Low Pro Players - Why Do They Do It?

Kickin' Chicken said:

I occasionally find myself wondering about why low level pro players who show up to compete at so many big tourneys, do what they do. More specifically, why do they dedicate themselves to pool to the exclusion of pursuing other more fruitful career possibilities?

Week after week they play in fields with world beaters against whom it would take about a miracle for them to win. These guys rarely if ever do win and so I'm not sure what the motivation is for them to continue - or maybe I do have an idea but would like to get some az feedback on why you guys think they do it.

To be clear, I'm not referring to the low pros who also have other actual careers running along side their pool pursuits, but rather, it's the guys who've been out there competing for years with no real chance of winning and no meaningful other careers.

What do you all think their motivations are and do you think they are making a good or bad decision doing this?

best,
brian kc

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Good question, but it's likely that much like us (except to a greater extreme) they've gotten hooked on the game, many from an early age, and they are extremely talented players. Just unfortunate that unless they are a top 50 player, they are going to have a tough time making a living at it.

Likely most of them likely still feel they have a chance to improve their game to the point they can make a living at it. At some point, they may come to the realization they can't - not unlike the countless young talented musicians that live that dream until they reach 30 or whatever age, before accepting they might need to pursue another career.

Kickin' Chicken said:

I occasionally find myself wondering about why low level pro players who show up to compete at so many big tourneys, do what they do. More specifically, why do they dedicate themselves to pool to the exclusion of pursuing other more fruitful career possibilities?

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why do people choose to be ski bums or surf bums or whatever, because its not about the money, they enjoy the lifestyle and don't want to work at home depot...…


as they say: when you love your job, you never work a day in your life.

If these folks are playing pool tourneys without a side job then A. They are good enough and occasionally DO win some cash. or B. They are independently wealthy.

The dead money for the US Open 9b. $1K entry to play 2-4 matches.

michael4 said:

why do people choose to be ski bums or surf bums or whatever, because its not about the money, they enjoy the lifestyle and don't want to work at home depot...…


as they say: when you love your job, you never work a day in your life.

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You nailed it right here. They love to play pool, are good at it and prefer doing it to anything else. That makes them winners right there, just living life on their own terms. One of those low level pros, Tommy Tokoph, just finished fourth at Turning Stone. More power to him is all I have to say. :smile:

P.S. I played in a bunch of tournaments back in the 70's and barely broke into the money about half the time (it took two wins). Same with the last time I played in a couple of events, barely making the money. But I loved the challenge of playing against good players and seeing if I could still hold my own.

Maybe, in some cases, it's all they have.

Why not start a scholarship fund for those who want to push through?

Maybe an apprenticeship program with table mechanics, cue makers, or pool fans who operate their own businesses?

I'd say it's for the love of the game mostly. It's also kind of like buying a scratch off ticket. You're almost certain you won't get the top prize but, for a short moment in time there's a true possibility that you could win.

Somehow they are traveling, eating, and providing themselves with clothing and shelter. I’d say they’re successful. They probably don’t have two car payments a big mortgage etc. so who’s to say what they’re doing is questionable?

PhilosopherKing said:

Maybe, in some cases, it's all they have.

Why not start a scholarship fund for those who want to push through?

Maybe an apprenticeship program with table mechanics, cue makers, or pool fans who operate their own businesses?

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Girl friends with jobs, maybe? At least with the golf professional or the tennis tour, the guys are young. Just out of college where they played golf or tennis on the college team and they want to make it on the big tour. They have mini tours to start out on. Then after 2-4 years of seeing they are not going to make it, they try a real living with their college degrees.

There are a lotta people with a lotta reasons.

I've played a guy at a local tourney who plays strong, never wins a tourney and always leaves with about 2nd or 3rd place money........5-10-20 dollars a game. Just because they dont come out in tournament money doesn't mean they leave broke!

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Kickin' Chicken said:

I occasionally find myself wondering about why low level pro players who show up to compete at so many big tourneys, do what they do. More specifically, why do they dedicate themselves to pool to the exclusion of pursuing other more fruitful career possibilities?

Week after week they play in fields with world beaters against whom it would take about a miracle for them to win. These guys rarely if ever do win and so I'm not sure what the motivation is for them to continue - or maybe I do have an idea but would like to get some az feedback on why you guys think they do it.

To be clear, I'm not referring to the low pros who also have other actual careers running along side their pool pursuits, but rather, it's the guys who've been out there competing for years with no real chance of winning and no meaningful other careers.

What do you all think their motivations are and do you think they are making a good or bad decision doing this?

best,
brian kc

Click to expand...

I dunno. Beats getting a real job?

I doubt even a psychiatrist could answer that... It is an addictive game, but it is also a cruel mistress. I mean, when somebody with Mike Dechaine's talent needs to get a "day job"....

Many non team sports have very low ranked pros that do not make a living from the sport- even team sports such as baseball have guys who live in the minors for 10 years - it is all about life's choices like everything else!

Unfortunately, I think its a bit of a trap. Most don't have a degree, maybe can't do some sort of skilled labor job and play pool, so they just stick with pool. I'm a carpenter, and if someone started working with us and then wanted to take off several days and weekends to go play pool, they wouldn't last too long. Plus, it would be hard to go from playing $500 or $1000 sets on Saturday night to an entry level job making $15 an hour. Getting up at 5 am and working hard all week or playing a game you love. Even though there isn't much of a future in pool, its hard to give up considering the alternative.

Andy

I’m close friends with a guy that lived the life for 20+ years. Good enough to beat anyone on any given day, not quite strong enough to beat fields of killers. He won one good sized event, $15,000ish in all those years.

He made a living though. There was enough locals willing to donate cheap sets to him (helped by the fact that he was the nicest guy in the world, and he made losing $ to him enjoyable). There was enough local events to rob, and even the small bar tourneys wouldn’t exclude him as long as he didn’t show up every week to steal. Most road players wouldn’t know what hit them on his home table. The larger regional tournaments were 3-4 other guys in a car, and as many people as you could fit in a room, it was profitable. The largest tournaments got paid for from a backing pool we had set up. He didn’t lead an extravagent life, but a lot of pool hall bums, myself included, were envious of that lifestyle and wanted to see him succeed.

What kept him going, I’m not sure. Part of it would be why would anyone want to quit doing something they love? It wasn’t a burden for him to be a not quite good enough pro player, he was living his dream from age 10. Not everyone worries about having a pension at 65.

Another big draw, you’re top 1% in the world at something. And if you could just find that half a ball, or that next gear, or maybe improve your break just a touch, you could possibly be one of the top guys. For a competitor, that’s going to keep them going.

My friend gave it up in his early 40’s. He got married, found a decent job. Still subsidizes his income a bit, clubbing baby seals when he has time. I don’t think he has any regrets. Most people waste their youth, be at least has some awesome stories and the glory of a weekend when he couldn’t miss for 3 days and got the big cardboard cheque.

pwd72s said:

I doubt even a psychiatrist could answer that... It is an addictive game, but it is also a cruel mistress. I mean, when somebody with Mike Dechaine's talent needs to get a "day job"....

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That's the saddest part of pro pool. I wonder how many pool players make 100k a year? AZ homepage shows Shane as the only player to break 100 from tournaments alone. Even adding sponsorship, maybe 20 players?

xianmacx said:

That's the saddest part of pro pool. I wonder how many pool players make 100k a year? AZ homepage shows Shane as the only player to break 100 from tournaments alone. Even adding sponsorship, maybe 20 players?

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Doubtful IMO.

I think a lot depends on individual agreements. From what I have heard, some are travel and entry only.

Some like Predator have been said to not give monies, they give product that the players can sell.