There has been so many posts and comments about how pool, as a sport, is dying. I thought maybe it would be popular as an Olympic sport. Doing a forum search here on AZ pretty much changed my mind. The politics of the Olympics would probably do more harm then good. My head is spinning trying to think of fresh ideas.
Here is one that will probably draw criticism but here goes.......
The future of any endeavor is with the younger generation. My idea Is start a high school league. Something for kids freahman through seniors. There are many good junior pool formats out there, and I'm not even going to mention one. Thats not the point of the thread.
So many schools, if not all of them, are having financial difficulties. Compared to some of the other sports being played now, billiards would probably be the most cost effective. The students parents would only need a very modest investment to get the kids started. For instance, a modest playing cue and a case. This could be done for less then a 100 dollar bill. A lower end Players cue or a cuetec and a wal mart case would be good enough, and could last a lifetime if taken care of properly. And it could even be set up so everyone uses the same cue....just allow weight adjustments.... to keep things affordable and fair. The schools could have very little investment if sponsors cover the cost of tables. Two to four tables would be all that Is necessary to allow adequate practice time and enough for hosting other schools.
Far cheaper then maintaining a baseball or football field. Recover tables twice a year is cheaper then mowing grass twice a week! Now grant it, football does draw in a certain amount of revenue, so its an unfair comparison.
Other benefits include such things as.......students won't get injured as in contact sports. The game of pool is physically and mentally challenging. ...students who are not very athletic will have something challenging to do and could excell in pool where they would probably fail in other sports. On the pool table, physical differences become less important. Male and female can both play. And they will be on equal footing. The girls have as much potential as the boys....if not more so. And for a lot of kids, it will get them off their butts, away from the computer, and moving around doing something.
Now for the benefits to the sport of pool. The one that sticks out the most is get fresh blood into the sport. Learned at an earlier age, the skills will develop sooner (with good coaching). It is a skill that will be used for a lifetime. How many of us old timers (I'm 47) still enjoy football? ( I mean actually playing it, not the armchair quarterback we end up being). How about baseball? If we played these sports in high school, we pretty much wasted our time in the scheme of things. Pool lasts a lifetime.
Another advantage to the sport....these kids (especially the non athletes) will gain a sense of sportsmanship....a sense of accomplishment. It would be far better for the sport for the younger generation to learn sportsmanship from a respected individual instead of getting all their sense of fair play from a drunk asshole in a bar! For some, if not most, a kids first time playing pool is in a bar. That is the atmosphere where all the bad habits are formed. Giving a kid a sense of fair play before they ever see a bar is much better for the game. Think about it. Look at some of the responses from certain individuals here on the forum. Some people just don't play well with others. Did they learn that behavior at a young age from the wrong people, or are they just natural born assholes? You make that call. But starting a kid out in the right direction could have a very positive impact on the image of the game.
I don't know how this ball could get rolling. I think it is a great idea. I want to hear your ideas....your thoughts....on how to make something like this work. I know there are a million ways in which it could fail, I want to hear how to make it succeed!
Here is one that will probably draw criticism but here goes.......
The future of any endeavor is with the younger generation. My idea Is start a high school league. Something for kids freahman through seniors. There are many good junior pool formats out there, and I'm not even going to mention one. Thats not the point of the thread.
So many schools, if not all of them, are having financial difficulties. Compared to some of the other sports being played now, billiards would probably be the most cost effective. The students parents would only need a very modest investment to get the kids started. For instance, a modest playing cue and a case. This could be done for less then a 100 dollar bill. A lower end Players cue or a cuetec and a wal mart case would be good enough, and could last a lifetime if taken care of properly. And it could even be set up so everyone uses the same cue....just allow weight adjustments.... to keep things affordable and fair. The schools could have very little investment if sponsors cover the cost of tables. Two to four tables would be all that Is necessary to allow adequate practice time and enough for hosting other schools.
Far cheaper then maintaining a baseball or football field. Recover tables twice a year is cheaper then mowing grass twice a week! Now grant it, football does draw in a certain amount of revenue, so its an unfair comparison.
Other benefits include such things as.......students won't get injured as in contact sports. The game of pool is physically and mentally challenging. ...students who are not very athletic will have something challenging to do and could excell in pool where they would probably fail in other sports. On the pool table, physical differences become less important. Male and female can both play. And they will be on equal footing. The girls have as much potential as the boys....if not more so. And for a lot of kids, it will get them off their butts, away from the computer, and moving around doing something.
Now for the benefits to the sport of pool. The one that sticks out the most is get fresh blood into the sport. Learned at an earlier age, the skills will develop sooner (with good coaching). It is a skill that will be used for a lifetime. How many of us old timers (I'm 47) still enjoy football? ( I mean actually playing it, not the armchair quarterback we end up being). How about baseball? If we played these sports in high school, we pretty much wasted our time in the scheme of things. Pool lasts a lifetime.
Another advantage to the sport....these kids (especially the non athletes) will gain a sense of sportsmanship....a sense of accomplishment. It would be far better for the sport for the younger generation to learn sportsmanship from a respected individual instead of getting all their sense of fair play from a drunk asshole in a bar! For some, if not most, a kids first time playing pool is in a bar. That is the atmosphere where all the bad habits are formed. Giving a kid a sense of fair play before they ever see a bar is much better for the game. Think about it. Look at some of the responses from certain individuals here on the forum. Some people just don't play well with others. Did they learn that behavior at a young age from the wrong people, or are they just natural born assholes? You make that call. But starting a kid out in the right direction could have a very positive impact on the image of the game.
I don't know how this ball could get rolling. I think it is a great idea. I want to hear your ideas....your thoughts....on how to make something like this work. I know there are a million ways in which it could fail, I want to hear how to make it succeed!
Last edited:
