I joined APA last year to play in an in-house 8-ball league.
I had no idea what lay ahead as I knew nothing about APA....only that I avoided it for many years because I did not like playing on bar tables and I rejected 8-ball.
Since then, I have changed my attitude about 8-ball, have developed more respect for the strategical part of the game, and have also grown to appreciate the difficulty in negotiating a run-out on a smaller table. My good buddy, who is far better than I, helped changed my perceptions...
While playing in this league, I happened to meet quite a few people. While they are not what I would consider pool-players, they are, for the most part, nice people.
However, the pool-player in me had a very difficult time with the almost complete lack of pool etiquette exhibited by said people. This is my 3rd and final session, and my team qualified for the Regionals in the previous two sessions.
The behavior exhibited by the bulk of the people at the Regionals was exponentially worse! I do not know if this is indigenous to APA players or what, but I have decided after countless frustrating experiences, that APA is not for me.
I think, after being involved for a year and a half, that APA is truly for amateur players...and while I am also an amateur, I do try to improve...whereas the majority of APA players I have met only seem to be interested in playing pool for free on APA nights only, and could care less about their ratings.
I know there have been several posts/threads about APA players and the APA in general, but I just wanted to share why I was quitting.
Interestingly, some of the people I shoot with in 9-ball tournaments gave me funny looks when I told them I am an APA member. It was almost like "What did you join up with THAT crowd for?"
While the APA crowd seems generally nice, the pool-playing characteristics, un-sportsmanlike conduct and almost constant sharking (some of it unintentional) became unbearable for me.
Anyway, there are two or three weeks left in this session and I won't be participating because of work and family requirements, but I won't miss it at all. I don't think playing in the APA did anything to improve my game. It is almost impossible for me to play "good pool" in that environment. I don't know how in-house leagues are in other rooms, but in mine it is literally a 3-ring circus...and we don't even have a jukebox or alcohol!
Oh well, the regular APA vets seem to enjoy themselves, so more power to them. I'll just go back to having my butt handed to me in the 9-ball weekly and regional tourneys!
I had no idea what lay ahead as I knew nothing about APA....only that I avoided it for many years because I did not like playing on bar tables and I rejected 8-ball.
Since then, I have changed my attitude about 8-ball, have developed more respect for the strategical part of the game, and have also grown to appreciate the difficulty in negotiating a run-out on a smaller table. My good buddy, who is far better than I, helped changed my perceptions...
While playing in this league, I happened to meet quite a few people. While they are not what I would consider pool-players, they are, for the most part, nice people.
However, the pool-player in me had a very difficult time with the almost complete lack of pool etiquette exhibited by said people. This is my 3rd and final session, and my team qualified for the Regionals in the previous two sessions.
The behavior exhibited by the bulk of the people at the Regionals was exponentially worse! I do not know if this is indigenous to APA players or what, but I have decided after countless frustrating experiences, that APA is not for me.
I think, after being involved for a year and a half, that APA is truly for amateur players...and while I am also an amateur, I do try to improve...whereas the majority of APA players I have met only seem to be interested in playing pool for free on APA nights only, and could care less about their ratings.
I know there have been several posts/threads about APA players and the APA in general, but I just wanted to share why I was quitting.
Interestingly, some of the people I shoot with in 9-ball tournaments gave me funny looks when I told them I am an APA member. It was almost like "What did you join up with THAT crowd for?"
While the APA crowd seems generally nice, the pool-playing characteristics, un-sportsmanlike conduct and almost constant sharking (some of it unintentional) became unbearable for me.
Anyway, there are two or three weeks left in this session and I won't be participating because of work and family requirements, but I won't miss it at all. I don't think playing in the APA did anything to improve my game. It is almost impossible for me to play "good pool" in that environment. I don't know how in-house leagues are in other rooms, but in mine it is literally a 3-ring circus...and we don't even have a jukebox or alcohol!
Oh well, the regular APA vets seem to enjoy themselves, so more power to them. I'll just go back to having my butt handed to me in the 9-ball weekly and regional tourneys!
