Bringing pool to schools...

[krupa]

Here's an interesting segment of the Ronnie O'Sullivan Show that looks at a program that introduces kids to snooker. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swbtvLnZQEE#t=68

A couple observations:
1) The small, portable tables. This is great. There's no reason that kids have to play on tournament tables and the small tables makes the game easier (let's face it, most kids quit trying at the first sign of difficulty). The portable tables also means you can be a traveling show; you don't need multiple schools to get on board and buy equipment.

2) The scoring variation. They follow the same rules as snooker (pot a red, then pot a color) but the scoring makes the kids do more math and let's a player who is seriously behind catch up (see #1 about kids quitting).

The only problem with doing something similar with pool is that most smaller towns don't have poolrooms that kids can play in, so they have an introduction to the game then have to wait until they're 18 (to see a table at a college dorm) or 21 to play in the bars.

 

[Island Drive]

QUOTE=krupa;5000352]Here's an interesting segment of the Ronnie O'Sullivan Show that looks at a program that introduces kids to snooker. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swbtvLnZQEE#t=68

A couple observations:
1) The small, portable tables. This is great. There's no reason that kids have to play on tournament tables and the small tables makes the game easier (let's face it, most kids quit trying at the first sign of difficulty). The portable tables also means you can be a traveling show; you don't need multiple schools to get on board and buy equipment.

2) The scoring variation. They follow the same rules as snooker (pot a red, then pot a color) but the scoring makes the kids do more math and let's a player who is seriously behind catch up (see #1 about kids quitting).

The only problem with doing something similar with pool is that most smaller towns don't have poolrooms that kids can play in, so they have an introduction to the game then have to wait until they're 18 (to see a table at a college dorm) or 21 to play in the bars.[/QUOTE]

Biggest obstacle here, pools still a dead end road....for a career :deadhorse: and to buy/afford a home and raise a family.

 

[Floppage]

I really like the idea of bringing pool to schools. Weight and durability would be a big issue on portable tables. If cost wasn't as much of an issue perhaps the Playcraft outdoor table could be modified to be a more portable table.

http://www.playcraft.com/extera-outdoor-pool-table-1.html#.VIh4iTHF8-4

 

[krupa]

Biggest obstacle here, pools still a dead end road....

And it will be until more people play it and care about it. I wasn't implying that getting kids started at school will create the next SVB. I think we need to ignore professional pool and focus on getting more people playing it. Professional pool will then just 'happen' again if it's meant to.

 

[Chris O]

....awesome!!... and we wonder how Europe gets strong! LOL!

 

[Nitrokid373]

Theres no reason that if you were able to bring them into schools to introduce kids you couldn't set them up after hours as well for kids to show up and play. Have it like Karate or Hockey the kids have certain times that their age group would play and have them come out for an hour or so and shoot. Have a local organization fund the time for the room to set up in and have some volunteers to over shadow and critique. The only reason kids wouldn't have a place to play is because of the alcohol that is served in the establishments. But that wouldn't matter to them anyways you could set up at a rec center or stay at the school. I think its a cool idea.

 

[Island Drive]

And it will be until more people play it and care about it. I wasn't implying that getting kids started at school will create the next SVB. I think we need to ignore professional pool and focus on getting more people playing it. Professional pool will then just 'happen' again if it's meant to.

And if I misspoke I'm sorry. But when I talked with my local school district, if fell on deaf ears, and there was NO interest, because the education system looks at the BIG PICTURE of life from the stand point of a career (narrow minded), but those adults/teachers tend to process pool in the negative, but doesn't hurt to try, I already have. The business model I created was perfect to socialize the individuals. Each school within our district would generate ten players. With five schools in our district it would create 50 players. When they went to the end of year competition event, all fifty players were mixed TOGETHER and therefore each player group was a little from each school, perfect, because kids like to meet other kids they don't know that are their same age. It would like having a BB tournament where you blind draw teams and let the kids work together, PERFECT socialization of the individual.

 

[Nostroke]

And if I misspoke I'm sorry. But when I talked with my local school district, if fell on deaf ears, and there was NO interest, because the education system looks at the BIG PICTURE of life from the stand point of a career (narrow minded), but those adults/teachers tend to process pool in the negative, but doesn't hurt to try, I already have. The business model I created was perfect to socialize the individuals. Each school within our district would generate ten players. With five schools in our district it would create 50 players. When they went to the end of year competition event, all fifty players were mixed TOGETHER and therefore each player group was a little from each school, perfect, because kids like to meet other kids they don't know that are their same age. It would like having a BB tournament where you blind draw teams and let the kids work together, PERFECT socialization of the individual.

PERFECT Socialization? Is that what we are aiming for now?

 

[DAVE_M]

QUOTE=krupa;5000352]Biggest obstacle here, pools still a dead end road....for a career :deadhorse: and to buy/afford a home and raise a family.

When I was in highschool, we had multiple mandatory physical education classes per semester, which included:
Golf
Archery
Badminton
Basketball
Softball
Football
Horseshoes
Cross Country

All of those are a dead end road... for a career :deadhorse:

I'm doing far better as a Structural Designer for a major Engineering firm. Three years of drafting classes in high school and another 4 years in college paid off, more so than Badminton classes.

 

[Island Drive]

PERFECT Socialization? Is that what we are aiming for now?[/QUOTE


Your right....bad idea to have kids the same age working together....lets just keep their thinking me against you, and never work with others their same age to mature.

 

[ceodynamo]

Pool in School

This is a great idea, I mentioned it in another thread.

If you had a, for example Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association, pool team in High School and even in Middle School you could be introducing kids to pool at a young age and give them an interest so that later in life they could play league, enter tournaments, socialize and have fun. Then all you're doing is creating more customers and players.

It's no different than someone playing baseball then going to college, trade school or just working out of high school and playing recreational Softball. The idea of the old timer saying "these kids need to be in the pool hall getting there butts beat on the table so they learn how to be competitive and learn that life is hard and is not supposed to be easy" blah blah blah.... I competed in wrestling, CC and Track and Field those sports taught me to be tough and keep my grades so I can get a job or have an opportunity for a career later in life. I'm sorry old man but times have changed there is no reason to unnecessarily bring hard ships on anyone.

Mark Wilson runs the Lindenwood Pool School program, I am sure he would love to be able to come to Oklahoma State High School Pool Tournament and look at the talent coming out of high school and give a scholarship or two. WOW what an idea giving kids an opportunity to go to COLLEGE and PLAY POOL!

If I would have known I could have gone to college on a scholarship to play pool, I would have continued to play pool instead of wrestling or running track. Both of which do nothing financially or socially for me any more.

Not every one of these kids is going to be the next SVB but there will definitely be someone who rises to the top. Overall you would get young people playing pool who would continue to play pool late into their lives. Which in turn helps the pool business.

Just my 2 cents worth.

 

[bdorman]

If I were trying to sell it at the junior high/high school level, I would stress the following (in order of importance).

1. It's a chance for kids to excel at a physical activity that doesn't involve how big or fast you are, or how high you can jump. It's very inclusive because everyone -- boys and girls (the girls part is huge) -- has an equal starting chance. The scrawniest nerd can be a Jock!

2. It's a fantastic example of geometry and physics at work. Every student has to take geometry to graduate; it is the quintessential "I'm never going to need this" course. Well, you'll use it every time you're at the pool table. (This assumes the instructor is conversant with basic geometry and physics).

3. Pool has a direct impact on the students' perception that you improve yourself with practice and hard work. This is the most important part of "character building." In pool you get immediate feedback about how well you did (on every shot) and your progress is in direct correlation to your practice. It is very hard to instill the improvement-through-practice ethos with any other high school activity.

Probably others to add to the list but I'm out of time.

 

[ceodynamo]

If I were trying to sell it at the junior high/high school level, I would stress the following (in order of importance).

1. It's a chance for kids to excel at a physical activity that doesn't involve how big or fast you are, or how high you can jump. It's very inclusive because everyone -- boys and girls (the girls part is huge) -- has an equal starting chance. The scrawniest nerd can be a Jock!

2. It's a fantastic example of geometry and physics at work. Every student has to take geometry to graduate; it is the quintessential "I'm never going to need this" course. Well, you'll use it every time you're at the pool table. (This assumes the instructor is conversant with basic geometry and physics).

3. Pool has a direct impact on the students' perception that you improve yourself with practice and hard work. This is the most important part of "character building." In pool you get immediate feedback about how well you did (on every shot) and your progress is in direct correlation to your practice. It is very hard to instill the improvement-through-practice ethos with any other high school activity.

Probably others to add to the list but I'm out of time.

Yes this is very true!

 

[Island Drive]

If I were trying to sell it at the junior high/high school level, I would stress the following (in order of importance).

1. It's a chance for kids to excel at a physical activity that doesn't involve how big or fast you are, or how high you can jump. It's very inclusive because everyone -- boys and girls (the girls part is huge) -- has an equal starting chance. The scrawniest nerd can be a Jock!

2. It's a fantastic example of geometry and physics at work. Every student has to take geometry to graduate; it is the quintessential "I'm never going to need this" course. Well, you'll use it every time you're at the pool table. (This assumes the instructor is conversant with basic geometry and physics).

3. Pool has a direct impact on the students' perception that you improve yourself with practice and hard work. This is the most important part of "character building." In pool you get immediate feedback about how well you did (on every shot) and your progress is in direct correlation to your practice. It is very hard to instill the improvement-through-practice ethos with any other high school activity.

Probably others to add to the list but I'm out of time.

It's thee great equalizer at a young age in competitive sports, where the gals can EASILY beat the guys. At this ''Hormonal'' age, young men getting beat by a girl their same age is intimidating. As many realize, pool is a very competitive type of activity that will immensely help them work with others as they mature in life....And when there is a school activity that's competitive and coed....well we all know how that can play out :canoodle: