What’s going on in Poland?

mnorwood

mnorwood

Moon
Silver Member
I saw today where there are more players in the top 100 from Poland than the USA. When did pool get popular in Poland? Where do people play it? Do they have a strong juniors program? Is the game supported by the government? Is it league, gambling or tournament oriented? I think this is a really interesting development.
 
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It's really not something new for Poland - they are consistently one of the countries with multiple top 100 players. The US has been plummeting and got passed by POL around 2022.

Top 100 [pull from historical FargoRate images for each year]
POLUSA
2017615
2018813
2019712
202079
2021810
202288
202387
202464
202576
202676
[2026 may just be a continuation of 2025]

I'm sure you assumed this as well, but PHL is at the top of the list every year.

-td




[Image for web viewing]
Top_100_POL_USA.png
 
I think they have done as well in pool as they have with border control.

Maybe the stability of the country has allowed them to focus on their own interests and pool is apparently one of them.

Strong committed country ready and able to repel the hoards of third world trash that are ruining neighboring countries.

Austria did the same on both pool and their border.

Maybe they are on too something!
 
mnorwood said:
I saw today where there are more players in the top 100 from Poland than the USA. When did pool get popular in Poland? Where do people play it? Do they have a strong juniors program? Is the game supported by the government? Is it league, gambling or tournament oriented? I think this is a really interesting development.
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they have a strong federation.
they have good coaches
they have junior programs
they treat pool as a sport, as an Olympic sport, not a bar pastime game
they do not play on 7ft tables
Add to this eastern European mentality towards sports.
They started gaining strength about 20 years ago, back then they had one player that was pro level - Babica
What you see today is the fruits of a 15-20 years effort with kids that are now the players that you see.
 
Skor hit the nail on the head. When Matchroom WNT hosted the World Championship in Kielce, Poland, in February 2023, I was pleasantly surprised by the enthusiasm of the Poles for pool. It didn't take long to learn why. The Polish Billiard Federation has invested heavily in developing young players, creating a pipeline of talent that continues to grow. The crowds were passionate, the atmosphere was electric, and it opened my eyes to how popular pool is in Poland. That event became one of my favorite WNT tournaments.

Polish players are a force at every major event, and they seem to get better with each passing year. The future of Polish pool looks incredibly bright, thanks to the abundance of opportunities to compete around the world and the strong support of the Polish Billiard Federation.

Compare that to what we have here in the USA, and it's no wonder I can count on one hand the number of American pro players consistently competing at the highest professional level. Recreational pool is thriving, fueled by the growth of leagues across the country. Regional tours remain strong as well, such as the Joss Northeast 9-Ball Tour and its prestigious Turning Stone events.

But like soccer, pool has become a truly international sport. Countries such as Poland are producing wave after wave of talented young players, while professional pool in America simply isn't what it used to be. I wish I had access to a BCA professional rankings list from the 1990s. Compare the depth of talent then to what we have today, and therein lies the challenge facing American professional pool.

Look at these young Polish railbirds proudly rooting for the home team at the 2023 World Pool Championship in Kielce. That's not just fan support. It's a glimpse into the future of the sport.

Polish Children at World Open.jpg
 
JAM said:
The Polish Billiard Federation has invested heavily in developing young players, creating a pipeline of talent that continues to grow.

Look at these young Polish railbirds proudly rooting for the home team at the 2023 World Pool Championship in Kielce. That's not just fan support. It's a glimpse into the future of the sport.
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Great post! Thanks for the detailed information.

Not to lament the state of American pool too much... BUT...

I think of the solid young players that I see (none of whom are as young as the kids in the photo you shared) and I ask, "Who is coaching that kid?" The answer is typically "Nobody."

At least, not in the sense of coaching that we think of as proper coaching in other sports. No detailed practice plans. No regularly scheduled practice time. No variety of drills with a clear and articulated purpose for each one. Nothing that comes close to the level of coaching that a promising young golfer or tennis player would receive.

Sure, there are good-hearted and helpful players that give younger players tips, and pull them aside to give guidance, and spend an hour with them, etc. There are very helpful people among us. But I am talking structured coaching.

For the kids that have a parent that is capable of real coaching, we see great improvement. Beyond the parent/coach, I just don't see enough actual coaching to advance young Americans in a systemic, dependable, thoughtful way. Perhaps this person or that person are doing something at a local pool hall, and kudos to them, but there is no national system.
 
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The old time greats leaned pool through their pockets, the path was to gamble and play against better players, loose a lot until you can win.
This might have worked in gamblers scenes, and tournaments back then were no more than hustlers conventions... this attitude can not beat a well trained athlete. A street fighter won't beet a top pro boxer in a pro boxing match.
The gambler mentality still rules America pool.
It's not as if there are no gambling in other countries, sure there is and most of the top players gamble or play money games, but the learning path is different.
 
Poland GDP per capita is $25k. For comparison, Mississippi, the poorest US state, is $55k. Those “small” purses people complain about don’t look so small when compared to a typical income of $25k.
 
WobblyStroke said:
I think the biggest factor is that the top Poles work together. They travel together, practice together, and help one another improve. Americans are all lone wolves. The Poles act like a team.
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same for spain, netherlands, taiwan etc.. the poles and spaniards in particular has made an effort in doing this, the other countries are smaller so it's easier for them. iron sharpens iron
 
Another question does Poland or any other European country have dedicated training facilities for player development?
 
skor said:
they do not play on 7ft tables
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That must mean that European players like David Alcaide and Chris Melling are losing talent because they play on 7 foot tables and even miss position and shots sometimes. Who woulda thunk that a pro that plays on 9' tables would ever miss on a kiddie table???
 
fastone371 said:
That must mean that European players like David Alcaide and Chris Melling are losing talent because they play on 7 foot tables and even miss position and shots sometimes. Who woulda thunk that a pro that plays on 9' tables would ever miss on a kiddie table???
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Anyone can miss any shot on any table.
But practicing on bigger tables with tight pockets will make you better than practicing on 7 ft tables with buckets for pockets.
 
Funny that while we discuss this, The Austrian Open started with a strong field and not a single American player.... so what future are you looking for American pool?
 
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