This is my first session with APA, and I'm Team Captain. We're going to the playoffs, so I figured I would brush up on the rules so I know them better. Started reading the rule book from page 1 on, and came across this in the latest Team Manual, on page 39, it says, "You may change cues and/or cue shafts during a game provided the cues and/or shafts you are switching to do not violate any rules of use, and you remain within the time guidelines. "
So, I'm thinking I could get a light weight playing cue and just put a hard leather tip on it. Use it for jump shots/breaking only, and still be within the guide lines of the rules.- but everyone is telling me I can't do that.
My question is why can't you? It states in the rule book that you CAN.
What rule am I breaking if I change playing cues in the middle of a game?
Thanks for your feedback and thoughts on this.
EDIT: This is not Masters, just regular APA.
In asking for black and white instructions for this rule at the Higher Level Tournaments
what I've been told is that break cues that are specifically labeled break cues, ie.-
The Predator BK series, The McDeromtt Stingers and cues such as these are what
are considered break cues and can't be switched to for performing a jump or masse
shot. Also I've been told that just simply changing the tip of a playing cue does not
necessarily make it a break cue. So if you break with your breaker that happens to be
a McDermott G705 or a Predator SWJP (neither of which are "break cues") you could
switch to that during the game. Keep in mind that is what I'm told in Las Vegas a
couple of times a year, locally this rule may be looked at a little differently. Best to
check with your LO to see how that rule would be enforced on the Local Level.
The one thing that continues to kinda make me crazy in Las Vegas is when people
say, "That's not what the rule is at home..." or something similar. I do remind them
that they're not at home. So that being said I would implore you - for things that don't
seem black and white, check with your LO to see how it's going to be enforced