Benefits of joining an APA league?

B

BD23

New member
I just want to play and improve, not interested in "meeting" new friends. Can anyone explain their reasons for joining.
 
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dquarasr said:
That's good. But that's not the case everywhere. At my main location, they allow practice on unused tables, and opened the tables up for practice about an hour before league started. They even looked the other way at the end of the night if we were still on the tables after league play was done (for a while, at least, then they'd warn us they were going to put us on the clock). But the last few weeks of the season, they added a BCA league on the same night, and the extra tables evaporated.

The other place I played at did not provide practice before, during, or after. They'd only provide $ for the coin-op tables for matches.
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The place that I play at does not have any extra tables for practice or shoot between matches, just two tables and four teams at any time; not to mention eight people on the roster but only 5 get to play. So, what that means is you better enjoy each other's company and be there for the experience because there is no guarantee you are going to play that nite. I myself as the team captain only played the required minimum of 6 matches this current session so that others may play (I only insert myself during a high-pressure situation) and I have no problem with that.
 
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As a captain, I always announce the playing lineup the weekend prior to the matches via Messenger. If someone can't come, I replace him before. If you're not in the lineup and want to come and practice, you're free to do so but you don't need to show up to know if you will be playing.
 
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jaywheel said:
As a captain, I always announce the playing lineup the weekend prior to the matches via Messenger. If someone can't come, I replace him before. If you're not in the lineup and want to come and practice, you're free to do so but you don't need to show up to know if you will be playing.
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We try and be sensitive to that as much as possible, tho sometimes it's good to have the entire team present so the other team has to account for the different potential matchups. Plus, we try and have everyone take turns scoring so no one gets stuck with that all night. We don't have any issue with people bolting early if they aren't gonna play, or not coming at all if need be. That's why we have 8 people on the team, after all.
 
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jaywheel said:
As a captain, I always announce the playing lineup the weekend prior to the matches via Messenger. If someone can't come, I replace him before. If you're not in the lineup and want to come and practice, you're free to do so but you don't need to show up to know if you will be playing.
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This was how my best captain ran the team.

If I show I expect to play. It's the only reason I left the house.
 
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justadub said:
APA isn't for everyone, and thats ok. It is good for a couple hundred thousand folks tho, so that's not all bad. There are many rooms that wouldn't be able to survive without league and it's players, so that's not bad. Those housewives and beginners and such buy far more gear and gadgets, so that's not a bad thing. And they usually buy food and drinks, also not a bad thing.

Will APA create the next great pro, probably not. But pool rooms that continue to remain open because of league players might just help that aspiring pro. I've played with several people in APA here who have gone on to other leagues and regional tournaments, it's fun keeping up with how they're doing.

To the OP, maybe you ought to go spend a little time on league night, and see for yourself. Maybe you'll like it, maybe you won't. Maybe you are better suited for weekend tournaments. That's cool, too.
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Justadub dropping wisdom here. Well stated.

After about a 20 year hiatus from playing, i joined my BIL’s APA team in 2008 or 2009. Bunch of landscapers enjoying an evening out, and we had an awesome time for about 4 years until everyone kind of went there separate ways. I was the only “player” (using this very cautiously as I just love to play) and was a 7 in 8ball and 8 in 9ball.

For the last decade, just been playing my normal straight pool league (my favorite by far!) and normal games with friends at pool halls. Played two seasons of American Rotation league (non-handicapped) which was awesome before it shut down.

Just this year I joined an APA team after being recruited. They actually wanted a 7 rank as all others are fours and below. I did so for a night out basically, and I am enjoying playing and probably more importantly helping teammates who want to improve. Giving a little back, I suppose.

League night is just that for me. I enjoy the challenge it giving a lot of weight to a lower handicapped player if that is what is called for. Is there sandbagging, yup all the time. Not by me, and I coach our team to play to win. I don’t care for APA 8 ball rules, but that’s okay. I still play in my straight pool league and that is where I really get to play my game.


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I joined an APA 8 Ball Pool League but have really been turned off by how they have handicapped me. It was my first time on the APA, and also playing League 9 ball, so I guess I went in without a handicap as my opponent did that evening. I smoked him pretty good, but he is only a hc2 right now and I am a 6, so it should be no surprise the 1st week's win. My beef right now is that I am a 6 hc when I think I should be a 5 hc being beaten by lower opponents. There has been talk that the league officer has connections to the president and has some say in how people are handicapped. Personally, being a six right now, doesn't seem to fit my production so far?
1st column is my hc going into match,
2nd column is win/loss and opponent's hc,
3rd column is point results of match

MY HC ___ W/L ___ RESULTS
0 _____ W0 _____ 19-1
6 _____ L5 _____ 16-4
5 _____ W5 _____ 13-7
6 _____ L4 _____ 16-5
6 _____ L5 _____ 14-6
6 _____ W5 _____ 13-7
 
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I joined an APA masters team this last season. I’m heading to Vegas tomorrow for the national event. Not sue if it’ll be profitable or not, but it’s been fun.

I think personal development is on the individual. Leagues or tournaments alone will not get you there. We may go two and out, or we may win the whole thing, we’ll find out this week!

I only play pool for fun anymore. I try my best and see how it turns out.
 
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SeniorTom said:
I joined an APA 8 Ball Pool League but have really been turned off by how they have handicapped me. It was my first time on the APA, and also playing League 9 ball, so I guess I went in without a handicap as my opponent did that evening. I smoked him pretty good, but he is only a hc2 right now and I am a 6, so it should be no surprise the 1st week's win. My beef right now is that I am a 6 hc when I think I should be a 5 hc being beaten by lower opponents. There has been talk that the league officer has connections to the president and has some say in how people are handicapped. Personally, being a six right now, doesn't seem to fit my production so far?
1st column is my hc going into match,
2nd column is win/loss and opponent's hc,
3rd column is point results of match

MY HC ___ W/L ___ RESULTS
0 _____ W0 _____ 19-1
6 _____ L5 _____ 16-4
5 _____ W5 _____ 13-7
6 _____ L4 _____ 16-5
6 _____ L5 _____ 14-6
6 _____ W5 _____ 13-7
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You have 2 wins and 3 losses, as a rated player. That is as even as one can be in 5 matches LOL Seems normal and way too early to be complaining about handicaps. You need at least double, probably triple that amount to get any sort of average not affected by normal swings of luck and ability.
 
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hang-the-9 said:
You have 2 wins and 3 losses, as a rated player. That is as even as one can be in 5 matches LOL Seems normal and way too early to be complaining about handicaps. You need at least double, probably triple that amount to get any sort of average not affected by normal swings of luck and ability.
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I agree with what you say, but then why not make me a 7 hc? Why not make me a 4 hc? Even with only six matches played, handicapping still should be fair, don't you think?
 
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SeniorTom said:
I agree with what you say, but then why not make me a 7 hc? Why not make me a 4 hc? Even with only six matches played, handicapping still should be fair, don't you think?
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Not sure what you mean, why should you be a 7 or a 4? I have never seen you play so no idea if a 6 if fair or not. It's only what you feel you should be so far. Also don't bother worrying about APA handicaps, they hop around way too much and half the players don't do their best even when not trying to cheat on purpose, they just don't try much since they rely on handicaps vs skill to win. In their minds, why should they bother learning to play better or show their skill when doing that means they have to actually play vs rely on given games. Think of the APA as a welfare state, there is a good number of the population that coasts on the work of others that try. The only league handicap that I trust is the maximum one, the rest are easily manipulated by the unscrupulous.
 
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hang-the-9 said:
Not sure what you mean, why should you be a 7 or a 4? I have never seen you play so no idea if a 6 if fair or not. It's only what you feel you should be so far. Also don't bother worrying about APA handicaps, they hop around way too much and half the players don't do their best even when not trying to cheat on purpose, they just don't try much since they rely on handicaps vs skill to win. In their minds, why should they bother learning to play better or show their skill when doing that means they have to actually play vs rely on given games. Think of the APA as a welfare state, there is a good number of the population that coasts on the work of others that try. The only league handicap that I trust is the maximum one, the rest are easily manipulated by the unscrupulous.
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Well it's been an issue whether the league president is in cahoots with the APA higher ups, as others wonder about the same thing. Personally, I think I should be a 5 handicap and not a 6, I haven't proven anything to be a 6 handicap in my opinion. This suggests to me that possible manipulation might be going on. I know for a fact that those who run particular leagues have their personal input to the handicapping system, and not always fairly accomplished. After this session is over, I think I will just play on a non-handicapped league. At least I know what I am getting into, and there won't be any manipulating going on.
 
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SeniorTom said:
Well it's been an issue whether the league president is in cahoots with the APA higher ups, as others wonder about the same thing. Personally, I think I should be a 5 handicap and not a 6, I haven't proven anything to be a 6 handicap in my opinion. This suggests to me that possible manipulation might be going on. I know for a fact that those who run particular leagues have their personal input to the handicapping system, and not always fairly accomplished. After this session is over, I think I will just play on a non-handicapped league. At least I know what I am getting into, and there won't be any manipulating going on.
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Most players think they should be lower, and the players they play should be higher LOL
With so few games played, again, don't worry about it for another few months.
 
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I have been in the APA in the past with mixed emotions. They do have some high caliber players. Most of those play in masters leagues but there are some that play the standard leagues to help friends on teams.

Recently I joined a TAP league which is quite similar to APA. There seems to be a slightly higher level of play in TAP but like the APA just as much drama.

The best league I ever participated in was ACS hands down. The fairest handicap system of all
 
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SeniorTom said:
I joined an APA 8 Ball Pool League but have really been turned off by how they have handicapped me. It was my first time on the APA, and also playing League 9 ball, so I guess I went in without a handicap as my opponent did that evening. I smoked him pretty good, but he is only a hc2 right now and I am a 6, so it should be no surprise the 1st week's win. My beef right now is that I am a 6 hc when I think I should be a 5 hc being beaten by lower opponents. There has been talk that the league officer has connections to the president and has some say in how people are handicapped. Personally, being a six right now, doesn't seem to fit my production so far?
1st column is my hc going into match,
2nd column is win/loss and opponent's hc,
3rd column is point results of match

MY HC ___ W/L ___ RESULTS
0 _____ W0 _____ 19-1
6 _____ L5 _____ 16-4
5 _____ W5 _____ 13-7
6 _____ L4 _____ 16-5
6 _____ L5 _____ 14-6
6 _____ W5 _____ 13-7
Click to expand...
I am an APA player who has enjoyed his experience. Good people, and a good league operator. You would not have had this happen in my league.

My understanding of how a player joining the league is assigned a skill level is that everyone starts as a SL3 unless the team captain says the new player is better than that. And, given those scores, you should have been 4/5.
 
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NathanDetroit said:
I am an APA player who has enjoyed his experience. Good people, and a good league operator. You would not have had this happen in my league.

My understanding of how a player joining the league is assigned a skill level is that everyone starts as a SL3 unless the team captain says the new player is better than that. And, given those scores, you should have been 4/5.
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Thanks Nathan, I believe you understand where I am coming from based on the scores I have shown. To me, I warrant being a 5, but never a 6. I really believe the operator of this particular League has had an influence with the director, and that is why I am a six. I have only been playing pool for 8 months now! Some people say it will work out and level off to where it should be, but what happens in the interim when points are just as important now as they are later on?
 
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SeniorTom said:
Well it's been an issue whether the league president is in cahoots with the APA higher ups, as others wonder about the same thing. Personally, I think I should be a 5 handicap and not a 6, I haven't proven anything to be a 6 handicap in my opinion. This suggests to me that possible manipulation might be going on. I know for a fact that those who run particular leagues have their personal input to the handicapping system, and not always fairly accomplished. After this session is over, I think I will just play on a non-handicapped league. At least I know what I am getting into, and there won't be any manipulating going on.
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How would it benefit the operator to make someone's handicap unfair/ wrong?
"In cahoots with APA higher ups" wtf does that even mean?
 
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