APA Rankings
- Thread starter Coop1701
- Start date
Skess said:
I was under the impression that if any 2 regardless of number of games played reaches a point where they've won 50% or more of their games they will not remain a 3.
Skess said:
Jennifer Barretta was raised to the 7 briefly but only during her first season when her handicap was in complete flux. She settled as an s/l 4 where she remained for the duration of that season. In Las Vegas, she was raised to the 5 and later, before quitting the APA, she was a 6. She quit a few years ago. From what I know, for that single week, she was the only woman in my region's history to attain s/l 7.
Although we have lacked a woman who is/was a consistent s/l 7, that isn't to say there aren't women who would easily fit the bill in the area. There are at least a dozen women in New York City who are either current touring professionals, attained touring status or have quaified to play in professional events. I'm sure all of them would be more than capable of playing as s/l 7's. If Jennifer Barretta were allowed to play in the APA today, she would definately be an s/l 7.
Skess said:
In regards to women at the s/l 6, when I was in the APA, there weren't many. Perhaps 3 or 4 but once again, that has more to do with the fact that the majority of women who are capable of playing at that level have higher aspirations than being an s/l 7 in the APA. Once they're an s/l 6, they usually devote more of their free time to the WPBA and affiliated regional tours. Although it takes more to be successful in a Classic event, many of the regional qualifiers consist of players in that skill range.
Jude Rosenstock said:
I think that may not be the norm, though it should be. I've had 3 APA captains, one who has the attitude you do, one who is constantly trying to suggest people keep their rating down, and a third falls in between hoping nobody goes up and playing them against players they think will lead to their handicaps staying down, but accepting the inevitable when it occurs.
It is amazing how great the ramifications of your apa captains behaviour can be on your game in general. I find that if my captain wants me to keep my innings up, even though I don't conciously sandbag, my game just goes to hell and my game deteriorates below the level it should be at and basically I just suck. Not only does my APA game suck as a result, but my game at other venues (other leagues and tournaments) goes to hell too.
catscradle said:
I'm serious when I say this, there is NOTHING a league could offer me that I would trade for my pool game. If I were you and my captain told me to add a few innings, I'd grab my cue and leave. Vegas airfare is cheap. Your pool game and your reputation aren't. I'm fortunate to live in an area that has several league options so I never had to settle for what was available. Hopefully, you have similiar luxuries.
Jude Rosenstock said:
I hear ya, but it seems that once the "it doesn't matter" seed is planted it is hard to play at my top level even though I refuse to sandbag. Maybe your right the correct thing to do is breakdown my cue and walk out so that that seed cannot take root.
catscradle said:
What I'm saying isn't new. It really does go directly to the root of learning. If you're rewarded for mediocrity, why bother improving? If the challenges continue to get tougher, you will respond in kind. The underlying problem with a sandbag environment is that the immediate reaction for a player after a loss is to blame the system or manipulate it. After I lose, all I think about is what I need to improve and the spot never enters my mind.
Jude,
I'm right there with you about the players improving. I remember when I first went to a 7. My LO called and said he had bad news, then proceeded to tell me that I went up to a 7. I said what's bad about that. I'm damn proud to be a 7. I remember thinking how strange it was that he would consider that bad news.
As a Captain, I try to teach my players the best I can and have never had anyone dump, bag, or work innings. That's probably why I've had so many players go through my team on their way up the HC chart. Like you, I'm proud when one of my players gets better. I've had players ask to get on my team because they are tired of showing up every week, paying their money and being told to lose. We managed to make it to 3rd in the country playing straight up, so I know it can be done.
I'm right there with you about the players improving. I remember when I first went to a 7. My LO called and said he had bad news, then proceeded to tell me that I went up to a 7. I said what's bad about that. I'm damn proud to be a 7. I remember thinking how strange it was that he would consider that bad news.
As a Captain, I try to teach my players the best I can and have never had anyone dump, bag, or work innings. That's probably why I've had so many players go through my team on their way up the HC chart. Like you, I'm proud when one of my players gets better. I've had players ask to get on my team because they are tired of showing up every week, paying their money and being told to lose. We managed to make it to 3rd in the country playing straight up, so I know it can be done.
Barbara said:
Barbara, you automatically don't fall into this catagory simply because I KNOW you play in all the NEWT events (you run them). This shows a greater devotion to pool and your pool game. Although I think you'd be rather pleased if you were the highest ranked woman in the APA, you wouldn't be satisfied with just that. You want to be champion of the world!
Skess said:
Tap tap! That's what I'm talkin' 'bout!
Barbara said:
Hmmm...I say you like it. Weren't you "suckered" into last session too? So what they have you ranked a 6 now?
You know the saying...Keep coming back...it works if you work it!
landshark77 said:Hmmm...I say you like it. Weren't you "suckered" into last session too? So what they have you ranked a 6 now?
You know the saying...Keep coming back...it works if you work it!
You know Michelle, I just want to play. But the one thing I don't like is having to stay to the end (around midnight) because they use me as the coach.
But I put them on warning that since it's summer, it's sailing season, so if it's going to be a nice night, grab a sub!
Barbara
I'm a captain and a Divisional Rep. I've been in the APA for about two years and am an SL7 (8-ball).
In my experience, the main problem with the APA system, and the number one reason why people will try and sandbag is the 23-rule. The figure is not only too low, but it discourages improvement throughout the year (three seasons). At the beginning of Summer (the beginning of the APA year), my team was 7,4,4,4,3,3,3,2. I chose players that are keen to learn, and I am more happy to give time helping them improve. At the end of the Spring session, the same eight players were 7,5,5,5,5,4,4,3. All the hard work was worthless since we could hardly even field a team, and I could hardly ever play. We lost five of our last six matches and missed out on the Gold Cup. The problem I found was that making people better HURT our chances. It's almost like if I had taught the players nothing, we would have been rewarded. Anyone read Atlas Shrugged? That is the reason why I was thinking of giving it up, but I've made so many friends and I have such a great time playing and teaching that I decided not to. I even wrote to the APA saying that the 23-rule should be based on handicaps at the BEGINNING of the yearly cycle for players with 20 matches or more but I heard nothing back from them.
As for handicaps. Yes, it is based on your best 10 of 20. If you are 50% then that it is obviously based on ten wins. When a player goes to 9-11 in their last 20 that is when handicaps are much more likely to drop as a 'loss' is factored in. The inning score for a loss is much higher and this skews the figures. Go to 8-12 or 7-13 and you're almost certain to go down. If you want to know exactly how it works, there are plenty of posts that explain it. You can search for it on Google, it's not difficult to find.
In my experience, the main problem with the APA system, and the number one reason why people will try and sandbag is the 23-rule. The figure is not only too low, but it discourages improvement throughout the year (three seasons). At the beginning of Summer (the beginning of the APA year), my team was 7,4,4,4,3,3,3,2. I chose players that are keen to learn, and I am more happy to give time helping them improve. At the end of the Spring session, the same eight players were 7,5,5,5,5,4,4,3. All the hard work was worthless since we could hardly even field a team, and I could hardly ever play. We lost five of our last six matches and missed out on the Gold Cup. The problem I found was that making people better HURT our chances. It's almost like if I had taught the players nothing, we would have been rewarded. Anyone read Atlas Shrugged? That is the reason why I was thinking of giving it up, but I've made so many friends and I have such a great time playing and teaching that I decided not to. I even wrote to the APA saying that the 23-rule should be based on handicaps at the BEGINNING of the yearly cycle for players with 20 matches or more but I heard nothing back from them.
As for handicaps. Yes, it is based on your best 10 of 20. If you are 50% then that it is obviously based on ten wins. When a player goes to 9-11 in their last 20 that is when handicaps are much more likely to drop as a 'loss' is factored in. The inning score for a loss is much higher and this skews the figures. Go to 8-12 or 7-13 and you're almost certain to go down. If you want to know exactly how it works, there are plenty of posts that explain it. You can search for it on Google, it's not difficult to find.
Barbara said:
Wow, done by midnight, that's an early night!!! We've had them go way past 2am.
hobokenapa said:
Another fine example as to why the APA isn't for serious pool players. Yes, the 23-point rule is too low but to increase it would contradict the intention of the APA. I have heard of Super-30 events but nothing of this nature is promoted on the National Level and it REALLY should be.
BTW, "all the fine work" wasn't for naught. You helped improve the ability of several beginners in the greatest game on earth. How could that possibly be worthless? As was the case in my APA team from 1999, you never know where someone might end up. As I stated earlier, Jennifer Barretta was an s/l 4 on my team.
Think what you will but if you're going to put 'winning a championship' as the ultimate goal, I'll have to beg to differ. Watching a former teammate on television is far better.