly).

Pool tables are seen in some big budget productions but it feels so dated and out of place in todays media.

Being a pool fan is like selling life insurance, you ask all the people you know first.

Well sales of anything is a game of more No's, then Yes's. If you not working hard to make it in sales you not making money. Knew this young salesman who said hardest part of job was cold calls. He hate them, but when he had no one to pitch, he made cold calls. His product was Life & Disability Insurance. He also wore out lot of shoe leather. He did well, and now is set for life.

Work at sale where you take orders, is not sales, you just order taker, and it don't pay well. Salesmen make good money most of time.

 

[straightline]

Explaining to young people that they should spend time in a pool room because predators want their space so they can sell it back to them tends to scare 'em away.

 

[justnum]

Explaining to young people that they should spend time in a pool room because predators want their space so they can sell it back to them tends to scare 'em away.

When I was old enough I went to best pool room in the area, and found out they had leagues. I had no idea.

I immediately saw the value of being in the pool room. What I wasn't ready was for the amount of interaction I was going to have.

I went from crowded public school education to pool room people.

On certain days the pool room looks like a senior center other days its full of yuppies. But in general the pool room is a fun place to be.

When I was young, I didnt really have a lot of interaction with different age groups. Outside of the law and gang activity.

What was nice about being in the pool room is people give you privacy.

 

[The_JV]

That's what I said. Exactly why they'll move on to girls - phrum phone pool.

It's actually not what you said. "Real pool will cure phone pool"...etc. So that implies that playing the actual game will stop them from playing the electronic version on their phones.

Probably something lost in translation from what you meant vs what you typed. ...all good

 

[The_JV]

Nonsense. Don't blame the kids for the sins of the fathers with "instant gratification" bollox. All of us nowadays are subjected to instant gratification regardless of our generation - why blame the young? Young people today are far more diverse in their pursuits than we were. The ones who are into pool are way more into it.

I'll raise your "nonsense" and "bollox" with a poppycock...

While I'll agree we can all reap the benefit of instant gratification if we choose to. I will stand by my opinion that the younger generation, which has grown up in this era, are far more prone to the need of that instant grat. Why are they more diverse in their pursuits..? The actual answer is because they bore easily, don't have the intestinal fortitude to persevere, and have the advantage of bouncing around from trend to trend.

I've had to take courses on how to keep the younger set engaged on the professional level. You wouldn't believe the crap we were taught to except by this age group because we should just feel privileged they managed to get up in the morning and remember they have responsibility of a job.

I'll also agree that the prior generation needs to accept a portion of the blame for enabling the younger. That's what happens when your raised in a enviroment wherein both parents (or the only one) tends to work as to provide a better life for their children.

In the end, it's about choices. The younger set's focus is akin to our four legged friends at a dog park chasing a pack of squirrels. We as parents made the choice to take them to park. However it's their tendency to chase the closest squirrel...

 

[straightline]

It's actually not what you said. "Real pool will cure phone pool"...etc. So that implies that playing the actual game will stop them from playing the electronic version on their phones.

Probably something lost in translation from what you meant vs what you typed. ...all good

Ok. Real pool will destroy the average pool fantasy soon enough. Includes phone pool. Not everybody gets the fever.

 

[straightline]

When I was old enough I went to best pool room in the area, and found out they had leagues. I had no idea.

I immediately saw the value of being in the pool room. What I wasn't ready was for the amount of interaction I was going to have.

I went from crowded public school education to pool room people.

On certain days the pool room looks like a senior center other days its full of yuppies. But in general the pool room is a fun place to be.

When I was young, I didnt really have a lot of interaction with different age groups. Outside of the law and gang activity.

What was nice about being in the pool room is people give you privacy.

I dug pool, pool players, pool rooms, name it. I had a lot of fun but I knew better than to go all in on my pool aptitude - and I was a fanatic. Privacy though; the only pool privacy I had was after hours or if the room was absorbed in their own action.