My wife and I started back up in an APA league this session after a 3-year absence, and after the third week we had to disband the team.
The LO asked us if we wanted to play 8 or 9-ball. We said it didn't matter. Then we were asked if we would play on a Double Jeopardy league (which we had never done before), and we said we'd give it a try.
We were put on a roster with four other people of various skill levels, two of which were a husband/wife who had never played league before. The captain was a SL8/7 (9-ball, 8-ball). I was a 7/5, my wife a 4/4, another guy (new to APA) a 4/4, and the married newcomers.
First night out and the married couple didn't show up (they had already dropped out) and it was evident the newcomer to APA was a much better player than a SL4 and would probably soon be raised. The four remaining players tried to play two matches apiece, but couldn't in 9-ball as the numbers wouldn't have worked out. So, week 1 and we're already behind three matches, behind in the pay, and in desperate need of a vey low skill level player, preferably two. On top of that, the new guy didn't know how to score so the captain, my wife, and I either were playing or keeping score all night.
Week 2...the LO brought us over three new players, two 4/4's, and a woman with BCA experience also starting out as a 2/3. Things were looking up. The new woman played her nights matches and the make up matches from the previous week, but only brought enough money for two matches, one of the other new guys played his two matches but had no money with him. Neither had paid their yearly APA dues yet. The wife and I are again either scoring or playing.
Week 3...sure enough the new guy from week 1 has already been moved up to a 5/5 (and rightfully so), but he, the other two new guys and the new woman were no-shows, and were owing money. The LO took a player from another team (consensual) and gave him to us so we'd have four players for the night, but he was a 5/3 so we still couldn't make our 9-ball numbers equal 23 or less and played only four 9-ball matches that night. Scoring still shared between three players (including me trying to score a 9-ball and 8-ball match at the same time). The captain and me threw some extra money into the envelopes to try to make up for our teams paying shortcomings. I informed him that this is the last time I'm doing this.
Week 4...Got a call from my captain the morning of league saying he had to work late and wouldn't make league that night. Told me that LO and division rep was trying to find us players. I told him if they cannot find us at least two very low skill level players there was no longer a reason to continue, and he agreed. I got a text from the division rep a couple hours later saying they had found us one new player, a SL4/4. I texted her back and said we absolutely cannot use any new players over the skill level 2, and if I didn't hear back from them saying they had us one (or two), the wife and I would just stay home that night and save ourselves the trouble and money. No call or text....we stayed home.
So, that's how league is going for me....it's not going at all. It was a relief for the wife and I to disband the team as we did not enjoy our time with the Double Jeopardy league. I couldn't relax at all with all the scoring and it was hard to shoot when it came my time as I was a bundle of frustration and nerves.
Sorry for the long-winded post. Just frustrated with the whole ordeal and the wasted funds.
Maniac
Was the flaky roster the reason for the frustration?
A session or two ago I agreed to captain a team at a host location that I didn't know. I was told they were enthused and had a bunch of people ready to play.
So the first night I get to the bar ready to pick 7 other players from the promised hoard, there was 2 people there, no cues, totally unprepared to play (or pay)
and the other team is already there in it's entirety with family and friends. The bar owner shows up with his cue and, he is able to draft the bartender and a waitress,
nice guy, but not terribly forthright.
I asked him about the people that were supposed to be there, he has many excuses but no additional players. During the night I find out that no one wants to
stay past 9:30 or 10:00 at the latest, no one wants to play at any other locations, no one wanted to have to pay a membership fee, weekly fee or pay for the table.
OK, I agreed to captain this team, for this session so I'll stick with it.
During that session I considered myself fortunate to get 5 players there for any league night. Needless to say we didn't do very well, there were several other
issues in addition to those mentioned,
I understand your frustration. What helped me was that I had an actual team on another night of the week.
I think a lot of new people show up and think they'll play a game or two, have a beer or two and cut out. They have no idea that there is a membership fee,
a weekly fee, that there are other people depending on you, rules, typically it's not what you played in the basement as a kid. For them it "way too serious"
Maybe new players / teams / host locations should have some sort of orientation and be required to pay the membership fee before ever showing up to league that first night.
